St. Matthews K-8 School strives to do what's best for children, by providing them with empowering opportunities to compete and succeed in a global society. During the 2018-2019 school year, the school was named one of South Carolina’s TransformSC Schools. TransformSC, an education initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, collaborates with business leaders, educators, students, parents, and policymakers transforming the public education system so that every student graduates prepared for careers, college, and citizenship. The school is trending towards a school-wide student-centered learning environment through personalized learning. Professional development sessions and academic workshops for teachers focus on data analysis, technology integration, project-based learning, personalized learning, and increasing soft skills. Through the continuing implementation of Cardinal Character, students cultivate soft skills needed for careers and life applications. Our one-to-one technology initiative for Pre-K through eighth grades promote engineering, mathematics, arts and the social sciences. Teachers continuously integrate project based strategies throughout core subject content. Our STEM program teaches work and interpersonal skills through science and math material. Our school is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the SC graduate by entering in a partnership with Calhoun County High School and Orangeburg Technical College as a part of the Honors Academy. Students who successfully complete this program will graduate from high school with an associate's degree. Our school completed its first Honors Academy cohort with 25 middle school participants. For the 2019-2020 school year, St. Matthews K-8 had one student named as a Junior Scholar and six students as Duke Tip Scholars in grades four through seven. We also provide St. Matthews K-8 students with an array of enrichment programs that instill lifelong skills, such as Student Council, RIDDE, National Junior Beta Club, Mentoring Programs, Focus Tuesdays, DARE, MLK Oratory Contest, and after school Boys and Girls Clubs.
During the 2019-2020 school year, the Covid-19 Pandemic propelled personalized learning to the forefront of education for learners at SMK8. Instructors developed blended, project based, and mastery-based instructional models for instruction in core subjects. Administrators, teachers, school counselors, parents, students, and community stakeholders collaborated to create a conducive learning climate beyond the school’s wall. It continues to be the goal of SMK8 School to promote students who are world class leaders and positively impact our society. We have, can, and will do what’s best for children.
Treda L. Keith, Principal
Dr. Shaniqua Hart, School Improvement Council, Chair
