The Dillon District Four School Board heard school renewal plans at their meeting on Monday night.
Dillon Middle School
Assistant Principal Wendy McDaniel made the presentation for Dillon Middle School. The written summary report states the following:
Dillon Middle School is helping all students develop the world class skills life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by continuing to teach two researched proven academic reading programs for the 2015-206 school year. Through the use of these reading programs, Success for All and Scholastic’s Expert 21, we have seen steady growth in student reading levels. By the third quarter, an additional thirteen percent of the student population has been added to the grade level or above reading category. We continue to implement a Balanced Literacy method of instruction throughout all English Language Arts and social studies classes. Instructional best practices, which include hands-on manipulatives, are currently used in both the science and mathematics classrooms.
During the 2015-2016 school year, Dillon Middle School added two additional Algebra I classes which contain 50 more of our top mathematics students. This year, 104 students are on track to receive a Carnegie credit in Algebra I as compared to 54 students who received credit during the 2014-2015 school year.
The Dillon Middle School chorus is composed of 75 students who perform under the direction of Mr. Joshua Fleetwood. Students who competed in the Carowind’s Festival of Music received an EXCELLENT rating. Students also perform in clinics and scholarship events throughout the year.
The Dillon Middle School band is directed by Mr. Kevin McLellan. The seventh and eighth grade beginner and concert band received a rating of EXCELLENT at Lugoff Elgin High School this year.
The Dillon Middle School band and chorus perform at parenting activities throughout the year. Parents and community partnerships are an integral part of our school environment.
South Elementary School
Dr. Louise Goings of South Elementary School presented a Powerpoint.
Goings said they have had a phenomenal year and wonderful things have happened.
Some of the things they have been involved in with the community included a visit from Bo’s Berry Patch, Pennies for Patients, Clothes Closet, Relay for Life, Dillon County Boys and Girls Youth Center reading program, The NED Show, Rotary Club Happy Feet Program, weekend meals for Kids, and PTO. They have had two literacy nights. The theme for the first semester is “Take Me Out To The Ballpark.” The theme for second semester is “Reading Carnival.”
Different grades have been on field trips to the Columbia Museum of Art, a STEM activity at the Lee County State Park, Ripley’s Aquarium, SC History Museum, Waccatee Zoo, and an Honor Roll outing.
There has been Windows tablet training for third grade teachers.
An interventionist came and as a result, they saw increases in reading and math scores.
Mrs. Frankie Camp did a book study with all teachers to help them understand and use data driven grouping.
They also implemented the Daily 5 for first and second grade classrooms. The five are: Read to Self, Work on Writing, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, and Word Work.
Stewart Heights Elementary School
Dr. Wendy Pace presented the summary for Stewart Heights Elementary School. She said they exceeded district and state norms in English and mathematics. They had the following results on the ACT Aspire test:
English: 53.5% of their students were “Ready” or “Exceeding” compared to 50.6% statewide schools with students like ours.
Mathematics: 52.4% of their students were “Ready” or “Exceeding” compared to Dillon School District Four of 35.4%, Elementary Schools like ours 33.4% and statewide schools 46.7%.
Pace said they still face challenges. One of the challenges is SC College and Career Standards in English Language Arts and Math. Some of the strategies for improvement include professional development, weekly newsletters, incorporate more rigorous common assessments that are aligned to the standards, implement a project based curriculum, revise lesson plans and materials to align to standards, implement small group instruction for grades 5K-3 based on student needs and new standards, and provide information and training for parents addressing curriculum changes/standards.
Another challenge is parent involvement. Strategies for improvement include: active school website that parents and students can use to obtain weekly newsletters, assignments, and curriculum specific materials (updated weekly); parent breakfasts; provide updates and resources to parents regarding the new standards; offer parenting classes; showcase the special area activities in which students are involved; conduct parent surveys to obtain input from parents; train parents to use the online parent portal for accessing grades; attendance and discipline; Open House/PTO’s; provide student folders for communication between home/school including weekly newsletters noting objectives for all subject areas.
Curriculum updates will include:
English/Language Arts
* Training/staff development in SCCCR standards
* Data Analysis to identify individual student needs
* Provide small group/individual instruction/peer tutoring
* Purchase informational texts to integrate into the curriculum
* Individual and small group conferencing
* Daily journal writing
* 6 + 1 Writing Traits instruction in all grades
* Provide instructional assistance and curriculum updates by the Reading Coach
* Continue to update Literacy Library
* Reading Counts
Math
* Training/staff development in SCCCR standards
* Data Analysis to identify individual student needs
* Provide small group/individual instruction
* Small group/individual conferencing
* Steps To…notebook journal writing
Science and Social Studies
* Integrate ELA, science, social studies and math through textbooks, leveled informational texts, workbooks, etc…
* Web-based science and social studies activities used in classrooms (technology integration)
* Update grade level common assessments to align to new standards
* Update grade level newsletters highlighting weekly objectives and study notes
* Science and Social Studies Survivor competition
East Elementary School
Principal Bobbie Walters presented the summary report for East Elementary School.
