REPORT OF PRINCIPAL AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL

Our school is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by working cooperatively with parents and the community to promote academic success and rigorous thinking in a safe, challenging environment with high expectations.  Our purpose is to develop lifelong learners who use critical thinking skills to grow. At North Augusta Elementary, we envision our school as a safe instructional environment where all students will have their individual needs, differences, and abilities recognized, and will be challenged to excel in learning supported by a cooperative school community. Our school is helping all students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by incorporating rigorous standards in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and the arts.

The Mission of North Augusta Elementary is:

At North Augusta Elementary School, we are developing students who dream big, reach high and are ready to change the future by

• Laying a strong academic foundation with consistent expectations across all grade levels
• Providing opportunities for leadership and the development of character in all students
• Nurturing and growing partnerships with parents and the community

Our School Improvement Council’s focus in 2020-2021 is to work together to insure all students continue to grow socially, emotionally, and academically.   Though the 2020-2021 school year was very different than in years past due to COVID-19, the School Improvement Council continues its support of the school with two important programs.

• One School, One Book-2020-2021 was the inaugural year of our One School, One Book program.  For three weeks students, families, and classes shared a common reading experience with Katherine Applegate’s One and Only Ivan.  Every student, teacher and staff member was given a copy of the book and together we read, simply for the joy it provides.

   

•  North Augusta Elementary Writing Lab- 2020-2021 was the fifth year of our North Augusta Elementary Writing Lab.  The North Augusta Elementary writing lab allows students to experience the joy that is found in writing while improving their ability to communicate.  Students write with a purpose to share, persuade, inform and entertain.  

 Our highly qualified teachers utilize a balanced literacy approach and provide rigorous lessons focused on standards that challenge students to think critically and work collaboratively as teams to solve problems. Our teachers also grow continuously through monthly staff development learning opportunities as well as visits to other high-performing schools.

In our efforts to protect our students and families during the pandemic many of our typical experiences and events such as our community Veteran’s Day celebration, Digging in the Dirt day-to beautify our school, our 5th grade character program, and many field trips to enhance classroom instruction had to be canceled or adapted in 2020-2021.  However, the innovative faculty and staff at North Augusta Elementary continued to offer students the opportunity to experience life and career characteristics through innovative and virtual events.  We hosted a virtual career day featuring many of our parents and community members as well as drive through parent involvement and literacy celebrations.  We invited experts to bring field experiences to our students in our outdoor classroom and hosted virtual field trips.  

We promote integrity, perseverance, self-direction, and work ethic in our students by recognizing students weekly and monthly who display growth mindset, positive character, good behavior and the seven habits of leadership.

Our nurturing environment, including the administration, faculty, staff, students, parents, and community members of North Augusta Elementary School, ensure that high expectations and learning strategies are incorporated for our students throughout the year.

Patricia J. Wilson, Principal

Jessica Cohen, SIC Chair