At Cotton Belt Elementary School, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that fosters personalized learning experiences tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. Our goal is to equip our students with real-world skills while cultivating a community of service-oriented learners committed to personal growth, excellence in communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Aligned with the district's vision of To Learn, Serve, and Give as ONE, we are focused on building meaningful connections, fostering strong relationships, and prioritizing the development of the whole child, including our students’ social and emotional well-being.
In a continuous pursuit of growth, we are a community of learners. During the 2023-24 school year, teachers and staff examined, explored, and adopted student-centered learning practices to increase engagement and create student-driven classroom environments that support conversations, choice, problem-solving techniques, and highly personalized learning experiences. Furthermore, our faculty engaged in diverse professional development programs focused on high-quality instruction, cognitive demand, effective questioning techniques, and instructional strategies.
One of our greatest sources of pride at Cotton Belt is our incredible village of educators who positively impact our students' lives every day. Our dedicated team of teachers, in collaboration with interventionists, instructional coaches, related arts instructors, mental health therapists, special education teachers, administrators, and district staff, are committed to nurturing the World-Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Together, our village ensures that our students feel safe, loved, and supported each day as they are held to high expectations in reaching their potential. This year, we celebrated our students through various initiatives, including the inaugural CBES Growth Parade, which garnered extensive support and provided each student with an opportunity to shine.
We deeply value our relationships with our families, understanding that the home-school partnership is vital to a child's education. In support, our School Improvement Council (SIC) successfully initiated an endeavor to support the school's academic goals, focusing on enhancing engagement between families and the school. Additionally, the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) supported the school's efforts in enhancing the culture and climate. The members of the PTO organized several events that supported both staff and family engagement, as well as created opportunities for teachers to build upon their sense of community.
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, our focus remains on refining Tier One instruction, embedding student-centered learning practices, delivering high-quality academic interventions and extensions, supporting the comprehensive needs of our students, enhancing student achievement through data review and responsiveness, and celebrating the progress of all our students.
Megan Hoyt, Principal
Delandris Jones, Chairperson/School Improvement Council
