Harleyville Ridgeville Middle School is a small rural school in upper Dorchester County in southwestern South Carolina. Our school is helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the Graduate by ensuring that improving student learning through quality instruction continues to be the focus of Harleyville - Ridgeville Middle School. We are working for increased achievement through an instructional vision based on five concepts. Rigor, collaboration, student engagement, standards based instruction, and data driven decision making make up these concepts. Teachers and administrators have analyzed data and have identified specific areas of instructional need.
Reflecting on the 2020-2021 school year has shown room for growth in several areas. The STAR Reading and Math Data shows that areas of urgent intervention are high across both Reading and Math. (see chart) Since the school is small, it will be possible to target students for intervention to help improve student achievement. Consultants will work with teachers across all content areas in order to improve professional growth in their content area to increase students’ achievement. In order to address teacher quality, several professional development sessions will take place for the upcoming year. Also, the school leadership team will attend High Progress Literacy professional development sessions throughout the school year to prepare professional development plans for teachers in order to improve students’ quality of education.
Due to the high volume of inappropriate behaviors in the classroom, we have identified the need to address classroom management issues in order to avoid loss of direct instructional time. In looking at our 2019-2020 Review 360 Data, we recorded 86 behavior incidences which resulted in students being assigned to In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension. Students were also removed or sent from class for student conferences with administration, parent-teacher, guidance or other school related agencies. All of these events resulted in a loss of direct instruction. Therefore, to address these issues, an Administrator/Behavior Specialist will be onsite to assist in narrowing the gap with behavior issues and increase opportunities for academic success for all students.
(Note: Due to COVID-19 and students working remotely from home, our discipline infractions for the 2020-2021 school year dropped drastically. Therefore to gauge a truer picture of our discipline, we shared our 2019-2020 discipline report.)
Along with the room growth, there are some areas of strength. For a rural school, there is a strong technology presence at HRMS. Each student is provided with a Chromebook and all teachers either have or have access to a MacBook, Promethean Board or a Smart Board. Read and Math 180 supplemental classes provide a strong intervention for struggling students. The 21st Century After School Program is also an avenue to target struggling students as well as serve as a support for all students. This program also provides for ways to reach out to parents. The size of the school ranges on an average of 225-240 students which can also be a strength. Being small allows for more individualized attention being given to improve students’ academic outcomes. The school has a curriculum specialist who works with teachers on improving instruction through one on one coaching as well through professional learning opportunities (PLO’s). The curriculum specialist also provides data analysis and other forms of feedback in order for teachers to reflect on the efficacy of instruction.
Finally, the 2020-2021 school year has presented many challenges for Harleyville Ridgeville Middle School. There are several areas that need addressing in order for sustained improvement. In order to achieve this improvement, strong areas must be identified and utilized to strengthen weaker areas; therefore, increasing achievement in all facets of the school.
