In the 2021-2022 school year, Jesse S. Bobo Elementary School's (JSBES) goal was supporting all students as they develop World Class Skills based on the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We sought to reach this goal through our focus on increasing student achievement, character development and addressing the social and emotional needs of our children through continuous improvement efforts.
We begin each year collaborating with our families in helping them understand the importance of a great home to school relationship. Home to school relationships are a priority for us. Our school team is looking forward to hosting more in person family engagement events in the new year to build upon family involvement. We were extremely creative in our approach in how we were able to communicate and collaborate with families this year. Our school hosted in person family engagement events, awards days, programs, musicals, arts events, activities and conferences to strengthen the home to school and school to home connections.
Teachers also provided support in nurturing world class skills with integration, differentiation, using inquiry skills, and teaching rigorous standards based lessons in the classroom. Teachers collaborated within grade levels, across grade levels, with administrators, coaches and district office staff to provide students with the best opportunities to optimize their learning. To further their professional abilities and with the aim of continuing to increase student achievement, JSBES teachers continued their professional development by participating in school based professional development as well as district led professional development to stay abreast on the best practices and pedagogy in education.
Character development is always a focus at JSBES as well. We encourage character development skills with all students at our school through our PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) program and Olweus anti-bullying program. These positive programs prepare and provide students with strategies for academic and social emotional success. Our full time guidance counselor, behavior interventionist, school psychologist, mental health counselor and teachers were leaders in supporting our students in their social emotional growth and development this year. Our school, under the MTSS framework implemented SEL groups and found great success from running these small student groups. Our school theme for the year was Engage – Inspire – Educate. This is exactly what we accomplished during the 2021-2022 school year!
This year, JSBES strengthened our practice using data to improve teaching and learning under the MTSS umbrella. Led by our MTSS team, we honed in on student goal setting, data chats and celebrations. With support from Title I funds, we helped students achieve in both the ELA and math content areas. As part of this initiative, JSBES continued its digital data room to display student data in order to track progress and meet each individual student’s needs. Every staff member at our school was held accountable for this data and supporting all children in their academic success.
During the summer, we held a four weeklong summer reading program offered free of charge to our families. This summer reading camp allowed 100% of JSBES students, if they applied, the opportunity to continue their learning in June, which helped in the prevention of the summer slide. Many JSBES families took full advantage of this program and its benefits!
Collectively, we believe that the above represents an extraordinary effort to, in partnership with our community, address the needs of our children as we engage, inspire and educate!
Catherine Pogue, Principal
Amanda Justice, SIC Chairperson
