East Point Academy is helping all students develop the “World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate” by continuing its legacy of excellence in academics, language immersion, the arts, extracurricular activities and community service.
East Point Academy provides a rich and full education experience for all students providing instruction every day and continues to prove that it is a great place for students to learn and grow. Our Panda Core Values shape our school culture which can be summed up in four words “Be Nice, Work Hard.” And our Academic Philosophy can be summed up in six words “Rigorous Academics with a Global Focus.” Students, teachers, parents and staff work together to make East Point Academy a school where every person is valued and encouraged to be his or her best.
Superior academics are at the center of all decisions at East Point Academy (EPA). We are very proud of our talented and caring teachers who strive every day to make a positive difference for the students they serve. Our students excel on state assessments, exceeding the state average on SC READY and SC PASS. We were named a Palmetto Silver School by the Department of Education, the Best Charter or Private School in Columbia by the Free Times, the Best Charter School by the State newspaper and rated “A” by Niche.com. EPA students are receiving a rich academic program with a global perspective.
We immerse students in the Mandarin language while exposing them to many other cultures. Students at the Elementary Campus receive Mandarin language instruction as well as being taught Math, Science, Drama, and Dance in Mandarin. At the Middle Campus, students receive intense language instruction focused on improving their language fluency. Our students are progressing in their language acquisition while excelling in their core content classes. Students at the middle level can choose between a Mandarin or Spanish World Language track. We are excited that our departing 8th grade students are matriculating to high school with up to four credits in Chinese (Mandarin) as well as credits in English, Algebra and some electives.
EPA has a full complement of extracurricular programs. Our athletic opportunities include competition archery, basketball teams and cross country, intramural sports, various sports camps, Run Hard Club, martial arts and gymnastics. Our arts opportunities include art club, music, dance, piano, guitar, chorus, and strings. Other extracurricular options are BETA club, STEM club, Hands on Science, Gardening Club, Recycling Club, Chinese Conversation Club, Media Club, Panda Skippers, and many others. We recently added three leadership clubs. The Elementary Campus added Boys to Men and Girls with Pearls and the Middle Campus added "LeaderHERship". We also offer Horizons After School Experience which provides a robust after school program where students can find their individual voice.
We expanded and enhanced our summer offerings this year including our Summer Reading Camp for Read to Succeed which are designed to give struggling students a boost. We hosted two camps focused on increasing language acquisition. Other camps combined fun, academics and a themed experience including Archery Camp, Piano Camp, Cheerleading Camp and Art Camp.
Our students are also engaged in the community, participating in and sponsoring many events and activities. Our annual SC Moon Fest and Chinese New Year celebrations bring our community together for cultural awareness and fun. Giving back to the community is an important part of the culture at EPA.
East Point Academy is a very special place. We will continue to live up to our motto of “Merging Cultures, Inspiring Minds, Expanding Horizons” while responding to a very dynamic environment. No matter the challenges that face our world and community, East Point Academy will continue to serve its students and families with excellence.
Andrew Hart / Head of School
