The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for careers, post-secondary training, and citizenship in the 21st Century are constantly being redefined.  This perpetual change is driven by a number of factors including globalization, rapid technological change, international competition, and changing markets.  Advances in technology are enabling many businesses to replace jobs that once required routine knowledge with positions requiring the productive use of knowledge to solve complex problems.   To prepare students for these emerging trends, educators in Edgefield County School District (ECSD) are making the incremental adjustments needed to ensure students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics found in the profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

 

 

Diversified Pathways

Our system currently provides students with access to rigorous academics in multiple post-secondary pathways including certification programs, diploma programs, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.  The success of our students is evident by outcome measures such as the number of college credits earned, professional certificates earned leading to careers after high school, and system-wide achievement test scores above the state average.  Current highlights include offering CATE certification programs to adult education students and expanding enrollment in both AP and dual credit courses.

 

Additionally, a majority of our high school students participate in clubs, organizations, and/or competitive teams.  These experiences lead to better educational outcomes including: higher grades on course work, higher achievement test scores, educational expectations beyond high school, and improved interpersonal relation skills.  Edgefield County is recognized statewide for its tradition of excellence in many extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.  The Strom Thurmond High School Rebel Regiment added to this tradition of excellence by winning the 2017 Marching Band State Championship.  

 

Quality Assurance

In order to provide relevant learning experiences for all students in this age of rapid change, ECSD engages in a continuous cycle of improvement to guide annual program updates.  This quality assurance process involves an annual self-assessment based on AdvancED standards of quality, collection of stakeholder feedback, and a periodic external review by professional educators.  Most South Carolina school districts host an AdvancED External Review Team every five years to measure system performance in the following three domains: 1) Leadership Capacity; 2) Learning Capacity; and 3) Resource Capacity.   The External Review Team calculates an Index of Education Quality (IEQ™) which is a holistic measure of overall performance based on a comprehensive set of indicators and evaluative criteria.  The AdvancED Accreditation Commission designated ECSD as an Accredited System through the spring of 2022.  The district was commended for conducting an exemplary self-assessment annually that inspires positive change.

Professional Learning

Making our system vision a reality is only possible with the active involvement of our exemplary instructional staff. System quality is directly proportional to the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. ECSD has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and learning due in part to the quality educational professionals attracted to the community by its rich history, beautiful rural setting, and progressive suburban areas.  Our professional learning community includes teachers as partners both in their personal growth and the growth of their colleagues.  As professionals, teachers are involved in action research to monitor the implementation and impact of programs and strategies they feel are important.  At the request of teachers and with the support of instructional coaches, the district provides embedded, on-going professional learning in the areas of curriculum development, performance assessments, grading, interventions, and personalized learning approaches.  Voluntary in-district professional learning workshops on topics selected by the staff are scheduled during the summer to provide teachers the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the system.   In addition to authentically enhancing our system’s common language and vision, these sessions reinforce the genuine family atmosphere that makes ECSD so unique.

Innovative Programs and Practices

In the year ahead ECSD will take the last steps in the implementation of a K-12 STEM curriculum that creates an engaging, hands-on classroom environment which empowers students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in any career path.  Teachers are provided state-of-the-art training, resources, and support needed to engage students in real world learning.

 

As students engage in relevant activities, projects, and problems, they are empowered to select and solve real-world challenges that both inspire them and help them develop an innovative mindset.  In the emerging knowledge based economy businesses are searching for people who can work collaboratively to solve problems and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

 

These experiences enhance classroom engagement and provide students the opportunity to identify and explore areas of interest.  Through these unique learning experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills that are in demand no matter what career pathway they choose.

 

Inter-Agency Collaboration

In a joint effort to support the well-being of our citizens and community ECSD is working collaboratively with the Edgefield County Council, Piedmont Technical College administration, and the Economic Development Partnership Leadership to develop an action plan related to educational access and economic development in Edgefield County. Strategic goals and objectives are being developed including Pathways to Success, enrollment objectives, work ethic skills, dual enrollment partnerships, and economic development activities.  This effort is designed to establish a mutually beneficial framework of processes and practices that will enhance and sustain the elements of well-being in the community.

