World Class Skills are an integral part of instruction in every class during each and every day at Forest Lake Elementary! Our NASA Explorer and Elementary Learning Collaborative magnet programs are creating pathways to develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate through purposeful planning and meaningful instruction.
Two weekly common planning meetings provide teachers time to design meaningful lessons that help students develop strategies which teach them how to learn. Grade level meetings are used to develop short-term plans and weekly lessons. Collaborative Conferences allow teachers time to meet with Support Staff to refine long-range and assist in putting short-range plans into action. Daily class instruction and lessons strengthen all of the World Class Skills necessary for the SC Graduate. Teachers use instructional formats that allow for student communication and collaboration. Teachers work diligently to plan learning activities, questions, and assessments that encourage students to think both critically and creatively.
Following planning with our librarian, all students in kindergarten through fifth grade participate in quarterly library research that provide opportunities for students to communicate collaborate with classmates while using both print and digital resources. Students use the information gathered during their research to create projects that are then used to share what they have learned.
Students put critical thinking and creativity into action while participating in Project Lead the Way and NASA Lab lessons and projects. Project Lead the Way activities teach students the engineering design process which helps students understand the importance of a growth mindset, perseverance and learning from previous experiences. NASA Lab activities involve students in enrichment activities that connect science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Project and problem-based learning are integral components of both of these classes.
Our connection to NASA as an alumni Explorer School means videoconferencing lessons with NASA educators and specialists, downlink opportunities with the International Space Station, and whole school enrichment units for students. Teachers benefit from professional development webinars and access to numerous STEM resources.
Additional programs - Coding (using Dot, Dash and Spheros), NASA Family Night activities, Civil Air Patrol lessons, EdVenture Museum Family Night, StarBase week-long field study, Forest Lake Today news show and after-school clubs (Lego Robotics, Unlimited Hands-On Science, and Strategery Chess and Games) provide even more opportunities for our students to work in teams, think critically and creatively while learning problem-solving strategies.
This year’s MAP data reflects improvement over time for our students with students moving out of the Below category in almost every strand for both Math and Reading. We are especially excited by our third grade SC Ready ELA scores with over 85% of students scoring Meets or Exceeds!
Truly, at Forest Lake, we are preparing our children to develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate each and every day because as we recite our school pledge together each morning, “Everything we do at Forest Lake involves teaching and learning …. We are the Eagles, soaring to be the best!”
Mrs. LaTonya Derrick, School Improvement Council Chair
Dr. Kappy Steck, Principal