English ACT Aspire Scores
Percentage Passed 63.8%, State 65.1%, District 54.3%
Documented Areas of Strength
Production of Writing – 3rd Grade 70.1%
Documented Areas of Weakness
Conventions of Standard English – 3rd Grade 63.8%
Action Plan
*Daily Oral Language Activities that review conventions of standard English
Reading ACT Aspire Scores
Percentage Passed 31.7%, State 31.8%, District 20.7
Documented Areas of Strength-Craft and Structure – 3rd Grace 40.5%
Documented Areas of Weakness-Integrations of Knowledge and Ideas – 3rd Grade 25.4
Action Plan
*Two Title 1 Interventionist to assist struggling readers in grades 1-3
*Literacy Coach works with teachers to improve their use of data, grouping, and teaching strategies
*”Daily 5” used as a framework for structuring literacy time so students develop lifelong habits of reading, writing, and working independently
Writing ACT Aspire Scores
Percentage Passed 12.4%, State 16.2%, District 52.4%
Documented Areas of Strength-Conventions – 3rd Grade 15.7%
Documented Areas of Weakness-Ideas and Analysis – 3rd Grade 6.6%
Action Plan
*Four-Block Writing model used through all grade levels
Math ACT Aspire Scores
Percentage Passed 60.3%, State 58%, District 52.4%
Documented Areas of Strength-Number and Operations in Base 10 – 3rd Grade 68.3%
Documented Areas of Weakness-Geometry – 3rd Grade 34.1%
Action Plan
*Grade level groups review state standards and revise Math Pacing Guides
*Small group and individual instruction
*Manipulatives and software that enhance math skills
Their Parent and Community Involvement include: Service learning projects; Parents for Breakfast; career speakers; parent trainings for parent portal; parenting classes for attendance, technology, and literacy; Civic groups and businesses provide activities/programs for students
Lake View Elementary School
Principal Kim Walsh presented the summary for Lake View Elementary School:
State Standardized English Language Arts Scores –
ACT ASPIRE
Documented Areas of Strength-Strength was shown in Production of Writing at all three tested grade levels
Documented Areas of Weakness-Key Ideas and Details are a weakness at all grade levels
Contributing Factors-Students took the new ACT ASPIRE state assessment for the first time. This assessment was a timed test.
Action Plan
Due to a new assessment and new standards, we will be focusing on the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards.
State Standardized Math Scores – ACT ASPIRE
Documented Areas of Strength-Strength was shown in Number and Operations in Base 10 in the third and fourth grades.
Documented Areas of Weakness-Third grade students showed weakness in Measurement and Data. Fifth grade students showed weakness in fractions.
Contributing Factors-Students took the new ACT ASPIRE state assessment for the first time. This assessment was a timed test.
Action Plan
Due to a new assessment and new standards, we will be focusing on the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards.
State Standardized Social Studies Scores – SC PASS
Documented Areas of Strength-In Fourth Grade, 54% of the students showed strength in Westward Expansion.
Documented Areas of Weakness-In Fourth Grade, students showed weakness in the Civil War with only 11.5 percent showing strength. Fifth Grade continues to be weak in Developments Since 1989 with only 7.7% of students showing strength.
Contributing Factors-n/a
Action Plan
*Spend more instructional time on the Civil War.
*Take a field trip to Fort Sumter in Charleston.
*Use Virtual Field Trips for the Civil War.
*Spiral the curriculum for Developments Since 1989 throughout the school year.
State Standardized Science Scores – SC PASS
Documented Areas of Strength-In Fourth Grade, Astronomy increased from 16% to 35%.
Documented Areas of Weakness-In Fifth Grade, students showed weakness in Ecosystems: Terrestrial and Aquatic.
Contributing Factors-n/a
Action Plan
*Spend more instructional time on Ecosystems.
*Research Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
*Complete Ecosystem projects created by the students.
Gordon Elementary School
Principal Famon Whitfield III presented the summary for Gordon Elementary School. The written summary report states the following:
* The teachers received training in Fountas and Pinnell Text Leveling
* The teachers received training in implementing Balanced Literacy.
