Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment. We provide such an environment by focusing on our school vision, “Developing Readers, Thinkers, and Creators…One Child at a Time” and our school-wide belief of “Every Child, Every Day”. We demonstrate this vision by challenging our students with best practices to reach their full potential and providing continuous professional development for our teachers.
Following our district’s instructional framework, teachers at Oakwood Windsor focus on critical thinking, problem solving and clearly defined communication with parents and students to deliver instruction that is challenging and offers the opportunity for growth. As the district’s MTSS (Multi-tiered Systems of Support) model school, our teachers have been on the cutting edge of systems growth and change. MTSS is a multi-faceted system of support to help all students succeed by addressing not just academic components but the emotional/social and community pieces that are so important to their success.
Implementing MTSS strategies has changed the thinking of OWES faculty, staff and parents. With an emphasis on the whole child, teachers have been given tools to help assess each student both academically and behaviorally. Obtaining and using this data has given teachers a greater insight into the true needs of their students. Integrating our school-level behavioral management model of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) with MTSS has given our students and families greater support to help them deal with the many roadblocks that often occur within our Title One community.
Our school-based leadership team has integrated the problem-solving model to assess both instructional effectiveness and student progress. PLC’s (Professional Learning Communities) at each grade level meet weekly to review data, deconstruct standards and work together to provide for the needs of each student. Following a complete overhaul of our Response to Intervention, teachers have participated in many hours of training to assist them with better understanding what data is needed, how to use that data and how to manage that data to better differentiate instruction. We will continue to use data as we plan and implement curriculum for our students. The data from Fastbridge, Fountas and Pinnell, Reading Inventory, Math Inventory, Kindergarten Readiness, Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS), SC Ready, and other school and district assessments will continue to be analyzed to guide our instruction.
We offer many programs after school to meet the needs of all students. Our Quest Zone program opens immediately after dismissal and closes at 6:00 p.m. each afternoon. ELL students are provided with opportunities for both academic and social/emotional assistance throughout the year. Our students are also able to participate in Guitar Club, Green Team, OWES Ambassadors, Yearbook and the morning news program. These experiences are vital in the growth and development of our students and in preparing our students to be productive citizens in the future.
Community support has been a huge emphasis at OWES this year. Efforts to build up our parent organizations and provide many opportunities for parents to participate in activities to support their child’s learning has been the key. Our school-based Parent Involvement Coordinator has, in coordination with administration and our School Improvement Council, implemented many activities and services of importance to our school such as bringing in new community partners, obtaining donations of food, clothing and other items of need for our families and parent education programs such as bullying prevention. OWES continues to partner with the Golden Harvest Backpack Buddy program to provide weekend food for numerous needy students and to provide Breakfast in the Classroom to every student.
We are very excited about the 2018-19 school year when we move into full implementation of MTSS at OWES and serve as the example for other schools in the district. While we realize that there are opportunities for improvement in all areas we are very excited about the growth that we have seen, particularly by our historically lowest performing students. We believe that it is imperative for the school, family, and community to share the educational responsibility of our youth. Thank you for all your support in helping in the development of our future South Carolina graduates and world leaders!
Ms. Teresa Dail, SIC Chairperson
Ms. Lynne Shrader, Principal