At Johnsonville Elementary School, we believe in the partnership of school, family, and community. In cooperation with home and community, we work to develop the world class skills and life characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. The school strives to provide a strong academic program that will meet the needs of all of our students by providing a caring, safe, rigorous, and academically focused learning environment. Our theme this year, Continuing to Fire It Up at Camp Spark Through Family, Innovation, Rigor, and Effort , embraced each child, while continuously working to provide core academics with instruction that incorporates best practices along with higher order thinking skills.
In order to provide a comprehensive educational experience in a positive learning environment, our school has teachers who are dedicated to student success. Students are provided opportunities for individualized instruction in math and reading during an enrichment block where students receive small group and one-on-one instruction. Additionally, technology is frequently integrated into learning rotations using lap tops. RAZ-KIDS, Reflex Math, and Ticket to Read are integrated to enrich and differentiate the curriculum. TE21(Training and Education in the 21st Century) assessments have been utilized to provide valid and reliable information to guide instruction, and to monitor student learning. These summative assessments are administered three times during the school year to provide data that helps guide the classroom instruction. The school also has a reading coach/interventionist that works with teachers on professional development and with students in the lower grades on reading standards not yet mastered. In addition to facilitate learner pathways, a math interventionist worked with students who needed additional help with mastery of math standards in the upper grades.
Intentional and meaningful professional development was provided for TE21 so that teachers had the necessary tools that they needed for student success. Johnsonville Elementary School was also selected to participate in the Collective Leadership Initiative with the Center for Teaching Quality and the SC State Department. A team of JES teachers and administrators received training and shared their learning opportunities with the faculty, which encouraged collegiality and a cultural support system for the school. The team led a book study on Through the Lens of Serendipity, which helped build relationships and encouraged teachers to visit and learn from each other. The team was selected to participate in a video to share with other schools across the state. In addition, three teachers received Donors Choose grants, and the school received a $5000 grant from BAYER Farm for Good.
Johnsonville Elementary School has various programs outside of the academic world that focuses on developing the whole child. Our innovative programs include coding, robotics, musical instruments, keyboarding, and mindful movement. We have several after school clubs that offered dance, Drama Tones, 4H, Community Service Learning Project Club, Crusaders on Campus, and Voice of JES. We also offer Project Unify which is a service group that promotes inclusion of special needs students. Our school provides an After-School program where students receive help with homework and are involved in collaborative experiences. Students have donated to Pennies for Patients, Pink Out Day for the Susan G. Komen Foundations, and St. Jude’s Math-A-Thon. The school has Grandparent’s Day, a Halloween Carnival, Veteran’s Day, Father Daughter Dance, Pastries for Parents, Student Literacy Nights for each grade, and a drama and musical production to involve our families and community members. PTO meetings have been held and various information has been shared with the parents such as academic information, school event updates, and musical entertainment, which is provided by students at each PTO meeting
At Johnsonville Elementary School, we believe in a partnership of school, family, and community. We will continue to work together to ensure that our school has a commitment to build on growth next year.
Mrs. Julianna Gaster, Chair of School Improvement Council
Mrs. Mirandi Squires, Principal
