W.B. Goodwin Elementary School is helping all students develop the world class skills of the profile of the South Carolina graduate by creating and fostering an atmosphere that promotes self-esteem, respect for others, and a passion for learning. Our school motto, Every Day is a Great Day for Learning, is evident in the daily growth of the students. Our students, staff, parents, and community members continue to work hard each and every day to provide a safe environment where students are encouraged to be creative thinkers and problem solvers while working towards meeting their individual needs as learners. Student achievement and academic growth continue to be our focus and top priority.
At Goodwin, we know it is important for teachers, students, and parents to know and understand each child’s level of understanding and collectively develop plans to help every student make optimal growth. We monitor student progress by analyzing various data points including MAP math and reading in grades 2-5, FastBridge in math and reading for grades K-1, and student text levels to make instructional decisions that are best for our students. Providing a balanced literacy approach to teaching reading and writing, providing interventions for struggling students in math and reading, and utilizing technology are some of the ways in which our staff is engaged in the process of ensuring our students have every opportunity to succeed. Through our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) process, collaboration is continued between administrators and teachers as we meet to monitor interventions and goals set by teachers and students. Stakeholders are then given the opportunity to reflect, update, and revise goals after each assessment window.
Implementing the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program school-wide has established a common language in assisting our students in knowing and understanding how to learn. Our students are working towards self-regulation, discovering skills for learning including empathy, managing emotions, and problem solving skills to be more successful learners. We know that children need a solid foundation of self-regulation skills in order to stay focused on their learning including getting along with others and working independently and cooperatively in the classroom.
At Goodwin, we set challenging goals for our students because we sincerely believe that high expectations result in optimal performance. Teachers meet regularly as a team, and with administrators, to discuss student academic and behavioral progress. We communicate high expectations for student progress through the utilization of data notebooks for teachers, as well as student data notebooks, which are shared with parents during conferences. We believe that it is imperative that all students are capable of communicating academic and behavioral goals with their parents and other relevant stakeholders.
Our faculty and staff are invested in and committed to building strong relationships with all stakeholders in our community. We wholeheartedly believe that our students have great potential and we are committed to helping them reach that potential. Maintaining an open door policy will continue to build school climate and a positive and welcoming culture with all stakeholders.
Natasha Jones, Principal
Kelly Enterkin, SIC Chair