Willow Drive Elementary School, where we make Champions that SOAR High with Purpose and Pride, helps all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment. In implementing our school vision, we work diligently to purposefully create an environment where all students receive the respect, encouragement and opportunities needed to build the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be successful, contributing members of a global society. Together, we have worked hard to improve our school by focusing on the following five areas: increasing student and staff recognition, increasing safety and efficiency schoolwide to include student drop-off & pick-up areas, increasing teacher leadership opportunities, increasing parent & community engagement, and implementing a character education program.

We continue to provide students in all grade levels a rigorous, integrated, and relevant STEAM-based education. We have worked hard to create a culture of collaboration, build community relationships/global connections, and STEAM-related partnerships to prepare students to be middle school ready.  In the coming school year, we will provide additional opportunities intended to advance STEAM education for every student. During our annual strategic planning process, our faculty and staff continue to embrace the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by adding expectations for young learners with the goal of creating highly productive students prepared for the rigor of middle school. For the 23-24 school year, we have the following goals to increase student achievement at our school:

1. Increase student and community interest, participation, and achievement in STEAM.

2. Provide high quality instruction for every student based on their individual needs according to data.

3. Expand our family and community partnerships to provide all students access to an excellent education throughout the year.

Students have become motivated by an environment filled with new knowledge and evolving technologies, are self-directed learners, and are equipped to solve problems and think in non-traditional ways about the challenges surrounding their lives and the world as a whole. We have refined our school’s implementation of the One to One chrome book initiative with 100% of all students utilizing chrome books to strengthen their instruction.

In so many ways, Willow Drive Elementary operates from a position of strength. Pride reverberates throughout our learning community for many of our accomplishments:

1. Our staff members continue to be recognized for their teaching talents across the district:  Mrs. Denise Robinson was our 2022-2023 WDE Campus Teacher of the Year and represented our district as the Sumter School District Teacher of the Year.  Mrs. Allison Tyner is  our 2023-2024 WDE Campus Teacher of the Year.

2. We created a school wide character education program to promote good character and positive decision making skills.  Social-emotional learning is also emphasized during classroom meetings and school counselor classroom lessons.   

3. Willow Drive held a school-wide career fair this year to encourage students to think about their future for college and career readiness. An array of community businesses and companies participated.  

4. Increase of student performance in the meets and exceed category of the SC Ready and SC PASS state standardized tests.    

5.  An analysis of discipline data over the last two years show a significant decrease in the number of office referrals.

6. WDE students auditioned and one was selected to participate in the South Carolina Honors choir and two students participated in the Sumter School District REACH summer arts program.   

A strong partnership with community partners, (Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Fire Ants Baseball Team, Evening Optimist Club of Sumter, AmeriCorps, Community Organized Policing (COP) Group, YMCA, Burlington Store, Logan's, Dedicated Services, LLC, Sumter Trophies & Engraving, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, and USC Sumter among others), our teachers are able to bring excitement, discovery, exploratory learning, and problem-solving to enhance the curriculum.                                                                                   

Teachers collaborate to plan interdisciplinary units together. The use of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) has allowed teachers to efficiently use the data to enhance educational opportunities in the classroom. Through the knowledge shared from our Instructional Coach, Reading Coach, Reading & Math Interventionists, Media Specialist, and district technology instructional support staff, teachers continue to engage in ongoing, customized professional development to produce learning opportunities that align with the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Our school’s Multi-Tier Systems of Support meet the academic and social needs of all students through intervention and social-emotional support. 

As we continue to meet the challenges of improving student achievement, teachers and administrators recognize the need to emphasize student engagement, academic rigor, and high expectations. Data analysis has particularly allowed us to focus on offering our students enrichment and intervention assistance during the school day.

In addition to our STEAM school-wide strategic goals, we will continue to provide opportunities for parent and community involvement.  As a community, we have the determination to deliver excellence for all and we look forward to soaring to greater heights in the new school year.

Jackqueline Thomas,  Principal                Shawn Rearden, SIC Chairperson