Lower Lee Elementary School faculty and staff are working diligently to help all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by being "Committed to Excellence." Our school community serves a student population of 162 students in grade pre-kindergarten (K4 through fifth grade. Our faculty and staff work together to ensure our students are educated in a safe, nurturing, caring, and academically challenging environment to fulfill this commitment.
Students at our school are encouraged to think critically, collaborate with others, communicate effectively, and be responsible for their learning. We follow the South Carolina College and Career Readiness Standards at every level to plan and implement lessons to improve instruction. It is delivered using the gradual release model in a large, small group, and individualized instruction by highly qualified and trained faculty and staff using various instructional strategies.
Literacy is critical. A Balanced Literacy model is used in English Language Arts classrooms. This approach to literacy uses a combination of whole language and skill development to increase each student's level of literacy comprehension. The balanced system will help meet all the needs of our students at their own level of cognitive development in reading and writing skills, math, science, and social studies. Therefore, literacy is integrated across the curriculum. A new Fountas and Pinnel curriculum was implemented to improve literacy. Inquiry skills are used to develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills in all subject areas. Guided Reading, Guided Math, and individualized instruction address each student's needs more effectively. To improve literary and phonemic awareness, kindergarten through third-grade teachers received professional learning in LETRS to gain a deep knowledge of literacy instruction for young learners.
Recent developments have been challenging for our school and community due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, classroom teachers are committed to each child's education and providing high-quality instruction virtually and in person. Classrooms look different, and how we teach and learn is evolving, but our core values and mission will not change. Virtual and in-person grade-level planning time allows teachers to collaborate on creating meaningful lessons. Data team meetings and Professional Learning Communities focus on student growth, achievement, teaching, and learning. Moreover, students are provided additional assistance with various interventions and small group pull-outs-. Interventions are scheduled and part of the instructional day and acceleration opportunities, allowing all students access.
We empower our students to achieve their fullest potential by providing a diverse, student-centered environment that prepares them to be lifelong learners and active, productive community members. We provide such an environment by implementing the South Carolina College and Career Readiness Standards and district guides. All students will learn, and our mission is to determine how each child learns best. Therefore, we challenge our students to reach their potential by providing instruction incorporating best practices and higher-level thinking skills. This instruction prepares our students to be successful in the years to come.
The school community consistently provides an academically stimulating environment where all children recognize and achieve excellence. Lower Lee Elementary School's motto is "Learners Leading through Excellence." Every morning, our students and faculty are reminded of our core values and those characteristics that we know are revealing of world-class learners. We also emphasize and highlight core values monthly through our Character Education Program. In fulfilling the school's mission, "to empower students, staff, and community members to be life-long learners and leaders through commitment and collaboration," the school community purposely ensures that all students succeed as members of an ever-changing society through effectively teaching a challenging and relevant curriculum.
Lower Lee Elementary School is located in Maysville, South Carolina. Our administration, faculty, staff, parents, and community members work collaboratively to provide an academically stimulating environment conducive to learning. Additionally, as a one-to-one district, all students utilize technology to enhance learning. As always, our primary objective is to improve student achievement. Our teachers and staff believe that learning is the core of effective teaching. Therefore, we seek out opportunities to learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom.
At Lower Lee Elementary School, various Related Arts programs focus on developing the whole child. We offer Physical Education/health, classroom guidance, music, media dance, art, and digital literacy. A literacy drama base class was offered to students through a partnership with the Governor School of Arts Program called SPARK. Additionally, we have embraced the PBIS/Positive Action-based model, centered on the natural philosophy that we feel good about ourselves when we demonstrate positive actions. To nurture the love of learning, students enjoy memorable events such as Family Literacy Night, Fall Festival, Field Day, African American History Month Celebration, Book Give-Aways, virtual college tours, and quarterly awards celebrations.
Lee County School district administration, Board of Trustees, families, business/community partners, Parent Teacher Organizations, School Improvement Council, and other advisory groups generously support our efforts, planned programs, instructional practices, and extra-curricular activities. We are committed to excellence.
