In seeking to strengthen our provision of world-class knowledge through rigorous standards, Springdale Elementary’s teacher teams placed a renewed focus on working together to ensure students received a guaranteed and viable curriculum and mastered the essential skills and standards required for success at the next grade level.  We began the year by digging deep into the district instructional plans and identifying the gaps in student learning. We shared the identified gaps with the teachers at the next grade level, so they could target the learning students missed in ELA and math.  Teacher teams met regularly to discuss formative assessment data and monitor student performance to provide appropriate interventions and extensions of the learning.  Our well-developed school-wide Response to Intervention framework provided additional student support. 

We’ve worked all the more to develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics students need to access the world-class knowledge coming to them in a variety of instructional models. Teachers utilized a blended learning model to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math through the implementation of STEMScopes. Students honed their problem-solving skills to more effectively use technology, communicate with their teachers and others, and rely on perseverance and a strong work ethic to complete their school work. Building on their previous technology skills, students adeptly navigated Google Classroom, Google Meet, Seesaw, and a host of educational websites and platforms on their district-issued iPads and Chromebooks. Even though we are no longer providing instruction virtually, our teachers have continued modeling their commitment to life-long learning by further enhancing their use of instructional technology through collaboration and professional development in best practices.

Springdale remains devoted to developing the life and career characteristics described in the Profile of the SC Graduate.  We continued our Dolphins D.I.V.E. positive behavior system with monthly celebrations and recognized individual students each quarter who exemplified showing Dignity, Interacting well with others, Valuing their education, and Encouraging self and others. Dolphin P.O.D.S. (Positive Outreach for Dedicated Students) met monthly to complete activities promoting positive choices, interpersonal skills, and creativity through STEM challenges and group discussions. Teachers pinpointed specific students to receive a mentor for additional positive outreach during the school year. Our School Resource Officer fully implemented a supplemental monthly character recognition program called Dolphins Committed to Character, which highlighted two students monthly from each grade.

COVID-19 continued to pose challenges that limited community involvement this school year but we were fortunate to resume some normal activities. Springdale Baptist Church remained a strong partner in providing school supplies and weekly snack packs to our students. We were able to resume our normal after-school club sponsored by Springdale Baptist. We appreciate our close ties with the Town of Springdale and its offices, which are always willing to lend a helping hand. We continue to seek ways to improve as a school and appreciate the support and input from our School Improvement Council. 

Students and families participated in an in-person Open House and a virtual Veteran’s Day performance. We were again able to host our annual Springdale Academic Pinning Ceremony. As a culminating end-of-the-year activity, we hosted the first annual STEAM Night at Springdale where students and families participated in hands-on STEAM activities to strengthen critical thinking skills and highlight STEMScopes connections. Students and teachers celebrated our annual Poem in Your Pocket Day. While Run Hard, Celebration of the Arts, and the Reading Carnival continued to be suspended this year, we eagerly look forward to resuming these events next year.

Thank you to our Springdale community for your support as we continue to strive toward excellence at Springdale Elementary. With students foremost in our minds as always, we will look ahead to next year ready to continue building world-class knowledge and skills, as well as life and career characteristics, for all our future graduates.  

Hope Vrana, Principal

Kerry Boykin, SIC Chair