GREEN Charter School enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year was 960 students in grades K4-12. Our student population is extremely diverse, representing over 35 countries. Our student-to-teacher ratio is 1:13 This low ratio allows us to tailor instruction for each individual student, challenging the gifted student, and offering intervention services for our low achievers.
GREEN Charter of Greenville’s current student diversity represents over 35 countries. This diversity is an asset to the learning community. Their demographic includes 54% white, 18% Asian, 12% African American, 10% Hispanic, and 6% Multi-cultural. Twenty-five percent of the students are participating in free or reduced lunches.
GREEN Charter of Greenville students perform in the top ten percent on the state-mandated assessments. GREEN Charter School prepares students for life in the 21st century by challenging them to develop a high standard of personal expectations beyond proficiency toward mastery in areas such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication.
Education and renewable energy constitute two major challenges for South Carolina in the 21st century. With its unique educational focus, GREEN Charter Schools tackles two intertwined challenges of our community. While progress has been made to some extent, our changing economy requires much more from public education. GREEN Charter Schools have experienced tremendous success with their educational model.
The inquiry-based Energy and Engineering K-12 curriculum at GREEN provides a process that includes Defining a problem, Identifying the criteria, Imagining solutions, Constructing a Design, Testing the design, and Communicating the results. This inquiry-based process will be implemented in all core subjects. The teachers will be facilitators of content knowledge while the students will be problem solvers. The basis of the inquiry-based approach is to facilitate student-generated questions as the core part of the learning process. GREEN uses Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering curriculum and the NEED Project (National Energy Education Development) Energy curriculum.
The NEED Project curriculum provides comprehensive, objective information and activities on the energy sources that fuel our country, including their economic and environmental impacts. Students explore the history of energy, energy in current events, and consider future energy development opportunities and challenges. They understand that certain energy sources may be better choices for specific energy needs, and they discuss and debate the energy sources we use today and will use in the future. The NEED Project continually updates its curriculum with the most up-to-date information available. With updates, GREEN makes use of these new resources.
PLTW's approach, called activities-, project-, and problem-based (APPB) learning, centers on hands-on, real-world projects that help students understand how the information and skills they are learning in the classroom may be applied in everyday life. PLTW's programs are comprehensive and turnkey. The curriculum is standards-based, yet flexible and customizable so that GREEN can adapt the curriculum to the needs of the school and students. A key component of this program is the intensive and ongoing professional development that is offered at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. GREEN implements PLTW in elementary, middle, and high school.
Using the extensive resources of PLTW and NEED, GREEN provides an inquiry-based science program. We offer integrated science in grades K-12 with a focus on building strong habits of mind and investigative skills while following the South Carolina state-mandated standards. Our high school science program will include as the student population grows: Physical Science, Earth Science, Astronomy, Physics H, Biology H, Chemistry H, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, PLTW Aerospace Engineering, and Environmental Science. We also offer robust internships, community-based fieldwork, and exploratory opportunities.
GREEN Charter School serves in two different locations in Greenville. Both campuses have their principals and assistant principals. The total number of teachers on both campuses is 72. The elementary school has the highest percentage (63%) of teachers compared to the Upper School (7-12) section. Four of the teachers work in the school as part-time employees. Besides that, two sections share some of the employees: ESOL Coordinator, Speech Therapist, SPED Coordinator, School Counselor, and Powerschool Coordinator. Moreover, the school has a Literacy Coach, College Guidance, a Literacy Interventionist, a Chief of Staff, and two paraprofessionals.
