The staff at River Oaks Elementary School works hard to ensure that all students will become lifelong learners, community leaders, and responsible members of society by fostering an atmosphere based on respect, opportunity, excellence, and service. Our students are provided with rigorous instruction that is aligned with the skills and characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Our staff is engaged in ongoing professional development to enhance their skills as educators and learn innovative strategies to increase student achievement. Additionally, our teachers in kindergarten through third grade have been developing their literacy instruction in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training based on the science of reading.
Our schoolwide theme, Champions for Children, focused on serving our diverse student population by building strong relationships with our students and their families. This was especially important as we opened the 2024-2025 school year with more than fourteen hundred students. We developed our communication with families through the River Oaks Elementary School webpage, newsletters and social media platforms to inform parents of upcoming events and help families stay connected. Families were also encouraged to volunteer for Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) events and attend school activities. Instruction focused on student engagement, differentiated small group learning and setting rigorous achievement goals to accelerate student growth.
Throughout the year, we continued to emphasize student achievement to meet students at all achievement levels. Our staff participated in professional development centered around English language arts, math, the science of reading, student engagement and strategies to support multilingual learners. Staff used the knowledge gained from these sessions to develop targeted, standards-based instruction for both small and whole groups and various levels of achievement. Further, teachers worked collaboratively to analyze student data and monitor student progress.
River Oaks Elementary School held various family events throughout the year. These included a Multicultural Night, STEAM Night and Literacy Night, in addition to grade level musical performances, and monthly PTO Events. Our students were recognized for their achievements during quarterly award ceremonies. Students were honored in class for their reading progress; teachers selected monthly “Most Improved Readers.” Students who received this honor were awarded with a book to add to their literacy collection. Student projects were displayed in celebration of national holidays and cultural diversity. Staff recognized students for their positive behavior through the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS). Further, our school received exemplary support from our School Improvement Council, PTO, ROE families, and local community organizations.
We are proud to report that River Oaks' students made tremendous gains this year. At the beginning of the year, the Dibels reading assessment revealed that 31% of kindergarten students, 57% of first grade students, and 69% of second grade students were meeting or exceeding their grade level benchmarks. We set high expectations, provided rigorous instruction and interventions, as well as small group instruction throughout the year. After-school tutoring in reading and math was also provided for students in first through fifth grade. At the end of the year Dibels assessment, 79% of kindergarten students, 75% of first grade students, and 73% of second grade students met or exceeded their grade level goals. We are excited to report that our third through fifth grade students made positive reading Lexile growth using Achieve 3000. Additionally, more than fifty percent of our third through fifth grade students met their spring growth targets in reading and more than sixty percent met their growth targets in math. The success of our students can be attributed to student engagement and the targeted instruction provided by River Oaks Elementary Staff.
Our River Oaks’ staff is committed to develop their professional skills so that they can provide the most effective instruction in a safe and respectful environment. We will continue to develop relationships with all stakeholders and reflect our school values through our daily practices so that we can provide the best instructional practices for all students. Most of all, we thank our families for their partnership this year as they have supported our staff and their children so that they reach their full potential.
Mrs. Rene Cazier, Principal
