Northside Elementary School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, nurturing, and academically challenging learning environment. During the 2021-2022 school year, Northside focused on the following specific characteristics of the Profile: World Class Knowledge – rigorous standards in language arts and math for career and college readiness; World Class Skills – critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, teamwork, knowing how to learn, and Life and Career Characteristics – self-direction, perseverance, and interpersonal skills.
Northside is proud to be a one-to-one device school with every student having an individually assigned a Chromebook. To support our students are developing World Class Knowledge – rigorous standards in language arts and math for career and college readiness, we have continued our Professional Learning Communities with a focus on Collaborative Planning, Community of Practice, Data, and our MTSS process. The Instructional Leadership Team and grade levels analyze MAP Reading and Math assessment outcomes, Fastbridge Social Emotional screening result, district common formative assessment data, and behavioral data. Interventions for attendance and socio-emotional needs are discussed and implemented when appropriate. These data discussions have facilitated deep and meaningful professional conversations that have improved classroom instruction, student engagement, as well as collaboration within common grade levels and through vertical articulation. School-based professional development was developed to meet the needs of our students and teachers based on technology needs, classroom observation data, the School Literacy Plan, and for district and school-adopted instructional models.
Teachers participated in technology and curriculum training in areas such as, but not limited to, Google, Edmentum, Open Court Reading, LETRS, instructional assessment tools and applications. An outcome of the professional development sessions were increased intentional opportunities for students to develop their World Class Skills – critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and teamwork, and knowing how to learn. Students were provided significantly more opportunities to enhance their problem solving skills while working collaboratively with their classmates.
We have programs beyond academics to enhance in the development of the whole child. A school-wide initiative at Northside Elementary is The Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program. Through PBIS, explicit behavior expectations for our students are taught. Students are then encouraged to meet expectations and recognized by earning points daily as well as by earning invitations to PBIS Celebrations. We were able to open our PBIS STAR store this year as well. Students had the opportunity to earn STAR tickets and were able to visit the STAR Store monthly to purchase items with their earned tickets. Quaver SEL Elementary Curriculum was utilized by the school guidance counselor and Positive Behavior Support Specialist to aid in supporting students' mental and emotional health.
Northside promotes healthy living initiatives such as providing students weekly with fresh fruits and vegetables, providing Brain Breaks throughout the instructional day, and adopting health and wellness policies to support the physical health and well-being of our students.
Despite the restrictions placed on activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Northside students were able to participate in extracurricular activities such as, but not limited to, student art showcases, project-based learning, and their related arts classes including, art, physical education, and music.
At Northside Elementary, our dedicated staff, hardworking students, and families support us in our endeavors to nurture, inspire, and guide our STAR students so they are prepared to be successful in tomorrow’s world.
Catherine Fanchette, Principal
Shannon Dandridge, School Improvement Council Chair