 

Work Ethic Skills

 

An Integral part of preparing students  for the future is providing opportunities for them to develop the characteristics necessary to be successful citizens in the 21st-century. The district has developed a partnership with Piedmont Technical College dedicated to making Soft Skills an essential part of student learning objectives to prepare them for success in the workplace and community.  This process includes student’s self-evaluation using a rubric and providing justification for the score.  Each course selects the specific soft skills that are the most natural fit for the curriculum and works to enhance these skills as part of the students' learning experience.  Replicating the workplace in the classroom includes but is not limited to the following: Real –life scenarios, Problem –based learning, Group/Team work, and Experiential Learning. Edgefield County School District

Growing World Class Citizens by Engaging, Empowering and Enriching ALL Learners

The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for careers, post-secondary training, and citizenship in the 21st Century are constantly being redefined.  This perpetual change is driven by a number of factors including globalization, rapid technological change, international competition, and changing markets.  Advances in technology are enabling many businesses to replace jobs that once required routine knowledge with positions requiring the productive use of knowledge to solve complex problems.   To prepare students for these emerging trends, educators in Edgefield County School District (ECSD) are making the incremental adjustments needed to ensure students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics found in the profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

 

Diversified Pathways

Our system currently provides students with access to rigorous academics in multiple post-secondary pathways including certification programs, diploma programs, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.  The success of our students is evident by outcome measures such as the number of college credits earned, professional certificates earned leading to careers after high school, and system-wide achievement test scores above the state average.  Current highlights include offering CATE certification programs to adult education students and expanding enrollment in both AP and dual credit courses.

 

Additionally, a majority of our high school students participate in clubs, organizations, and/or competitive teams.  These experiences lead to better educational outcomes including: higher grades on course work, higher achievement test scores, educational expectations beyond high school, and improved interpersonal relation skills.  Edgefield County is recognized statewide for its tradition of excellence in many extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.  The Strom Thurmond High School Rebel Regiment added to this tradition of excellence by winning the 2017 Marching Band State Championship.  

 

Quality Assurance

In order to provide relevant learning experiences for all students in this age of rapid change, ECSD engages in a continuous cycle of improvement to guide annual program updates.  This quality assurance process involves an annual self-assessment based on AdvancED standards of quality, collection of stakeholder feedback, and a periodic external review by professional educators.  Most South Carolina school districts host an AdvancED External Review Team every five years to measure system performance in the following three domains: 1) Leadership Capacity; 2) Learning Capacity; and 3) Resource Capacity.   The External Review Team calculates an Index of Education Quality (IEQ™) which is a holistic measure of overall performance based on a comprehensive set of indicators and evaluative criteria.  The AdvancED Accreditation Commission designated ECSD as an Accredited System through the spring of 2022.  The district was commended for conducting an exemplary self-assessment annually that inspires positive change.

Professional Learning

Making our system vision a reality is only possible with the active involvement of our exemplary instructional staff. System quality is directly proportional to the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. ECSD has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and learning due in part to the quality educational professionals attracted to the community by its rich history, beautiful rural setting, and progressive suburban areas.  Our professional learning community includes teachers as partners both in their personal growth and the growth of their colleagues.  As professionals, teachers are involved in action research to monitor the implementation and impact of programs and strategies they feel are important.  At the request of teachers and with the support of instructional coaches, the district provides embedded, on-going professional learning in the areas of curriculum development, performance assessments, grading, interventions, and personalized learning approaches.  Voluntary in-district professional learning workshops on topics selected by the staff are scheduled during the summer to provide teachers the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the system.   In addition to authentically enhancing our system’s common language and vision, these sessions reinforce the genuine family atmosphere that makes ECSD so unique.

Innovative Programs and Practices

In the year ahead ECSD will take the last steps in the implementation of a K-12 STEM curriculum that creates an engaging, hands-on classroom environment which empowers students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in any career path.  Teachers are provided state-of-the-art training, resources, and support needed to engage students in real world learning.

 

As students engage in relevant activities, projects, and problems, they are empowered to select and solve real-world challenges that both inspire them and help them develop an innovative mindset.  In the emerging knowledge based economy businesses are searching for people who can work collaboratively to solve problems and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

 

These experiences enhance classroom engagement and provide students the opportunity to identify and explore areas of interest.  Through these unique learning experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills that are in demand no matter what career pathway they choose.

 

Inter-Agency Collaboration

In a joint effort to support the well-being of our citizens and community ECSD is working collaboratively with the Edgefield County Council, Piedmont Technical College administration, and the Economic Development Partnership Leadership to develop an action plan related to educational access and economic development in Edgefield County. Strategic goals and objectives are being developed including Pathways to Success, enrollment objectives, work ethic skills, dual enrollment partnerships, and economic development activities.  This effort is designed to establish a mutually beneficial framework of processes and practices that will enhance and sustain the elements of well-being in the community.

