Report Card Narrative 2021-2022
Bennettsville Primary School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by using Standards and Assessments, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development and our Learning Environment to help every child reach the greatest possible growth potential. We are developing life skills, learning skills and media, information and technology skills in all of our students. Our lessons are based on the South Carolina Standards for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade. We assess students with NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), PALS, KRA, and SCReady tests and Fountas and Pinnell reading assessments. Second grade students take the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the CogAT to measure cognitive development and academic aptitude to identify academically gifted students.
In addition to classroom lessons which are varied and often individualized, our proud Title 1 school uses Waterford (Pre-K) and Imagine Learning (K-3rd) programs for individualized computer instruction in reading and math. We have one computer lab in addition to one-to-one devices for all students to provide students with these additional resources and to develop their skills in the use of technology. Each student is expected to spend a designated amount of time each week on these programs. Bennettsville Primary School has been an award-winning school under the Imagine Learning program for the past three years.
Science and social studies lessons are integrated within math and reading instruction. Our school science fair had over 300 projects entered this year. We use the Balanced Literacy Framework with attention to independent reading and writing, as well as read alouds, shared reading and writing and guided reading and writing. We participated in Read Across America with community members in every classroom sharing with our students. We celebrated daily ‘theme days’ during March to commemorate the birthday of Theodor Geisel better known as Dr. Seuss.
Our teachers have access to various forms of professional development. There are weekly Data Meetings to address the identified Problem of Instructional Practice in literacy and language teaching strategies. All faculty members are continuously trained on The Fountas and Pinnell Classroom, which incorporates all balanced literacy components and focuses on individualized reading and writing instruction. The entire faculty and staff has completed training on Time to Teach a classroom management system in which we have incorporated our P.B.I.S. expectations and incentive program to improve student behavior. Administrators and Teachers are working on Read to Succeed endorsements that are being required by the South Carolina Department of Education as a certification requirement. All faculty and staff successfully completed all Safeschools Module Trainng. We also subscribe to Simple K-12 through the Marlboro County School District which provides a plethora of weekly Professional Development teachers can choose from which can be applied for recertification credits.
Our learning environment is focused on addressing individual needs. The MAP fall assessment provides individualized growth targets for each student. Most of our students make strong gains and are within the standard of error for their targets or surpass them. Bennettsville Primary School celebrated as 45 students graduated from Pre-Kindergarten which provides additional assistance and enrichment. One hundred twenty-one Kindergartners are moving to first grade. Pre-K graduation and Awards Day Celebrations for (K-3rd) were held for our students.
Bennettsville Primary School encourages community involvement and citizenship in various ways. We collect school supplies and book bags from our school stakeholders. At Thanksgiving we collected over 1,400 cans of food for the local food pantry. Our students and stakeholders also collected cleaning supplies and dry goods for the local Center for Domestic Violence. We also collected over $1,600 for McLeod Children's Hospital and over $1,100 for March of Dimes.
By introducing our youngest students to the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate, we are truly developing our next generation of positive and productive citizens and life-long learners. As all stakeholders bond to make a strong support system, each child can begin to develop those dreams that will lead them into a future of excellence. Bennettsville Primary School’s motto, “Where Dreams Begin with Literacy” exemplifies our efforts to establish strong foundations which will give children confidence to achieve dreams which will make a positive impact on their future and our world.
Gail Redding, Principal
Cameika Gurley, SIC Chairperson
