Our school’s vision is to be a high performing school that provides all students the opportunity to excel. In order to make this vision a reality, we collaborate with stakeholders so that our students obtain World Class Skills, meet the requirements of the Profile of a South Carolina High School Graduate, and are Career and College Ready. We do this by providing high-quality professional development for teachers and staff, focusing on improving student achievement, fostering collaboration and teamwork, employing critical and problem-solving skills through project-based learning and a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) focused curriculum.
Whale Branch Early College High School completed its twelfth year of existence and we are continuing to experience unprecedented academic successes, despite the volatile one and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had one hundred percent of our Health Science students to pass the CNA test. Whale Branch Early College High School had 36 students earn certificates from the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Six students earned Associates Degrees and five of them earned Double Associates Degrees. Approximately, 84.4% of our students graduated College or Career Ready. Thirty nine percent of our students qualified for The Life Scholarship and two of our students were awarded the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.
Teachers have collaborated to implement processes in teaching targeted skills for each student. We continued with the school-wide thirty-minute daily block for Response to Intervention/Instruction and Enrichment (Warrior Time) to further meet the needs of all students. Teachers identified students that did not meet the expectations set by the Warrior Team. These students received additional small-group instruction each period. Students identified as tier one received enrichment activities through their choice of Warrior Time activities. All students participated in Advisory Group lessons through Naviance and various service clubs throughout the week.
Data from MAP and NEWSELA assessments are used to assist students, faculty, and parents, noting areas of progress, identifying student academic needs, and providing professional development for teachers to meet student's academic needs. Within each content area, teachers and students focus on utilizing a disciplined approach to problem-solving and collaboration.
Because we cannot do anything alone, our efforts to build home and school relationships involved the following: Mentoring Clubs Empowering Young Men and Ladies First, Relay for Life, National Honor Society, Key Club, Art Club, Book Club, HOSA, ROTC, Warrior Café, etc., with parents and community members, strategic planning with feeder schools, website, and utilization of School Messenger.
In addition to academic success, Whale Branch Early College High School athletes added to their trophy case this year. All sports teams made the playoffs. Also, the Girls' Track Team were Region Champs and Girls' Track Team won Class A State Championship.
The staff, students, and parents of the Whale Branch Early College Community will continue to promote excellence, collaboration, STEAM, and school-wide growth. Through planning, implementation, and reflection, we strive for accuracy every day to ensure students are prepared for an ever-changing world. Warrior Nation is on the War Path for Excellence!
