Cherokee Trail Elementary School has embraced the concept of helping all students develop 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. We provide such an environment through the implementation of our school’s mission: to support and challenge students every day to learn lifelong skills to become creative, responsible, and productive citizens. We demonstrate this mission by challenging our students with best practices to reach their full potential and by the continuous professional development of our teachers.
Strengths and Successes:
This year, we moved beyond face-to-face and virtual learning during COVID-19, to exclusive face-to-face learning for the 2021-22 school year. Teachers have focused on identifying the individual needs of each student while continuing to provide a safe learning environment. Teachers meet regularly to discuss student performance. During 2021-22, we used NWEA's MAP assessment in the Fall, Winter and Spring in the areas of math and reading. For students in K5-1st grade, we also used NWEA's MAP Oral Reading Fluency assessment in the Fall, Winter and Spring. Achievement projections for SCReady as well as growth data were measured and frequently reviewed with school and community members (SIC). Other formative assessments are also used. These include PALS, KRA, STAR Reading and Math, and Fountas and Pinnell reading assessments. Our spring MAP data showed the number of students who made gains from the fall are favorable in both ELA and MATH, but the percentage of those projected to meet/exceed on the SCRREADY were not as favorable.
Concerns and Actions to Address Them:
As we analyzed the various forms of data, we noticed that while our students are growing, we still have a great amount of students who are not meeting grade level expectations. Our 5th and 7th grade student projections as measured on spring MAP in both ELA and Math did not show significant growth. Our goal is that students not only learn material but that they continue to grow. For this reason, we implemented a reading interventionist and math interventionist to target students in need of remediation. We likewise started an after-school-program aimed at supporting students in the lower 25th percentile in both reading and math.
Conclusion:
Our mission of Cherokee Trail Elementary School states that we “support and challenge students every day.” As we analyzed our assessment data, we realized that while our students are scoring well compared to schools similar to ours, we still have students who are not performing on grade level targets. A focus on balanced literacy and differentiated instruction will help meet the individual needs of each student. Continued training in teacher support and providing challenging student opportunities will aid in the development of those skills. With the help of the Title I funds, we plan to increase targeted instruction for all students and improve our school/family communications.
Mr. Donald O. Clendaniel III, Principal
