Our school is helping all students develop world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the Graduate by empowering children to achieve their fullest potential through challenging and diverse educational opportunities in a safe, student-centered environment that prepares them to be lifelong learners and active, productive members of our community. The faculty and staff is dedicated to improving student academic achievement and fostering positive relationships with the parents and the community. Professional learning is ongoing and focuses on best practices to increase teacher efficacy and student achievement. Faculty and staff meet weekly in professional learning communities to collaborate in areas that will assist in meeting the needs of all students. The focus has been in areas such as integrating technology, developing and analyzing effective assessments, analyzing student work, and implementing best practices in curriculum and instruction. The dedicated faculty of Barnwell Elementary School has developed pacing guides, which are used to ensure that all students are learning and mastering grade level standards. Grade level teams use data from common assessments and subject related benchmark tests, as well as multiple sources of data to drive the instruction of the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics and South Carolina State Standards for Science and Social Studies. BES also has two wonderful after-school programs that provide academic support and enrichment. They are the Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands and the DIG STEM after-school program.
Students have participated in many different events and field studies throughout the year. Examples of these activities are as follows: Career Day, Science Day, Joye in Aiken Music Festival, STEM and STEAM activities, quarterly awards day ceremonies, benchmark academic medal ceremonies, honor roll parades, character education celebrations, literacy and literary multi-cultural events. Students also participated in the EarthShine field study and Barrier Island trips which takes the standards to the environment.
We are very proud of our students at BES. We continue to work closely with our SIC and PTO as well as the community. Barnwell Elementary School is continuously working to reach its goals and is always striving for excellence. At BES, we are Igniting a Passion for Learning!
Ms. Amanda Twitty, SIC Chair, Dr. Carolyn Anderson, Principal