* The teachers received professional development training in Balanced Math.
* The teachers received professional development in technology and created SWAYS for presentation in Social Studies and Science.
* The students showed growth from the Fall Administration of MAP to the Spring Administration of MAP.
* We had 38 students who were inducted into the National Junior Beta Club.
* We had one student to win 2nd Place in the National Junior Beta Club Poster Competition.
* We had 28 Duke Tip Scholars.
* We won 1st and 3rd Place in the South Carolina Junior Stock Market Competition.
* Our students participated in the First Tee Golf Program.
* Our students participated in the GES Longest Golf Drive Contest.
* We have had 3 Family Night SLAMS for parents with over 175 parents attending each session.
* We have 10 after school clubs with over 225 students participating each semester.
* We have had 4 school dances for the students that have had good behavior.
* We have “Meet Me in the Café” on Thursdays and Fridays for students that have good behavior.
* The 4th Grade students went on field trips to Wonder Works and Alligator Adventure.
* The 5th Grade students went on field trips to Ripley’s Aquarium and Carowinds.
* We had 35 students participate in the Lunch Buddy Program.
* We participated in our annual GES Carolina/Clemson Canned Food Drive. We donated over 2000 canned goods to Helping Hands Food Bank in Dillon, SC.
* We participated in our annual GES Hat, Coats, and Gloves Drive to benefit the students at GES. We had some community members to donate 65 brand new boys and girls coats.
Dillon High School
Assistant Principal Michael Rogers presented the summary report for Dillon High School. He said there has been continual growth in the graduation rate since 2012. The rates were: 2012 – 57.1%, 2013 – 79.5%, 2014 – 80.1%, and 2015 – 90.8%. The end of course test results were:
2015: Algebra 1 – DHS SCORE: 83.7%-Schools like Ours: 71.5%
English 1 – DHS SCORE: 57.0% 83.7%-Schools like Ours: 54.5%
Biology 1 – DHS SCORE: 64.3% -Schools like Ours: 62.6%
U.S. History – DHS SCORE: 64.4%-Schools like Ours: 48.5%
ALL TESTS – DHS SCORE: 66.4%-Schools like Ours: 59.2%
Dillon High School Improvement Plan:
1. Improve Graduation Rate – Maintaining appropriate and accurate documentation for yearly 9GR; Credit Recovery continues to be made more accessible to students; Administration continues to meet with individual students about graduation progress and develop schedules to support on time graduation.
2. Implement Standards Based Benchmarks for all End of Course (EOC) classes – Standards based benchmarks are developed and given every 4 1⁄2 weeks; Administration conferences with individuals, classrooms and teaches about benchmark results and progress.
3. Provide Professional Development to teachers on current research, teaching and learning, and best practice – 90/90/90 Research: Research from high poverty schools that have also demonstrated high academic performance. Characteristics of these schools include a focus on academic achievement, clear curriculum choices, frequent assessment of student progress and multiple opportunities for improvement, an emphasis on nonfiction writing, and collaborative scoring of student work; Learning for Mastery – Failure is not an option at DHS.
He noted that they write in every classroom. He said every class writes a certain amount of time.
DHS Highlights: The graduation rate increased to 90.8% during the 2014-2015 school year; DHS received a Palmetto Gold Award for Closing the Achievement Gap; 2015 2A State Football Champions.
Lake View High School
Principal Edison Arnette presented the report for Lake View High School. The written summary report states the following:
The mission of Lake View High School is to develop life-long learners and responsible, productive members of society by providing academic, social, and emotional skills through cooperation of school and community. Lake View High School is helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by ensuring that all educators, students, parents, and community members have been provided the knowledge necessary for our students to meet the ever-changing challenges of our global society. Our school serves academically and athletically talented students in grades 6-12. In the past, Lake View High School has been the recipient of the impressive Palmetto Gold award six times. These accomplishments honor the outstanding work of our teachers, parents, and especially our students. This academic achievement represents the high expectations for which students, as well as teachers, strive to attain. With this outstanding achievement, LVHS continues its commitment to the mission of developing lifelong learners and producing students who not only are able to function in an ever-changing technological society, but who contribute to it, as well.
