During the 2025–26 school year, Oak Grove Elementary School continued its dedicated focus on guiding all students to learn, grow and excel. Centered on our school motto — Be Kind, Work Hard, Be Brave — we purposefully aligned our academic programs, school culture, and community outreach to help students develop the vital attributes of the Lexington One Graduate Profile. By fostering a positive, inclusive environment, we ensured our students grew as creative thinkers, collaborative peers and effective communicators who are prepared for the world ahead.
We intentionally wove the core competencies of the Graduate Profile into the daily fabric of student life this year, beginning each day with interactive morning meetings. These discussions gave students a consistent voice, teaching them concrete ways to show citizenship and kindness, embrace diverse perspectives, and courageously take risks with their learning. Beyond these morning reflections, teachers structured intentional, hands-on cooperative learning opportunities across all grade levels. By working in teams to solve complex problems, students sharpened the collaboration and critical thinking skills emphasized in the Lexington One Graduate Profile
Our instructional framework used a gradual release model paired with data-driven differentiation, leading to high student engagement and measurable growth across all core subjects. In literacy, teachers implemented personalized reading goals with specific, actionable strategies for every student, while our schoolwide RED (Read Every Day) initiative successfully increased both reading volume and stamina. Literacy excitement reached an all-time high this year when all students enjoyed a special visit from the University of South Carolina mascot, Cocky, through Cocky's Reading Express, which provided every single child with a free book to take home. We also hosted vibrant writing celebrations where students practiced communication and analytical thinking by providing positive, highly specific peer feedback to help one another grow. In mathematics, instruction moved beyond memorization alone, engaging students in rich, hands-on activities that built deep conceptual understanding.
Behind the scenes, our staff felt a profound sense of urgency to ensure all students reached grade-level expectations. Through professional learning communities and targeted data meetings, teachers used multiple data sets to design targeted small-group interventions and meaningful one-on-one feedback. Students who were not making adequate progress were quickly identified and referred to our Response to Intervention team. Additionally, four of our dedicated interventionists provided intensive, one-on-one literacy support to selected first graders through our early reading intervention initiative, maximizing student growth during a critical developmental window.
Recognizing that student success relies on a strong partnership with families and the community, Oak Grove intentionally prioritized robust family engagement and student well-being throughout the 2025–26 school year. In a powerful demonstration of community support, every child at our school received a brand-new, free pair of shoes and socks through the generous benefits of the SOLEStepping program, ensuring our students are equipped to come to school ready and eager to learn. We also provided two rounds of comprehensive parent/teacher conferences, in both the fall and spring, alongside counselor-led help sessions addressing topics of interest to our community. Our school committee hosted its annual Family Fitness Night, bringing families onto campus for interactive, healthy learning. Simultaneously, our active PTO sponsored vibrant community-building events, including Fall Festival, Family Reading Night on the Lawn, School Dance and Community Spirit Nights.
We maintained transparent, multi-channel communication with our community via texts, emails, social media and our weekly newsletter, and our families responded with overwhelming positivity to this bridge between home and school. One parent noted that Oak Grove is doing great work supporting their student both at school and at home, particularly appreciating the optional homework packets and newsletter suggestions. Another family shared that everyone at the school is always kind and friendly, urging us to continue welcoming volunteers and maintaining the wonderful family atmosphere that defines Oak Grove.
As always, we are deeply thankful for our wonderful Oak Grove families and our generous community partners for their unwavering support in making this a remarkably successful school year. Together, we look forward to next year as we continue to inspire our students to be kind, work hard and be brave.
Christy M. Graham, Principal
Stephanie Tucker, SIC Chair
