Our goal at Rice Creek Elementary School of Academics, innovation, and Leadership is to prepare all students to become global leaders who will excel in their chosen pathway. Our faculty and staff are committed to helping all students develop the World-Class Knowledge and Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by promoting an environment that focuses on the Four C’s - Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity. 

First, the MedPro 21: Healthcare for a Caring Community Grant has allowed for the schoolwide integration of STEAM-M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math and Medical) at Rice Creek Elementary. The implementation of this grant includes signature initiatives such as our Maker Lab, where students are provided opportunities to pique their interest in science, engineering, and technology by designing and creating objects utilizing common household items to engage in various challenges. The Computer Lab is another vital resource that provides students with a place for computer science instruction and coding. The skills learned in both labs complement the classroom STEAM-M activities.

Next, teachers at Rice Creek Elementary help students develop their world class skills by providing AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategies and instruction. AVID’s proven learning support structure, known as WICOR, incorporates teaching and learning methodologies in the critical areas of Writing to Learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading to Learn. WICOR provides a learning model that educators can use to guide students in comprehending concepts and articulating ideas at increasingly complex levels within developmental, general education, and discipline-based curricula. “Writing to Learn” was one of our school’s focus points this year. 

And finally, at Rice Creek Elementary we believe the school, families, and community stakeholders must share the educational responsibility of our youth. We have adopted The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Stephen Covey and work tirelessly to continue to be a “Leader in Me” school. Through continuous professional development, our staff makes leadership development a part of the everyday student experience, including teaching leadership principles, creating a culture of shared leadership within the school, and helping students take more ownership for their academic learning and goal achievement. 

Motivated by the school motto of “Learn Today, Lead Today,” we embrace each school year with patience and determination. Our staff and students have led the way with innovative educational practices over the past three and a half years that value dynamic synchronous and asynchronous learning. While the challenges were many, the focus on the social and emotional well-being of our staff, students, and family members continues to bring us together as a school community. Likewise, as the ongoing risks of the global pandemic continue to subside, our students and their families have responded to the return of in-person gatherings with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and engagement.

Through AVID, Leader in Me, STEAM-M integration, and other initiatives implemented at Rice Creek Elementary, our students are well on their way to developing the premier World-Class Knowledge and Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We look forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

Mrs. Qiana Whitted, Chair of the School Improvement Council

Mr. Stacey Gadson, Principal