Fairforest Elementary School is helping all students develop world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a rigorous and relevant integrated STEAM curriculum for all grades. The school’s tagline, “Preparing Children for the Future” is a call to action to provide student-centered instruction through engaging, meaningful learning experiences that emphasize science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Our school was recognized as a Palmetto’s Finest Finalist during the 2019-2020 school year.
Since achieving AdvancED STEM Certification in 2016, Fairforest Elementary School’s faculty and staff work diligently to ensure all students develop the world-class knowledge and skills throughout the school year by infusing visual and performing arts disciplines into our existing STEM curriculum. Our instructional program provides students with increased opportunities that foster critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and inquiry while making real-world connections.
The character education program at Fairforest is overseen by our school counselors with students participating in role-play scenarios, brainstorming, and group projects to practice character-building behaviors during class guidance lessons. Our counselors also hold small group and individual sessions throughout the week with students in need of developing problem solving and social skills. All classrooms have a daily social-emotional lesson that celebrates the unique personalities and abilities of our students, with a focus on discovering their strengths. The school’s OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program is utilized to teach common language for bully prevention and focuses on building positive relationships among students, teachers, and parents.
Students benefit from a technology-rich learning environment at Fairforest with every child in kindergarten through fifth grade provided with a Chromebook. The Chromebooks, along with hands-on technology such as Ozobots, Lego Robotics, and Makerspace, allow students to utilize innovative programs and practices, fostering college and career readiness skills of researching, collaborating, exploring, problem solving, and creating.
Fairforest Elementary School understands the important role that the overall school community plays in student achievement. Parents, community members, and volunteers are welcomed at the school and are utilized in various ways for continuous improvement. The school is proud to have a thriving, twelve-year partnership with Michelin North American. The relationship with Michelin has allowed our students to interact and communicate with professional engineers, scientists, and mathematicians through tutoring, volunteering, virtual field trip, and school garden experiences throughout the school day.
The school is fortunate to have an active School Improvement Council (SIC) and Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) comprised of parents, community members, and school staff who focus on student needs and increasing parental engagement. The SIC meets quarterly to review school data, budget, and the annual Report to the Community as well as to review, monitor, and adjust our five-year strategic plan. Fairforest’s PTO meets several times throughout the year to review fundraising opportunities for our school, evaluate the success of fundraisers employed, analyze the PTO budget, and discuss ideas to increase family engagement through school-wide events. Events such as, “FES’ Virtual Family Field Trip,” “Science Fair Virtual Family Fun Event,” “D.E.A.R. Day,” “Families that READ together SUCCEED together,” and “Hour of Code Family Challenge” were just a few of the school’s successful events this year.
Fairforest Elementary School is thankful for the continued support and encouragement provided by the Spartanburg School District Six Board of Trustees, our Superintendent, the District Leadership Team and the community at large. The school is aware that their support is instrumental in our efforts to provide our students with a quality education that helps prepare them to be successful students in the classroom and upstanding citizens in society.
Kerrie Kish, Principal
Carmen Levitt, SIC Chair
