SJM Report Card 2018-2019
St. James Middle School, a grades 7 & 8 middle school, is helping all students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by teaching students to S-W-I-M (Stay Sharp; Work Hard; Inspire a Generation: Move Forward). We celebrated an exceptional school year filled with district, state, and national achievements. Our school was honored to be re-designated by the National Forum and South Carolina as a national “Schools To Watch”® member in 2014 and 2017. We engage students in high-performing instruction that allowed for the following student and staff celebrations this year.
- SJM students, parents, and staff came together as a family and community to help those who suffered loss after Hurricane Florence by providing and collecting food donations, helping fill sandbags for days, moving those in need, and serving lunches. The outpouring of support was amazing.
- This year, St. James Middle School celebrated our 30th birthday of our school building. News media filmed the opening of the time capsule that by the 1988 principal of SJM who buried the time capsule behind the cornerstone 30 years ago. Inside, we found pictures and documents from our first year, including teachers’ schedules and a list of students. On March 15th, we had an assembly to celebrate this milestone and what “Inspiring a Generation” means in the St. James community. Former teachers and students, parents who were SJM students 30 years ago, along with our current teachers and student body, gathered together to reminisce and to celebrate the new items that were going to be added into the time capsule for the next 20 years.
- Eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Stephanie Shirley, received the “Outstanding Lesson or Unit: Engagement through Technology Award presented by the S. C. Council of Social Studies.”
- Seventh grade Social Studies teacher and instructional chairperson, Samantha House, earned the state’s Thomas Lowell “Tom” Buckland Memorial Teachers of Excellence Award. Mrs. House also won a $500.00 grant for technology resources from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Society’s Continental Congress held in Washington, D. C. in June.
- Seventh grade Social Studies teacher, Donna Parker, was awarded the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for demonstrating leadership, excellence, and longevity within her profession.
- Ms. Gloris Carr, our ISS teacher, was in the top 5 candidates for Support Staff of the Year in Horry County Schools.
- SJM had six project entries that participated in the National History Day (NHD) State Competition. Two projects won the State level competition and advanced to the National competition. One of the projects was in the Junior Individual Documentary category; one in the Junior Group Performance category.
- Out of 178 Duke Tip candidates, forty-six students earned South Carolina Junior Scholars and six students earned Duke TIP Scholars.
- An eighth grade student won the National Gold Medal in the Film and Animation category for Middle Level of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.
- A seventh grade student participated in the Junior Beta Club Convention and won first place in the State Science competition for the second year in a row.
- A seventh grade student was the winner of the Soil & Water Essay contest for the district. There were over 3000 students across our district who competed.
- SJM Math Counts Team placed 2nd in the regional competition. We had a student who placed 3rd and a student who placed 8th out of 100 students. The team then placed 7th in the state competition.
- Orchestra members and Band members received a first place rating of Excellent and first place in their divisions at Music in the Park at Carowinds. Chorus earned a first place rating of Superior and first place in their division, also.
- Six Orchestra students earned All-County Membership this year. One student advanced to All-Region Orchestra and one to All-State. We had three students who earned All-County Band membership. In Chorus, 38 out of 47 who auditioned received membership into All-County Chorus.
- Ms. Purcell, our Orchestra and Band director at SJM, was selected as the All-County Orchestra Clinician and conducted the All-County Orchestra.
- We had 44 Musical Theater students performed “Shrek the Musical” in the spring.
- Our Environmental Club focuses on raising awareness about resources to help improve the environment. This year, we implemented the “Going Green, Making a Difference,” teaching our students and staff about the new composting initiative for our cafeteria. They helped educate others to know what to put in each bin and what happens to the composting when it leaves our school.
- Our Multicultural committee held its 19th annual celebration with a Multicultural Fair. This year we had 12 different cultures represented by students, staff, and families. Our chorus, percussion and orchestra students performed. Our Art Club students hosted craft booths and led activities for elementary, middle, and high school students.
- SJM students showed their Shark spirit and support for SJM Sharks who are battling childhood cancer. We dressed up in our favorite Star Wars to support, “May the Force Be With You”, and wrote encouraging notes. We raised $1039.80 to assist their families with their medical expenses.
- St. James Middle School was represented by a total of 25 students in 4 different groups at the 10th Annual HCS Technology Fair, including teams for Robotics and Rubik’s Cube. One 8th grade student earned first place in Video Productions and one 7th grade student earned third place in Programming.
- The Rubik’s Cube team of 8 students solved 25 - 3x3 Rubik’s Cubes in 2 minutes and 17 seconds, placing 2nd in Horry County, 2nd in the state of SC, and 12th in the United States. They also solved 25 – 2x2 Rubik’s Cubes in 1 minute and 7 seconds, placing first in Horry County, first in the state of SC, and third in the United States.
- SJMS BETA Club showed kindness each week as they read to kindergartners at St. James Elementary School on Wednesday mornings before school forming precious friendships and encouraging the love of reading.
- SIC helped sponsor a “Cluster Kindness Week” in which all of the schools in our St. James Cluster worked together to spread kindness. Students took part in a variety of lessons and activities to promote kindness each day.
- The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) sponsors many projects, including Muffins for Moms, Doughnuts for Dads, Employee Appreciation Week, staff luncheons and incentives for students.
- Our Guidance Department held IGP conferences with our 8th grade students and parents and Individual Goal Setting conferences with our 7th grade students and parents. Students had the opportunity to share their Digital Portfolio.
- Teachers celebrated students who demonstrated positive character traits and life skills with 329 praise referrals displayed in the hallways.
- Students celebrated appreciation for SJM staff members by choosing to complete Employee Appreciation certificates for staff. Our students generated 858 certificates to thank those who are making a difference in their lives.
We continue to focus on academics by implementing/adjusting our instructional strategies based on disaggregated data from the SC Ready, PASS, and MAP assessments, quarterly Benchmark assessments, and classroom assessments. Our administrative team continues to support teachers in their collaborative team planning meetings. We feel so fortunate to be able to work in a great school district with a wonderful PTA, School Improvement Council, Advisory Board, District Office, and Board of Education who enables us to reach our goals and aspirations.
Mrs. Amanda Bellah, School Improvement Council Chairperson,
Ms. Olga G. Toggas, Principal