 

Work Ethic Skills

 

An Integral part of preparing students  for the future is providing opportunities for them to develop the characteristics necessary to be successful citizens in the 21st-century. The district has developed a partnership with Piedmont Technical College dedicated to making Soft Skills an essential part of student learning objectives to prepare them for success in the workplace and community.  This process includes student’s self-evaluation using a rubric and providing justification for the score.  Each course selects the specific soft skills that are the most natural fit for the curriculum and works to enhance these skills as part of the students' learning experience.  Replicating the workplace in the classroom includes but is not limited to the following: Real –life scenarios, Problem –based learning, Group/Team work, and Experiential Learning. Edgefield County School District

Growing World Class Citizens by Engaging, Empowering and Enriching ALL Learners

The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for careers, post-secondary training, and citizenship in the 21st Century are constantly being redefined.  This perpetual change is driven by a number of factors including globalization, rapid technological change, international competition, and changing markets.  Advances in technology are enabling many businesses to replace jobs that once required routine knowledge with positions requiring the productive use of knowledge to solve complex problems.   To prepare students for these emerging trends, educators in Edgefield County School District (ECSD) are making the incremental adjustments needed to ensure students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics found in the profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

 

Diversified Pathways

Our system currently provides students with access to rigorous academics in multiple post-secondary pathways including certification programs, diploma programs, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.  The success of our students is evident by outcome measures such as the number of college credits earned, professional certificates earned leading to careers after high school, and system-wide achievement test scores above the state average.  Current highlights include offering CATE certification programs to adult education students and expanding enrollment in both AP and dual credit courses.

 

Additionally, a majority of our high school students participate in clubs, organizations, and/or competitive teams.  These experiences lead to better educational outcomes including: higher grades on course work, higher achievement test scores, educational expectations beyond high school, and improved interpersonal relation skills.  Edgefield County is recognized statewide for its tradition of excellence in many extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.  The Strom Thurmond High School Rebel Regiment added to this tradition of excellence by winning the 2017 Marching Band State Championship.  

 

Quality Assurance

In order to provide relevant learning experiences for all students in this age of rapid change, ECSD engages in a continuous cycle of improvement to guide annual program updates.  This quality assurance process involves an annual self-assessment based on AdvancED standards of quality, collection of stakeholder feedback, and a periodic external review by professional educators.  Most South Carolina school districts host an AdvancED External Review Team every five years to measure system performance in the following three domains: 1) Leadership Capacity; 2) Learning Capacity; and 3) Resource Capacity.   The External Review Team calculates an Index of Education Quality (IEQ™) which is a holistic measure of overall performance based on a comprehensive set of indicators and evaluative criteria.  The AdvancED Accreditation Commission designated ECSD as an Accredited System through the spring of 2022.  The district was commended for conducting an exemplary self-assessment annually that inspires positive change.

Professional Learning

Making our system vision a reality is only possible with the active involvement of our exemplary instructional staff. System quality is directly proportional to the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. ECSD has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and learning due in part to the quality educational professionals attracted to the community by its rich history, beautiful rural setting, and progressive suburban areas.  Our professional learning community includes teachers as partners both in their personal growth and the growth of their colleagues.  As professionals, teachers are involved in action research to monitor the implementation and impact of programs and strategies they feel are important.  At the request of teachers and with the support of instructional coaches, the district provides embedded, on-going professional learning in the areas of curriculum development, performance assessments, grading, interventions, and personalized learning approaches.  Voluntary in-district professional learning workshops on topics selected by the staff are scheduled during the summer to provide teachers the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the system.   In addition to authentically enhancing our system’s common language and vision, these sessions reinforce the genuine family atmosphere that makes ECSD so unique.

Innovative Programs and Practices

In the year ahead ECSD will take the last steps in the implementation of a K-12 STEM curriculum that creates an engaging, hands-on classroom environment which empowers students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in any career path.  Teachers are provided state-of-the-art training, resources, and support needed to engage students in real world learning.

 

As students engage in relevant activities, projects, and problems, they are empowered to select and solve real-world challenges that both inspire them and help them develop an innovative mindset.  In the emerging knowledge based economy businesses are searching for people who can work collaboratively to solve problems and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

 

These experiences enhance classroom engagement and provide students the opportunity to identify and explore areas of interest.  Through these unique learning experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills that are in demand no matter what career pathway they choose.

 

Inter-Agency Collaboration

In a joint effort to support the well-being of our citizens and community ECSD is working collaboratively with the Edgefield County Council, Piedmont Technical College administration, and the Economic Development Partnership Leadership to develop an action plan related to educational access and economic development in Edgefield County. Strategic goals and objectives are being developed including Pathways to Success, enrollment objectives, work ethic skills, dual enrollment partnerships, and economic development activities.  This effort is designed to establish a mutually beneficial framework of processes and practices that will enhance and sustain the elements of well-being in the community.

