Alice Drive Middle School, a nationally accredited STEM school, is helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by engaging them in a rigorous, integrated, and relevant STEM-based education. In doing so, we seek to create a culture of collaboration, global connections, and STEM-related partnerships to prepare students to be high school ready. We are proud to be a nationally accredited STEM school through Cognia, the first middle school in the nation to complete STEM re-certification. Our school provides a variety of courses and opportunities intended to advance STEM education for every student. During our annual strategic planning process, our faculty and staff continues to embrace the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by adding expectations for middle level learners with the goal of creating highly productive students prepared for the rigor of high school. We have three goals to increase student achievement at our school:
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Increase student interest, participation, and achievement in STEM.
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Expand student access to effective STEM instruction.
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Build community awareness and partnership support for STEM.
Throughout our STEM journey, students have become motivated by an environment filled with new knowledge and evolving technologies. Our students are self-directed learners, and are equipped to solve problems and think in non-traditional ways about the challenges surrounding their lives and the world as a whole. We continue to refine our school’s technology through One to One chrome books, virtual/augmented reality devices, and other researched based initiatives.
Students receive the opportunity to engage in STEM electives such as Project Lead The Way: Gateway Courses -Automation/Robotics, Flight and Space, Medical Detectives, Science of Technology, , Magic of Electrons, App Creator, among others. Through these electives and a strong partnership & outreach program with our community partners our teachers are able to bring excitement, discovery, exploratory learning, and problem-solving to enhance the curriculum.
More teachers are collaboratively planning interdisciplinary units together. The use of MasteryConnect has allowed teachers to efficiently use the data to enhance educational opportunities in the classroom. Students share their academic progress throughout the school year during various “check points” through electronic data trackers and student-led data conferences. Through the use of an Instructional Coach, Tech Tuesdays with the Media Specialist, and other district support staff, our teachers continue to engage in ongoing, customized professional development to produce learning opportunities that align with the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Our school’s Response to Intervention plan meets the academic and social needs of all students through intervention, acceleration, and remediation opportunities.
As we continue to meet the challenges of improving student achievement, teachers and administrators recognize the need to emphasize student engagement, academic rigor, and high expectations. In addition to SCPASS and SCREADY data, the analysis of MAP and common assessment data has helped to strengthen and improve instruction. Data analysis has particularly allowed us to focus on offering our students enrichment and intervention assistance classes.
We are excited about the future of our school-wide STEM program as we seek to strengthen our culture of collaboration, global connection, and STEM-related partnerships to prepare students to be college and career ready. In addition to our STEM school-wide strategic goals, we will continue to provide opportunities for parent and community involvement.
Jeannie Pressley, Principal
Stephanie Barrineau, SIC Chairperson
