In the 2023-2024 school year, Jesse S. Bobo Elementary School's (JSBES) goal was supporting all students as they develop World Class Skills based on the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We sought to reach this goal through our focus on increasing student achievement, character development and addressing the social and emotional needs of our children through continuous improvement efforts.
We begin each year collaborating with our families in helping them understand the importance of a great home to school relationship. Home to school relationships are a priority for us. Our school team is looking forward to continuing to host in person family engagement events in the new year to build upon family involvement. We were extremely creative in our approach in how we were able to communicate and collaborate with families this year. Our school hosted in person family engagement events, awards days, programs, musicals, arts events, activities and conferences to strengthen the home to school and school to home connections.
Teachers also provided support in nurturing world class skills with integration, differentiation, using inquiry skills, and teaching rigorous standards based lessons in the classroom. Teachers collaborated within grade levels, across grade levels, with administrators, coaches and district office staff to provide students with the best opportunities to optimize their learning. To further their professional abilities and with the aim of continuing to increase student achievement, JSBES teachers continued their professional development by participating in school based professional development as well as district led professional development to stay abreast on the best practices and pedagogy in education.
Character development is always a focus at JSBES as well. We encourage character development skills with all students at our school through our PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) program and Olweus anti-bullying program. These positive programs prepare and provide students with strategies for academic and social emotional success. Our full time guidance counselor, behavior interventionist, school psychologist, mental health counselor and teachers were leaders in supporting our students in their social emotional growth and development this year. Our school, under the MTSS framework, implemented SEL groups and found great success from running these small student groups. Our school motto is Engage – Inspire – Educate. This is exactly what we accomplished during the school year!
This year, JSBES strengthened our practice using data to improve teaching and learning under the MTSS umbrella. Led by our MTSS team, we honed in on student goal setting, data chats and celebrations. With support from Title I funds, we helped students achieve in both the ELA and math content areas. As part of this initiative, JSBES continued its digital data room to display student data in order to track progress and meet each individual student’s needs. Every staff member at our school was held accountable for this data and supporting all children in their academic success.
During the summer, we held a four week long summer reading program which we offered free of charge to our families. This summer, reading camp allowed 100% of JSBES students, if they applied, the opportunity to continue their learning in June, which helped in the prevention of the summer slide. Many JSBES families took full advantage of this program and its benefits!
In partnership with our school improvement council the below goals will continue to be a focus at our school.
Goal 1: Increase parental involvement, communication and engagement within the school
This year we have worked on this goal by providing families with numerous opportunities to learn and grow with their students. Listed below are several ways that families had the opportunity to get involved/engaged in our school culture and climate.
- School Improvement Council
- Parent Teacher Organization
- Family engagement events: Read 2 Me, The One & Only Ivan Family Read aLoud, Books & Breakfast, Triple P parenting classes, and our Block Party
- Parent involvement in arts education: Disney Jr. Beauty and the Beast
- Parent Coffee and Conversations
- Volunteer opportunities
- Survey participation
There are several forms of communication that we have in place for our families. These include: parent/teacher conferences, newsletters, Friday Folders, school webpage, parent/student handbook & calendar, PowerSchool, Class Dojo, the Principal’s Weekly for the Week, QR codes with instructional videos, Facebook, Bobo Bulletin, interims, report cards, Bloomz, and more. Suggestions are always welcome as we strive to meet everyone’s communication needs. It is our goal to continue to find ways to connect with our diverse culture of families and students through more multilingual avenues and family translations.
Goal 2: Increase academic achievement and outcomes for all students. To meet this goal we will put in place high levels of academic achievement by means of:
- Hiring and maintaining highly qualified teachers
- Focusing on class size reduction
- Professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals
- Teaching the South Carolina state standards
- All teachers will align teaching, learning and assessment to support learning outcomes for students.
- Reading and math coaches will work with teachers on instructional practices, planning, strategies and looking at student data.
- Continuous improvement tools and strategies will be used
Goal 3: Maintain a Healthy and Safe School
Safety is our top priority and that is why we have employed a security guard and school resource officer at our school. Our school has an Evolve metal detector system at all entrances of the school. Every school year we continue with our regular scheduled safety drills like fire, tornado, earthquake, and intruder drills. In regards to a healthy school, we continue to host breakfast, lunch and our dinner program each day at our school all under healthy standards. We believe in providing a safe and healthy environment so that our students can learn and grow to their full potential. Our school continues to provide PE to students each week for 60 minutes of health and fitness classes as well as 30 minutes of recess a day. These programs will encourage our students to make healthy lifestyle choices for years to come. Our families can read about health and safety tips in the Weekly for the Week Newsletter, the Bobo Bulletin, during family engagement events and through information from your child’s teachers.
Collectively, we believe that the above represents an extraordinary effort to, in partnership with our community, address the needs of our children as we engage, inspire and educate!
Catherine Pogue, Principal
Amanda Justice, SIC Chairperson
