The 2021-22 school year at Olanta Creative Arts and Science Magnet School has been a year of great opportunities and growth as we have worked to develop our students’ World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate to ensure that they are college and career ready.
Our focus has been to continue to provide a strong academic foundation for future success while tapping into the benefits of integrating both the Arts and Sciences, specifically Environmental Science. As research supports, the integration of these content areas directly contributes to the development of the four C’s: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity.
In spite of the opposition created by the pandemic, our efforts in improving literacy at Olanta Magnet have remained strong. We are happy to be able to return face to face for this school year and through the use of many strategies such as IRLA which was provided through the American Reading Company, we are able to continue our efforts. Our literacy coach has continued to provide professional development to target the learning needs of our students through interactive read alouds and research-based strategies.
We have been very fortunate to receive the Magnet Schools grant. With it we were able to retain the resident scientist and with her efforts were able to become a Green Steps school. The integration of the Arts has also boosted our students’ World Class Skills in the area of creativity.
Across the content areas, we have also implemented cooperative learning structures while maintaining social distancing as well as other strategies to provide opportunities for collaboration and communication. To provide the foundational skills necessary to communicate and collaborative effectively, we have a daily advisement period to confer with students and provide socio-emotional lessons using both Capturing Kids’ Hearts Leadworthy Moments and Ripple Effects. Our socio-emotional counselor also provides support to whole groups, small groups, and individuals based on identified needs.
Our successes would not be possible without our partners. We have local partners who have worked with us year after year to ensure our students have an enriching educational experience and have increased our partnerships to include the Olanta Pentecostal Holiness Church. With this partner, as well as our community stakeholders, staff, and students continue to make Olanta Magnet the best place for Science and Arts Integrated Learning. SAIL and Excel, Never Sink or Fail, We Are…Olanta Magnet!
Tonyelle Thomas, Principal,
Wanda Weber, SIC Chairperson
