Jackson Creek Elementary is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing on the 4 C’s – Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity in the following ways:
Through the school-wide implementation of AVID – Advancement Via Individual Determination – we provide a framework for college and career ready learning. Through WICOR strategies – Writing to Learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading to learn – teachers are able to engage students in the types of critical thinking and collaboration necessary for academic success. All certified teachers receive ongoing training in AVID strategies and implement WICORized lesson plans and engagements in all classrooms. Additionally, our teachers remain on the cutting edge of best practices. This includes providing differentiated instruction, project based learning opportunities, and one-to-one technology (3rd -5th).
A variety of data (student learning, demographic, process, perception) are used to guide instruction at Jackson Creek. We use our district’s data protocol to analyze data and make informed classroom and curriculum decisions on instruction. Assessments such as MAP, SC Ready, SC PASS, as well as other school and district assessments, such as: Easy CBM, Reading A-Z, and DRA are used to guide instruction.
In addition to AVID, teachers and staff work in culturally relevant ways, ensuring a strength-based perspective that builds on students’ knowledge and skills and examines teaching, curriculum and engagements through a critical cultural lens, and ensures diverse ideas and perspectives are represented throughout our school and classrooms. This is evident in our school-wide expectations and code of ethics: "I will respect others’ views, property, and heritage while maintaining my self-respect and my integrity." For example, teachers facilitate and engaged students in Socratic Seminars to learn how to communicate ideas and opinions and to support claims with evidence in academic ways. Teachers engage in professional development that explores issues of race, culture and language as it relates to student learning. Utilizing a culturally relevant lens in this way helps to create meaningful classroom engagements, a stronger school community, and develop global learners and citizens.
We use the 7 Mindsets curriculum for character development and community building. The seven mindsets by which we operate are: Everything is Possible, Passion First, We Are Connected, 100% Accountable, Attitude of Gratitude, Live to Give, and The Time is Now. These mindsets are highlighted and celebrated in our JCE Newsshow each morning and are taught during daily morning meetings in classrooms. Service learning is an important aspect of these mindsets and JCE faculty, staff, students and families engage in many community service learning projects such as: Jump Rope for Heart, Walk for Life, Pennies for Patients, United Way, Adopting Families, and Hurricane Relief to name a few.
We offer a number of opportunities for students before, during and after school to meet the needs of our students. Our Boys and Girls Club provide families and students before and after care (as early as 6:30 a.m. and as late as 6:30 p.m.) which includes homework support and a variety of activities. During the school day, students engage in innovative practices in Music, Art, and Technology. In music, for example, our students engage in “Informances.” These are different than performances in that they are designed for students to not only perform but to also inform audience members of all that they are learning about music and music literacy. In technology, in addition to being one-to-one (3rd-5th), students have opportunities to work in maker space, coding, and 3-D printing. For example, students in A.L.E.R.T. (our gifted and talented program), who were working on architectural design projects, were able to write codes and create specific pieces needed for the homes they were constructing. Students are afforded afterschool club opportunities such as coding, Jammers (music), and book clubs, to name a few. However, more offerings for before, during and after school are planned for our school’s second year and beyond.
It is imperative that our staff, families, and community partner together to ensure the successful development and education of our students. To achieve this we include families and communities in many events and activities throughout the school year. Some of these engagements included: Open House, Curriculum Nights, Family Heritage Night, Night of the Arts, several Informances and grade-level events and activities. We appreciate and value the students, families, and community we serve and we extend an invitation to anyone wishing to visit, be involved, or to know more about our school.
Dr. Sabina Mosso-Taylor, Principal
Mrs. Pamela Williams, Chair of the School Improvement Council
