Whale Branch Middle School is located in Seabrook, South Carolina and serves students in fifth grade through eighth grade. The population attending Whale Branch Middle School is as follows:
- 355 Total students
- 282 African American Students
- 25 White Students
- 31 Hispanic Students
- 16 Two or More Races
- 1 Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander
WBMS currently has a total 38 certified staff members and 13 classified staff members. Certified staff members include reading and math interventionists, literacy and math instructional coaches, one school counselor, a media specialist, content area teachers, academic arts teachers, and a part-time social worker. Classified staff members include two para-professionals, a Behavior Management Specialist, and a number of guidance and front office staff. WBMS is served by a principal and one assistant principal. WBMS also houses a School Resource Officer as provided to all BCSD schools by the Sheriff’s Department.
The school of choice option for WBMS is Arts-Infusion, which reflects the culture of the surrounding community. Academic arts teachers collaborate with content area teachers to infuse the arts within academic classes to promote student engagement and enhance teaching and learning. All students participate in visual and performing arts classes to include band, steel drum band, hand chimes, chorus, art, dance, and chorus. By tapping into students’ interest in the arts, students are able to build stronger connections with academic classes.
The SC Ready data from 2017 shows that approximately 50% of our fifth graders are scoring at the Approaches/Meets/Exceeds Performance Levels in English language arts, with 56% in math. Fifty percent of our current sixth graders scored at Approaches/Meets/Exceeds Performance Levels in English language arts, with 50% in math. Seventy-three percent of our current seventh graders scored at the Approaches/Meets/Exceeds Performance Levels in English language arts and 69% in math. Sixty-one percent of eighth graders scored at Approaches/Meets/Exceeds Performance Levels in English language arts and sixty-one percent in math.
Whale Branch Middle School houses a Health Based Clinic through Beaufort Jasper Comprehensive Health Services, which provides health, dental, and behavioral services to students who show a need. We also participate in the Community Eligible Program which provides a food bank once a month for community families.
