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. The school strives to provide a strong academic program that will meet the needs of all our students by providing a caring, safe, rigorous, and academically focused learning environment. Our theme this year, “Together We Shine”, embraced each child, while continuously working to provide core academics with instruction that incorporates best practices. Despite Covid challenges, the staff at Johnsonville Elementary embodied the daily mission of promoting high achievement through rigorous standards and relevant content that encouraged engagement, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.
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, JES is now a 1:1 school including laptops for all students in grades K-4. RAZ-KIDS and Math Dream Box are integrated to enrich and differentiate the curriculum. Students use this technology as “personal learning devices” to help extend their learning. TE21(Training and Education in the 21st Century) assessments in grades 1-4 have been utilized to provide valid and reliable information to guide instruction and to monitor student learning. MAP is also used to monitor student progress during the school year. These summative assessments are administered three times during the school year to provide data that helps guide classroom instruction. The school’s reading coach also serves as our MTSS coordinator and monitors data closely with four interventionists to address instructional needs of students to help close the achievement gap.
Intentional and meaningful professional development was provided so that teachers had the necessary tools that they needed for student success. Our teachers were committed to ongoing professional development in analyzing TE21 and MTSS data along with backwards design as they participated in discussions concerning areas for student growth and the use of teacher content verbiage in the classrooms. In addition, Johnsonville Elementary School participated in year three with CLI (Collective Leadership Initiative), which is sponsored by the Center for Teaching Quality and the SC State Department. The initiative continued to encourage teacher leadership in the school, and six teachers received Donors Choose grants to buy additional learning materials for their classrooms.
Other learning opportunities are afforded through Coding, Robotics, and Keyboarding. Mindful Movement, Drama Tones, Gifted and Talented, Voice of JES, Project Unify, Special Olympics, Parent/Student Literacy Drive-Thru, Drama and Musical Parent Night, virtual PTO meetings, Red Ribbon Week, and Celebration Day have been an integral part of building relationships and providing additional avenues for learning. Capturing Kids Hearts has been a school-wide initiative to win hearts and minds so that students are excited about learning and life. Students were engaged in monthly activities and utilizing the EXCEL process (Social Contract, affirmations, listening, asking for feedback).
Johnsonville Elementary School received a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant funding from the South Carolina Department of Education. This funding has allowed the school to provide an After-School program “Grow Through What You Go Through” for 5K- 4 students on Monday through Thursday during the school year. The grant allows the school to grow academic support, language development, character building, recreation and sports, artistic and music development. Not only do the students have additional time to master standards, but they are immersed in a fun, hands-on learning environment.
Johnsonville Elementary School will continue to be a place where every day brings a new success and all of our students are encouraged to achieve their best. Through the collaborative efforts of students, faculty, parents and community, we will continue to provide every child with the best possible educational opportunities in a warm, supportive, child-centered environment to prepare our future South Carolina graduates and world leaders.
Miss Ellen Evans, Chair of School Improvement Council
Mrs. Mirandi Squires, Principal