 

Work Ethic Skills

 

An Integral part of preparing students  for the future is providing opportunities for them to develop the characteristics necessary to be successful citizens in the 21st-century. The district has developed a partnership with Piedmont Technical College dedicated to making Soft Skills an essential part of student learning objectives to prepare them for success in the workplace and community.  This process includes student’s self-evaluation using a rubric and providing justification for the score.  Each course selects the specific soft skills that are the most natural fit for the curriculum and works to enhance these skills as part of the students' learning experience.  Replicating the workplace in the classroom includes but is not limited to the following: Real –life scenarios, Problem –based learning, Group/Team work, and Experiential Learning. Edgefield County School District

Growing World Class Citizens by Engaging, Empowering and Enriching ALL Learners

The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for careers, post-secondary training, and citizenship in the 21st Century are constantly being redefined.  This perpetual change is driven by a number of factors including globalization, rapid technological change, international competition, and changing markets.  Advances in technology are enabling many businesses to replace jobs that once required routine knowledge with positions requiring the productive use of knowledge to solve complex problems.   To prepare students for these emerging trends, educators in Edgefield County School District (ECSD) are making the incremental adjustments needed to ensure students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics found in the profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

 

Diversified Pathways

Our system currently provides students with access to rigorous academics in multiple post-secondary pathways including certification programs, diploma programs, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.  The success of our students is evident by outcome measures such as the number of college credits earned, professional certificates earned leading to careers after high school, and system-wide achievement test scores above the state average.  Current highlights include offering CATE certification programs to adult education students and expanding enrollment in both AP and dual credit courses.

 

Additionally, a majority of our high school students participate in clubs, organizations, and/or competitive teams.  These experiences lead to better educational outcomes including: higher grades on course work, higher achievement test scores, educational expectations beyond high school, and improved interpersonal relation skills.  Edgefield County is recognized statewide for its tradition of excellence in many extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.  The Strom Thurmond High School Rebel Regiment added to this tradition of excellence by winning the 2017 Marching Band State Championship.  

 

Quality Assurance

In order to provide relevant learning experiences for all students in this age of rapid change, ECSD engages in a continuous cycle of improvement to guide annual program updates.  This quality assurance process involves an annual self-assessment based on AdvancED standards of quality, collection of stakeholder feedback, and a periodic external review by professional educators.  Most South Carolina school districts host an AdvancED External Review Team every five years to measure system performance in the following three domains: 1) Leadership Capacity; 2) Learning Capacity; and 3) Resource Capacity.   The External Review Team calculates an Index of Education Quality (IEQ™) which is a holistic measure of overall performance based on a comprehensive set of indicators and evaluative criteria.  The AdvancED Accreditation Commission designated ECSD as an Accredited System through the spring of 2022.  The district was commended for conducting an exemplary self-assessment annually that inspires positive change.

Professional Learning

Making our system vision a reality is only possible with the active involvement of our exemplary instructional staff. System quality is directly proportional to the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. ECSD has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and learning due in part to the quality educational professionals attracted to the community by its rich history, beautiful rural setting, and progressive suburban areas.  Our professional learning community includes teachers as partners both in their personal growth and the growth of their colleagues.  As professionals, teachers are involved in action research to monitor the implementation and impact of programs and strategies they feel are important.  At the request of teachers and with the support of instructional coaches, the district provides embedded, on-going professional learning in the areas of curriculum development, performance assessments, grading, interventions, and personalized learning approaches.  Voluntary in-district professional learning workshops on topics selected by the staff are scheduled during the summer to provide teachers the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the system.   In addition to authentically enhancing our system’s common language and vision, these sessions reinforce the genuine family atmosphere that makes ECSD so unique.

Innovative Programs and Practices

In the year ahead ECSD will take the last steps in the implementation of a K-12 STEM curriculum that creates an engaging, hands-on classroom environment which empowers students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in any career path.  Teachers are provided state-of-the-art training, resources, and support needed to engage students in real world learning.

 

As students engage in relevant activities, projects, and problems, they are empowered to select and solve real-world challenges that both inspire them and help them develop an innovative mindset.  In the emerging knowledge based economy businesses are searching for people who can work collaboratively to solve problems and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

 

These experiences enhance classroom engagement and provide students the opportunity to identify and explore areas of interest.  Through these unique learning experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills that are in demand no matter what career pathway they choose.

 

Inter-Agency Collaboration

In a joint effort to support the well-being of our citizens and community ECSD is working collaboratively with the Edgefield County Council, Piedmont Technical College administration, and the Economic Development Partnership Leadership to develop an action plan related to educational access and economic development in Edgefie