Clearwater Elementary is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing an environment where students are challenged to be creative thinkers, innovative problem-solvers, and positive contributors to society. We are equipping students with the skills necessary to become college and career ready by setting rigorous standards in academic performance and high expectations for student behavior with an emphasis on character education. Through the implementation of a guaranteed and viable curriculum, teachers ensure students are presented grade level standards that will prepare them for future learning through a variety tailored to meet the unique learning needs of all students.
We demonstrate our commitment to ensuring all students are successful by diligently tracking student data, utilizing researched based instructional strategies, and providing timely interventions and acceleration opportunities such as Voyager, System 44/Read 180, Moving with Math, and multilingual learner support. An additional Reading Interventionist is funded with Title I to support students reading below grade level. All grade levels have common planning time that allows teachers to collaborate and create meaningful lessons in all subject areas and review student data with an emphasis on student growth and achievement. Teachers participate in ongoing professional development designed to improve teaching and learning that focus on Multi-Tiered System of Supports, providing remediation and acceleration, analyzing data, and how to use technology to extend learning in meaningful ways. Together, we develop goals and teaching methods that are developmentally appropriate and meet the academic and behavior needs of all learners.
An important part of our curriculum is focuses on positive character traits such as responsibility, courage, gratitude, and respect. Students are rewarded for exhibiting positive character traits and entered into drawings for prizes, positive postcards are sent home to parents, and student pictures are displayed in the school. As part of our Positive Behavior Intervention System, we provide continuous modeling of how to exhibit these expectations in every area of the school through praise of students who display these actions.
We believe that collaborating with all stakeholders plays an important role in meeting the needs of our students. Through a variety of platforms, we communicate our vision, goals, plans, and priorities to staff, students, parents, and community on a regular basis. We also involve staff, students, parents, and community members in needs assessments, problem solving, and decision making for school improvement. All major stakeholders assist with planning, monitoring, and evaluating our school program for continuous improvement. Parent and community input are welcomed through PTA meetings, School Improvement Council meetings, and suggestions in response to surveys. Our community has a sense of shared responsibility in the outcome of the future of our young children. This is evident through the establishment of partnerships with: local churches, numerous businesses, community mentors, volunteer grandparents, and the local high school. Faith based organizations such as Hope 4 Our Schools supports us in community involvement activities, provides school supplies to all students, food for those in need, and other outreach programs.
Ultimately, the goal of Clearwater Elementary is to develop eager, well-engaged students as problem solvers and critical thinkers, both independently and collaboratively, so that they are positive contributors to society. Clearwater Elementary is a place where all faculty and staff believe that all students can learn and our staff is committed to providing the type of environment necessary to ensure they can meet that expectation. By doing so, we are creating a brighter future for South Carolina by developing South Carolina graduates and future leaders.
Leslie Lowe, Principal
