Charleston Charter School for Math and Science (CCSMS) completed our 11th year of operation during the 2018-2019 school year with a mission-driven commitment to growing our scholars to develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. As a small school with 553 scholars in grades 6 through 12, CCSMS’s faculty and staff members support scholars’ individual developmental and academic needs while building positive relationships. The CCSMS mission is to educate students for success in college and careers by providing an innovative learning environment that is academically excellent, developmentally responsive, and socially equitable.
While the CCSMS Class of 2019 has an exceptionally high graduation rate, that number alone does not begin to explain how these scholars embody the SC Profile of the Graduate. Their work ethic and their vision for their own future, many in STEM related careers, is to be celebrated. Driven by our mission, we are always looking for new opportunities to further prepare scholars to be college and career ready. This year we had 5 scholars with paid internships at Boeing and additional scholars with work study employment and apprenticeships at area businesses and corporations. Nearly half of our graduating seniors have been with us since 6th grade and have been a part of making CCSMS what it is today. During their time with us, our seniors have shown us they are respectful and responsible citizens and we know they will be life-long learners helping solve problems and helping others. This graduating class is ready to take their “Riptide Pride” out into the world.
CCSMS families reflect the socio-economic and racial diversity of Charleston County, are committed to the mission of the school, and act as partners with staff when developing reasonable expectations for our scholars. Our scholars and their families live throughout Charleston County School District with some walking to school just a few blocks and others riding a bus for nearly an hour. As we make decisions and plan for the future, CCSMS administrators and board members ask ourselves three mission-driven questions to make sure we are keeping our focus on what is best for our scholars:
Will this help our scholars achieve academic excellence?
Is this developmentally responsive to the needs of our scholars?
How can we ensure the implementation of this will be socially equitable?
Professional development for teachers at CCSMS is focused on growing our scholars and is aligned to building the world class skills expected of South Carolina graduates. We launched the school year with a Paideia Institute training on Socratic seminars to facilitate critical thinking and communication with our scholars. The Profile of the SC Graduate hangs in each classroom which we distributed at a training prior to the first day of school. CCSMS teachers revisited and reflected on these skills throughout the year in faculty meetings, department meetings, and professional development. The school year culminated with a full day training incorporating the world class skills into planning for next school year within experiential and project based learning.
CCSMS recognizes there are opportunity gaps in our community that our scholars come to us with. Many of our scholars have their first taste of academic success with us when we meet them where they are and help them grow. We create opportunities for scholars to broaden their understanding of the world, to make authentic connections with complex problems, and to explore STEM careers and the varied academic pathways to attain them. Our commitment to access and equity allows all scholars the opportunity to succeed.
Mary Carmichael, CCSMS Executive Principal and CEO
David Wolf, CCSMS Board Chair
