Douglas Elementary School (DES) is dedicated to preparing students to excel by meeting the high standards of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We achieve this by cultivating an academically vibrant, nurturing, and challenging environment where every child can thrive. Guided by our core vision, we provide a safe, engaging space that delivers a premier education, fostering both the robust academic and essential social skills necessary to succeed in today’s culturally diverse society. To bring this vision to life, we host a variety of enriching school community events, including Open House and Curriculum Night, Math and Science Title I Night, our Veterans Day Program, 100th Day Celebrations, Read Across America, Mother/Son and Father/Daughter Family Dances, and iReady celebrations.
Concurrently, we focus on fostering positive behavioral habits, celebrating student character through our Student of the Month recognition program. In alignment with our mission, DES delivers dynamic educational opportunities that drive academic excellence and social maturity by embedding critical thinking and problem-solving into daily learning. We maintain rigorous standards for student performance and growth, supported by a highly qualified, dedicated teaching staff committed to meeting every child's unique needs. Under the guidance of our leadership team, our faculty engages in targeted weekly professional development designed to address areas for institutional growth, with this year's primary focus centered on elevating math achievement district-wide.
Our instructional coach plays a pivotal role in this growth, routinely collaborating with teachers across the district to align lesson pacing guides and conduct fair, rigorous classroom evaluations that refine instructional delivery. Furthermore, our faculty is heavily invested in advanced literacy training: 80% of our teachers have successfully completed two segments of the LETRS professional learning program, while the remaining 20% are actively progressing through various stages of the training. All professional development remains strictly data-driven, relying on careful analysis of student metrics to reinforce learning strengths and address instructional gaps. This collaborative approach ensures our entire school community utilizes a unified, research-backed academic vocabulary.
To optimize student achievement, our classrooms employ evidence-based instructional strategies. In literacy, we emphasize phonics, phonemic awareness, small-group interventions, independent reading, and daily writing. In mathematics, we utilize the research-based iReady platform to deliver rigorous, hands-on learning experiences. Students requiring extra academic support receive targeted reading and math interventions through our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, while teachers leverage total participation techniques to ensure every individual student is actively engaged and positioned for success.
At DES, we firmly believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Looking ahead to the 2026–2027 school year, we have strengthened our community partnerships to provide essential resources such as school supplies, winter coats, shoes, and teacher appreciation initiatives. By uniting our students, staff, parents, and community partners as a cohesive team, we are proudly shaping and empowering the future South Carolina graduates and global leaders of tomorrow.
Windie Burton, Principal
