Our school is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by implementing a quality STEAM choice program in a positive and caring environment. Oakdale STEAM embarked on our first year of Leader in Me implementation this year. The Leader in Me is a whole-school transformation model that acts like the operating system of a computer; it improves the performance of all other programs. Based on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Leader in Me is proven to produce results, including higher academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, and increased engagement among teachers and parents. The Leader in Me equips students with the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st-century economy. As a school community, we explicitly taught the language associated with the 7 Habits in Habit Huddles, formerly morning meetings, in each classroom. Knowing and using these habits in how we treat ourselves and others is an integral part of our whole school environment and culture. We are excited to continue with year two of our Leader in Me journey in 2023-2024 as we focus on empowering students to achieve academic and social-emotional growth through intentional goal-setting and applying the 7 Habits and 4 Disciplines of Execution.
School-wide clubs and leadership roles were implemented this year to increase student engagement and agency. Through Leader in Me, it's important that our students are active participants in creating and sustaining a culture of leadership and learning that go beyond what is expected from state curriculum standards. Students participated in clubs including dance, sports, art, fashion design, photography, cosmetology, music, and more. Students were also able to apply and interview for classroom and school leadership roles such as bus buddies, hallway crossing guards, school tour guides, technology assistants, and many more. Our students loved these additions and we look forward to expanding these opportunities next year.
Oakdale School Improvement Council and Parent/Teacher Organization focused on increasing stakeholder involvement as well as parent participation in the inner workings of Oakdale STEAM to review achievement/attendance data, build relationships and create a community that encourages our students to grow and thrive. Our school community enjoyed monthly spirit nights at local restaurants and fun gatherings like movie nights and BINGO, all sponsored by these organizations.
This year, Oakdale and Rock Hill Schools joined forces to host our inaugural district STEAM Fair. Students from across the district researched a problem they wanted to solve and utilized the scientific process to determine a solution. As an added bonus, parents had the opportunity to attend information sessions on STEAM learning and were introduced to the world of robotics. We were thrilled with family and student participation and are excited to make this an annual event.
This year, there has been an increase in STEAM integration among teachers. They have integrated one hour of weekly STEAM instruction in addition to our weekly STEAM Lab related art class. Our STEAM lead teacher has been collaborating with teachers once a month to develop and execute lessons that integrate STEAM within core content areas. These lessons involve authentic project-based learning experiences, which students find engaging and enjoyable.
Our dedicated teachers have been actively seeking professional development opportunities both within and outside of the district. They've participated in a wide range of workshops and conferences, including PLC+ Activator Training, Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Conference, Solution Tree PLC Conference, South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference, SC EdTech Conference, Model Schools Conference, Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop, Summer Smithsonian Institute, Leader in Me Summit, and SC Innovation Fellowship. Four of our teachers have completed the Early Literacy Training Course in collaboration with Clemson University, which has helped them reinforce the most effective techniques for teaching early reading and writing skills.
Our commitment to the Winthrop University-School Partnership Network remains steadfast. We have opened our doors to junior and senior interns, who have been placed in several of our classrooms and related arts classes. We take immense pride in being part of the growth and development of these aspiring teachers.
Our focus in 2023-24 remains on reinforcing grade-level Professional Learning Communities, STEAM integration, and Leader in Me. Our objective is to guarantee that every student receives challenging, data-driven, and exciting instructional experiences in a safe learning environment.
Patricia Buckson, SIC Chairperson
Jacob Moree, Principal
