Thomas C. Cario Middle School is helping our students develop world-class skills based on the Profile of a South Carolina Graduate. We create an environment where all stakeholders support student learning through our three goals: creating a positive middle school experience, investing in faculty and staff, and building solid relationships with the community. Students are challenged to think critically and creatively while demonstrating character traits that are positive and have a positive impact on our community.
Cario provides high-quality academics with opportunities for high school credit in Algebra I, Geometry, English 1, computer science, and Spanish to promote critical thinking and problem-solving. Our students have a diverse program of studies that includes courses in a pre-engineering Project Lead the Way curriculum, business, computer science, financial literacy, video production, marine science, health sciences, performing arts, and visual arts. Cario students compete in numerous local, state, and national academic challenges and win top awards, such as CCSD Spellbound Spelling Bee, Quest, LEGO Robotics, SC State Scholastic Chess Championship, National Geographic Geography Bee, and Mock Trial. We are incredibly proud of our comprehensive and nationally recognized Fine Arts programs, each winning local, state, and national recognition. Nationally-normed benchmark testing indicates that our students are improving yearly with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our teachers and staff consistently implemented the MTSS process to ensure that all students were safe, supported and that their social-emotional needs were being met.
In an effort to emphasize growth in literacy to support our district’s goal of all children reading on grade level by 2027, we continue to refine our practices. We offer rich instruction in all areas of reading, with a sharp focus on informational text in all content areas. We’ve introduced acceleration classes to address all our students’ areas of growth. We’ve done professional development in cross-curricular reading strategies. In addition, we regularly use data to progress monitor our students’ reading levels.
Character building, leadership, self-advocacy, kindness, and community outreach are strongly emphasized at Cario, which foster creativity and an innovative mindset. We teach that kindness and self-advocacy are choices founded upon service to self, others, and the community. We have robust and active student leadership organizations through the National Junior Honor Society and student council, among others. Our students use their creativity and innovation skills to create philanthropic endeavors that leave large footprints on our community. We offer a variety of clubs that include competitive academics, art, drama, STEM, leadership, horticulture, Star Wars, and literacy, among many others. Our students are involved and highly successful in sports offered through the recreational department and various private organizations. We could not be as successful or offer the vast variety of opportunities to our students without our committed and supportive parent and community groups. We work to ensure each student will be a highly successful, competitive South Carolina graduate and local, national, and world leader.
We continue to be reflective in our practices, with the goal in mind of becoming the top-rated neighborhood middle school in SC. We will strive for continuous improvement to give students a positive middle school experience, invest in our staff, and forge impactful partnerships with our community.
Bryan Coleman, Principal
Bob Lang, SIC President
