North Pointe Elementary School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing diverse educational experiences which encourage students to think critically, act responsibly, and communicate effectively in order to become college and career ready.
Opened in 2012, North Pointe is a 4K - 5th grade elementary school located on the north end of Anderson, SC, five miles from the city center. North Pointe is a state of the art, two-story, 134,000 square foot facility built on thirty-seven acres. With forty-one classrooms, science and computer labs, a full size gymnasium, learning commons, auditorium, and cafeteria, the school serves the needs of its students and community.
Student success is the heart of North Pointe's mission. Our highly qualified teachers and staff are committed to providing rigorous instruction to meet each students' academic needs. Through the use of a variety of assessments and progress monitoring data, students receive whole group and small group instruction for the purposes of acceleration, intervention, or reinforcement of skills. Every student in first through fifth grade receives a Chromebook for 1:1 technology integration.
Daily reading instruction is founded on the Balanced Literacy model, providing students with independent, shared and guided reading. Daily math instruction is based upon the math workshop model which engages students in a math-rich environment of workstations, whole group and small group learning. In addition, teachers work closely with our Reading Coach to prepare integrated units of study, which allow science and social studies standards to be integrated into math and reading units, all centered on the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards.
Our Parent Teacher Organization is an integral part of our school family, providing monthly Family Nights and fundraising events, as well as sponsoring programs for our students. Each fall we kick off the school year with our Back to School Bash, a carnival-type event which allows students and parents to become more acquainted with our school and staff. In February each year, our top fundraiser is Hustle for the Heart, a walk-a-thon which in 2018 raised over $15,000 for our school’s literacy program, putting leveled readers and student libraries in each classroom. In addition, our PTO hosts family movie nights, a Sweetheart Swing, the Monster Mash, and more! The PTO also sponsors our school’s character recognition program, Terrific Kids. During this monthly event, students from each classroom are recognized for the month’s character trait, a focal point for guidance lessons and our morning announcements. All of these events have become special traditions and helped to build a positive school culture.
North Pointe believes in educating the whole-child, with opportunities for arts and athletics during the school day with Art, Music, PE, Media, and Guidance, but also through our after school clubs. Students can participate in Art Club, Running Club, Stock Market Club, Chorus, and others throughout the school year. All students are given the opportunity to participate in a musical program at each grade-level, as well as our annual Spring Art Show, Field Days, and the Talent Show for 3rd-5th grades.
An emphasis is placed on giving back to the community through partnerships with local churches and organizations in our town. Our student council organizes canned food drives and other opportunities for giving each year. Last fall, students brought in towels and dry goods for those who lost their homes from the devastation of hurricanes in our state and spent an afternoon working with our local food bank. Our 4K classrooms partner with a local retirement community where students and senior adults laugh, dance, and play games together during monthly visits.
These are just a few of the many reasons North Pointe continues to perform at the highest level in the district. Our mission and focus will be to help students learn and grow in order to become graduates, lifelong learners and productive citizens of the future.
Jill S. Gilreath
Principal