Midway Elementary School is helping all students develop the world class knowledge, skills, and life and career characteristics of the South Carolina graduate by providing a nurturing and challenging problem-based learning environment dedicated to the advancement of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and literacy.
Since opening its doors in 2003, Midway Elementary School has built a tradition of excellence in the Anderson community. At our school, children are held accountable to high standards of achievement, parents and other visitors are always welcome, teachers and staff truly care about our children, and the students help others by always doing “the right thing.” Midway is a 4K through Grade 5 elementary school with a population of approximately 750 students.
Today, our school continues to carry on its tradition of academic excellence and innovative programs through our dedication to STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). As the first STEAM school in Anderson School District Five, Midway provides a seamless transition to the district’s middle and high school engineering programs. Partnerships with Clemson University, Anderson University and Tri-County Technical College afford authentic STEAM learning opportunities for our students.
In addition, “Morning STEAM” sessions focus on literacy based engineering activities and team students with their parents and community partners in problem solving situations. STEAM Day is a blend of career presentations that involve and inspire our students through hands-on activities, visual and musical arts, movement, and play. Our school's annual "One School One Book" is a community-involved initiative that promotes literacy at school and at home.
Throughout the school year, teachers promote the world-class skills of creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration on a daily basis. Teachers plan collectively and vertically in order to maximize the effects of teaching at Midway every day. Students collaborate and communicate their ideas and methods in order to solve multi-step problems. Teachers lay the foundation of fundamentals and scaffold the knowledge by challenging students to think critically and creatively.
Each week throughout the school year, students are recognized for good character. Staff members promote the life and career characteristic word each week and choose a student who best represents that trait. At Midway, students are constantly reminded that good life characteristics are just as important as world-class knowledge and skills. Each classroom is charged with completing one service-learning project each year. Teachers poll their classroom to find a project that is meaningful to the students. Each classroom typically completes this service-learning project outside of school hours.
Our Parent Teacher Organization is an important component of our school community. They support our school through annual fundraisers, Spirit Nights at local restaurants, Fall Festivals, Teacher Appreciation Week, and financially supporting our classroom service projects. Our annual Boosterthon fundraising event is our largest and most successful fundraising event. Over the past six years of fundraising, our PTO has been able to add numerous improvements to our school: a quarter-mile walking track, two covered awnings, nine commercial grade picnic table, additional Chromebooks, literacy kits, "Buddy Benches", students earns free books from the Book Fair each year, a new "Innovation Lab", and walls and walls of murals from a local artist.
Finally, we believe the school, family and community must share in the responsibility of educating our youth. Thank you for all of your support in helping in the development of our future South Carolina graduates and world leaders!
Mr. Brandon Meares, Principal
