Burke High School is a comprehensive community high school located on the peninsula of Charleston, South Carolina. Rich in the tradition of excellence in academics, career and technology education, the arts, and athletics, each school year is embraced with great anticipation for success and student growth.
We aim to empower all students for success by equipping them with the academic and social-emotional skills necessary to graduate college and/or to be career-ready. Burke High School aligns with the Charleston County School District’s mission and vision, which maintains the goal of moving all students forward academically to ensure future success.
The 2022-2023 school year began with great anticipation of student success and social-emotional support. Our scholars engaged in a “Path to Success” Shoe Print Project where students traced their footprints (one shoe) on paper, decorated their shoe prints based on their individual and unique qualities, and, shared their goals and dreams around what would help them be successful.
We ensure data-driven instruction, maintaining a standard of excellence in teaching and learning through rigorous and equitable experiences. Through this process, we continue to see growth trends as Burke’s faculty strives to align the rigor of formative assessments to the rigor of state and national college readiness assessments. Faculty and staff diligently work to prepare scholars to become competitive global citizens.
Opportunities continue to abound at Burke. Dual enrollment offerings were expanded during the 2022-2023 school year through our Acceleration Schools support and collaboration with the National Education Equity Lab (NEEL). In addition to local dual enrollment courses, scholars gained access to and earned college credits from Arizona State University, Harvard Extension School, Howard University, Spelman College, and Stanford University. Additional student supports were added to address academic weaknesses including SAGA, a math tutoring program.
Our Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs such as Building Construction, Business Information Management, Culinary Arts, Digital Art and Design, Engineering, and Health Science were all aligned to ensure a completer pathway. Thus, providing our scholars with options as they explore post-high school opportunities and enabling them to be career ready. Certificates were awarded to this year’s graduates in each of our programs, resulting in 75% career readiness compared to last year’s 46.7%.
We have also been fortunate to receive additional support due to ESSER funds to create the District 20 Principals’ Collaborative Program (PCP). Five principals from the Constituent District 20 schools formed a collaboration to strengthen and direct the academic progress of students served in the D20 feeder system of elementary, middle, and high schools. These resources have provided a means to enhance and strengthen our ability to ensure college and career readiness while exposing scholars to cultural and diverse experiences. Specific student and family services and experiences include the creation of family coaches; intensive in-school and after-school tutoring; lyceum experiences; adult education classes; as well as summer reading, math, and STEM programs.
Our administration and teachers will continue to strive and support growth as we seek to close the achievement gap, enabling us to offer every student the opportunities necessary to move forward academically and in lifelong success.
Cheryl F. Swinton, Principal
Eric Jackson, SIC Chair
