Saluda River Academy for the Arts (SRAA) continues to develop students and prepare them to be successful citizens in a global society with an educational program that focuses on the whole child, including academic, artistic, social and emotional growth. Our team focuses on the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by building world-class knowledge, world-class skills, and life and career characteristics. Our faculty is dedicated to continuous improvement to prepare our students to be critical thinkers, strong communicators, effective collaborators, and creative contributors.
We use a plethora of strategies to enhance student achievement by increasing student engagement and differentiating instruction. As an ABC (Arts in Basic Curriculum) magnet school, the arts are integrated throughout the curriculum and serve as a channel for improving our students’ achievement, confidence, and communication. SRAA is a Kennedy Center award-winning school and ABC Certified School of Distinction. We also serve as an Arts in Basic Curriculum model school, this year hosting educators from a
different district who are interested in investing more in the arts. We expose students to the various facets of the arts through co-taught arts integrated lessons that also teach discipline, expression, cooperation, and character. We have received more than $232,000 in grants from various sources, including the SC Arts Commission, Mid-Carolina Electric Coop, and Colonial Life Insurance, which have allowed us to continue to offer an artist-in-residence program. Our students also had opportunities to attend several arts experiences such as the ballet at the Koger Center, musicals at the in-district high schools, and district-wide Day of Dance and Choral Clinic events.
We concentrate on building world class skills within children by promoting thinking skills and capitalizing on the diverse strengths of our students. Realizing that all students are different, task rotations are used as a method of meeting our students’ instructional needs. We use small group instruction, including the Response to Intervention (RtI) model, and serve select students in the areas of reading through Tier 3
instruction. We use computerized learning to differentiate instruction for all students.Technology enhances our curriculum, through the use of wireless access, Active Panels, Chromebooks, and iPads. We continue to have an electronic device for every student from kindergarten through fifth grades to support learning,
create original works, and discover the world we live in. In 2022-2023, we used a reading coach, STEM coach, district cohorts, Professional Learning Communities training, and teachers to assist with ongoing, job-embedded professional development regarding instructional strategies and data use to make explicit, student-focused decisions. We continued to utilize a social emotional learning curriculum to meet students' diverse needs. Our kindergarten through third grade teachers engaged in ongoing professional development on the science of reading, applying the new learning to support students’ needs and address gaps in learning.
We are creating engaged citizens of the future through community outreach and events. Parents and students participated in PTO meetings and performances, SRAA Talent Show, and after-school arts and archery clubs. Our archery and theater groups competed at competitions across the state. Theatre received a superior rating at the state theater festival for the second year in a row. Our theater group performed at the Lexington County Public Library and our dance companies in the Cayce-West Columbia
Holiday Parade of Lights. We promote the building of life and career characteristics through service-learning projects and community partnerships. Our children raised money and donations for our school-wide canned food and clothing drives that benefit those in need throughout our community, and they raised funds for cystic fibrosis. Four artists-in-residence provided instruction for students in the areas of marionette puppetry, Bollywood and HipHop dance, felting art, and percussion. In addition to the artists,
we added a physical education residence with golf this year. First Baptist Columbia, Women’s Ministry partnered for the third year in a row for reading buddies, snack packs for students and teacher support.
Our achievements and accolades are a reflection of the strong support from our SIC, PTO, business partners, and community. Saluda River Academy for the Arts proudly remains committed to the building of world class knowledge, skills, as well as life and career characteristics for our future graduates.
