Midlands STEM Charter (MSC) is a k4-12 and we are in a position of helping all students develop the world-class skills profile of a South Carolina High Graduate. By exposing scholars to opportunities that require critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity at an early level. We are focused on meeting the individual and collective needs of our scholars. Midlands STEM continues to expose K4-6th to STEM electives and, in partnership, to provide computer coding and programming courses to our middle school students. Our partnership with South Carolina Governor’s School of Math and Science and Midlands Technical College challenges our high school students to take dual enrollment courses, training, and certifications in various STEM subjects. Other partners include the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield Behavioral Health, Fairfield County Sheriff's Department, and Fairfield County Fire Department. These partners and stakeholders are actively working with Midlands STEM to provide on-the-job training, mental health, drug awareness, and safety internships that are of interest to our growing student population.
MSC provides scholars a high-quality STEM education and lifelong health and wellness skills. We are driven to ensure that all our graduates graduate as a STEM completer. Our teachers work with scholars in a variety of instructional settings that involve small group, one-on-one, whole group instruction, and virtual formats in an effort for scholars to gain mastery in a rigorous STEM curriculum. Our faculty and support staff work together to help scholars to perform at an increasingly higher level of achievement. MSC uses multiple measures to identify and monitor scholar performance, including school- wide assessments, Measures of Academic Performance (MAP), KRA literacy assessments for kindergarten scholars, Fountas and Pinnell reading and comprehension assessments, Progress Learning for our students taking End of Course exams, IReady progress monitoring, school-wide writing benchmarks, and formative assessments to periodically measure, chart, and share scholar performance data among faculty and with parents. Teachers and staff work with scholars to plan instruction based on their needs daily. Schoolwide intervention in small group settings ensures acceleration based on the goals detailed in each scholar’s individualized growth plan (IGP). MSC implemented the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to offer a comprehensive approach to identifying and providing intervention services to students according to needs based on a triangulation of assessment data.
MSC scholars engage in broad-based research and use a variety of technology devices, including iPads, Chromebooks, smartboards, and laptops, in order to enhance their technical skills. MSC scholars complete STEM-based projects that require hands-on, project-based learning. MSC faculty, staff, administration, parents, and community members share a vision that ensures MSC scholars have the skill sets and tools that allow them to compete in a global culture. STEM instruction, Spanish language instruction, physical fitness and health, technology instruction, and character education are foundations for helping MSC meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. The uniqueness of our program hinges on our great partnerships with the Charter Institute of Erskine, Governor’s School of Math and Science, the local school district, and Technical and two-year colleges.
MSC also offers a variety of career-centered courses for high school students through Midlands Technical College and the Governor’s School of Math and Science through the access of dual enrollment. Our high school students will be exposed to various aspects in the STEM fields. We do offer an on-campus pathway in Digital Communication. Our Fairfield County graduates are able to take advantage of a technical education through Midlands Technical College as part of the Fairfield Promise Agreement and additionally are eligible to receive a guaranteed $100,000 scholarship upon acceptance and admission to Erskine College.
Physical Fitness is also a vital part of our well-rounded educational program. We offer a robust physical education program at academic levels, to include advance strengthening training for our high school students. We are active members of the South Carolina High School League. Our Class A Athletic program includes: volleyball, cross country, girls’ and boys’ basketball, baseball and softball. Midlands STEM secured funding to begin construction on a first-class athletic softball and baseball complex on campus this fall. Midlands STEM has a successful archery team and boasts about our budding robotics team. Other extracurricular activities include Student Council, Girl Scouts, Junior BETA Club, National Honor Society, Young Scientists Club, Young Writers Club, and Yearbook Club. All of which will be competing statewide. Becoming confident and competent individuals ensures our scholars are ready to compete in a global market. MSC is fortunate to have a core of dedicated parents and volunteers to help our school and scholars grow and succeed.
Midlands STEM’s faculty, staff, and the administration embrace teaching scholars in ways that inspire them to learn. At Midlands STEM, scholars are motivated to learn and take responsibility for their own academic learning, personal behavior, and social interactions. MSC infuses character education through the three “R”s – Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships. Midlands STEM boasts high teacher quality and staff retention rate by promoting a culture built on mutual respect, trust, high expectations, and efficacy. Midlands STEM’s faculty and staff are a strong, united team that remain dedicated to teaching and inspiring scholars to learn in ways that move each of them forward academically, socially, and personally.
Our kind regards,
Midlands STEM Board Chairman, Mr. Kevin Thomas
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. TK Kennedy
Executive Director/Principal, Mrs. Chantell Berry
