Byrd Elementary School is dedicated to helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing opportunities for collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and leadership which will equip them for the work force and life in a globally competitive world. Our curriculum affords students opportunities to enjoy the arts, technology, character education, leadership opportunities, field trips and service learning projects.
At Byrd Elementary, our academic initiatives promote critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Teachers routinely participate in professional development to learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom to meet the diverse needs of our students. The school’s literacy coach facilitates professional development and instructional support in effective reading strategies and text dependent questioning and analysis. To meet the diverse needs of our students, students receive support via enrichment and intervention. Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade receive literacy support or enrichment via the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention, Passport Voyager Foundational Literacy Skills and Fountas & Pinnell Classroom Guided Reading Collections. Students in grades 3-5 needing intervention in reading receive intensive reading support via Passport Voyager Foundational Literacy Skills program each day or receive literacy support via the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention by their classroom teacher. Also, students at Byrd Elementary receive additional intervention and enrichment in ELA with computer-assisted instruction via Imagine Learning in K-2 and Edmentum Exact Path in grades 3-5. Students in grades Kindergarten-5th also receive math support or enrichment via Dreambox, a computer-assisted instruction program and practice math fact fluency in Reflex Math. Teachers in 4K-5th grade provide small group instruction in reading and/or math for intervention or enrichment in their classrooms and support instruction with 1:1 devices.
Byrd Elementary is a Leader in Me school. Leader in Me is a comprehensive framework that nurtures student leadership, fosters a culture of trust, and boosts academic success. Leader in Me practices focus on social-emotional learning and leadership with the purpose of enabling students to become genuine leaders who can confidently make their unique contributions in all areas of their life. Positive student behavior is supported by a positive behavior reinforcement system, Byrd Bucks, which students earn, deposit, and can be redeemed for rewards. Our students also demonstrate a strong sense of community and compassion by raising funds and collecting items for civic organizations throughout the school year; which include the Golden Harvest Food Bank, the Aiken County Animal Shelter, the Charlie Norwood Veterans Hospital, and the United Way “Be a Bunny” project.
The students at Byrd Elementary enjoy many cultural experiences through the arts, such as the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, Joye in Aiken Kidz Bop Concerts, and the Aiken Civic Ballet. Our students have been recognized for many visual art awards at the ACPSD Performing and Visual Arts Showcase. Students in grades 4K-5th grade enjoy a variety of field trips throughout the year, which include visiting a Christmas tree farm, Steed’s Diary, the Augusta Canal, Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, and the Imperial Theater which integrate science and social studies into literacy and math instruction.