During the 2015-2016 school year, LVHS participated in the iSTEM! Program from the S©˜STEM Centers SC. A team of teachers participated in the year-long staff development in which they designed and implemented STEM activities. The goal of our district STEM initiative is to prepare educators and students in understanding and implementing engineering practices as identified in national and state standards documents. One activity to enhance and support our STEM initiative was by providing the opportunity for students and teachers to participate in an educational field trip to Boeing South Carolina in the Boeing DreamLearners program. The purpose of the Boeing DreamLearners program was for students to implement a real-world engineering activity to provide a hands-on learning experience. This created a cadre of teachers and students who gained strategies to cultivate engineering habits of mind and 21st Century skills by developing an understanding that students who apply engineering design principles as they learn disciplinary concepts are empowered with approaches to solving challenging problems within and beyond K-12 schooling.
The Lake View High School faculty and staff are committed to building rigorous, relevant, and positive relationships to enhance student learning and achievement. Curriculum planning and implementation of standards-driven and research-based instructional practices continue to guide student learning and achievement. Comprehensive student assessment plans designed to enhance learning skills for the 2015-2016 school year is based on the analysis of longitudinal student test data.
This school year, LVHS began to plan and develop a Reading Plan in accordance with the South Carolina Read to Succeed program. The goal of the LVHS Reading Plan is to improve reading achievement for all students. Our plan supports research-based reading instruction to include the school’s leadership, assessment, curriculum, instruction and intervention, professional learning, parent involvement, and community partnerships. Student learning continues to improve as evidenced by increased achievement scores. During the 2015-2016 school year, LVHS continues with the New Teacher Evaluation Program through the South Carolina Department of Education. We are continuing to implement the South Carolina Teaching Standards model, including the completion of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) by all teachers. SLOs provided evidence of each teacher’s impact on student learning. One hundred percent of the teachers at LVHS scored proficient on their SLOs. Teachers are continuing to learn and improve so that students can continue to learn and improve.
A comprehensive testing plan for the 2015-2016 school year was implemented using state and district mandated tests: MAP, EOC, SCReady, SAT, and ACT. Analysis of data from these tests and other assessments was used to determine differentiated instructional practices in our classes. Lake View High School continues to use numerous resources to enhance and improve student learning, such as: A+ Learning, Tutoring, Mentoring, Military ASAB testing, Career Counseling, Credit Recovery, various software packages, Trinity Behavior Counseling, and Tier 2 Keytrain-Workeys programs. These resources are also utilized to assist in identifying and aiding At-Risk Students. LVHS students are able to receive dual credit (high school credit as well as college credit) which allows those who successfully complete specific coursework to give them a head start into their next level of education beyond high school. LVHS has also provided Scholarship and Financial Aide Workshops for students and parents. In the spring of 2015, Lake View High School incorporated an 8th grade promotion ceremony to honor rising 9th grade students to support the transition into high school.
The talents, strengths, and skills of students, parents, teachers, and community members must be combined and used to enhance the academic and social success of our students in order to provide them with the highest quality of education.
Lake View High School is committed and determined to provide quality educational experiences which reward our community with citizens that are skilled and who are life-long learners and productive citizens of our society. With a focus on rigor, relevance, and relationships, Lake View High School will continue to enhance and improve its commitment to enhance and improve academic performance of every student.
LVHS 2015-2016 Accomplishments – Student Successes in and out of the Classroom:
• LVHS Class of 2015 was awarded over $200,000 in Scholarship Money
• 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year – Matt Ammons
• 2015-2016 Exxon Mobile Grant Recipient
• 2015-2016 Center of Excellence Outreach Boeing Grant
• 2015-2016 High School Academic Challenge Team – Undefeated, Regional Champions, and State Champions
• 2015-2016 Middle School Academic Challenge Team – Regional Champions and State Runner-Up
• 2016 Mathematics Team – 1st Place in Coastal Carolina University Contest
• 100% Grade 8 EOC Passing Rate Algebra 1 – 4th year in a row
• 100 on Algebra 1 EOC – 7 Students
• 100 on Biology EOC – 11 Students
• Perfect Attendance – 14 Students
• LVHS Marching Band – 3 Students made Pee Dee Region Band
The plans were approved by all board members in attendance upon a motion by Board Member Famon Whitfield and a second by Board Member Alex Lewis.
The District Strategic Plan was also presented. Some of the highlights from the District Strategic Plan included:
• Monitor Action Plans (July 1, 2016 – March 2017) including:
a. Impact on Student Learning
b. Data Sources
c. Implementation Indicators
d. Activities (continue, modify, or terminate depending on the effect they have)
e. State Assessment Results (verification to see if the school is progressing toward the goals they established.
• School Renewal Plans (submitted to the State Department of Education by April 30)
• District Strategic Plan (submitted to the State Department of Education by April 30)
Lynn Liebenrood presented the district summary.
