Buist Academy for Advanced Studies is helping all students develop the world-class skills expected of the South Carolina graduate by nurturing an environment that encourages collaboration and effective communication. Collaboration and communication contribute to student and organizational success. The faculty and staff at Buist Academy model collaboration and communication through our daily practices. We collaborate frequently through a variety of learning communities within the school. Teachers meet once a week with instructional coaches to plan units, review standards, and reflect on teaching and learning. The master schedule provides time for teachers to have common planning within their grade levels. Working Wednesdays were established after school hours to allow collaboration between departments that do not have common planning during the day.
Our students find opportunities to collaborate and communicate in the classroom by working with partners and in groups. Grade levels with common standards work together to reinforce and support particular skills and concepts. Student collaboration and communication are supported through competitive academic competitions such as Mock Trial, Quiz Bowl, Battle of the Books, and Scripps Spelling Bee.
As an International Baccalaureate school, we strive to provide our students with the knowledge, attributes, and skills to work together. IB communicators express themselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many other ways. They also collaborate effectively and listen carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups. IB projects such as the Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition and Middle Years Programme (MYP) community service project allow students the opportunity to work in groups.
In the final year of the PYP, students carry out an extended, in-depth, collaborative project known as the PYP exhibition. At the end of eighth grade, the MYP community service project provides an important opportunity for students to collaborate and pursue service learning. Students are able to successfully communicate the outcomes of their projects to parents, teachers, students, and community members.
In order to ensure all students are reading on grade level, Buist Academy offered a variety of instructional support groups during the school day and after school. An intervention time was built into the master schedule for grades 3-5. This time provided enrichment to support the needs of diverse learners.
By modeling collaborative practices and providing students with a variety of opportunities for collaboration, we are preparing them with skills to be successful in the future. With the support of faculty, staff, administration, parents, and the community, we will continue to excel academically and provide students with multiple opportunities to establish the world-class skills expected of a South Carolina graduate.
Shawntay White, Principal
Jill Chandler, SIC Chair
