Our school is assisting all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by promoting critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. Our warm, welcoming atmosphere and personal relationships support our school’s vision to provide opportunities to prepare tomorrow’s leaders today. Through innovative programs such as AVID ( Advancement Via Individual Determination), Killian (KES) has been selected to conduct several showcases to serve as a model to various schools in the state of South Carolina. Our third through fifth grade classes are engaged with WICOR ( Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading) and are immersed in activities and tasks that help them to be college and career ready. Currently, Killian’s second grade teachers are interested in implementing AVID with their students.
Our vast curriculum is designed to use project-based, problem centered learning approaches through a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) focused curriculum. KES has a STEAM Lab in which students experience a variety of hands-on approaches to learning. In addition, many of our teachers have been trained with the PBL and blended learning model. Killian students enjoy half-day S.T.E.AM. days in which students are immersed in hands-on, minds- on activities that highlight the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These projects foster students’ creativity and often times helps them realize their gifts and talents.
Killian is a Behavioral Education Supports and Training School (B.E.S.T). This model supports students in need of additional assistance with tiers of intervention for behavior. In addition, our teachers implement culturally responsive and positive behavioral strategies to bring the BEST out of our students each day. Our Leading Lions develop leadership attributes such as accountability, adaptability, initiative, communication, creativity and teamwork. We instill our “I Can” statements in our students from the beginning of the school year. These “I Can” statements are, “Lead by Example, Do your Personal Best, Consider Others’ Needs and Be a Team Player. It is our expectation that students practice these principles on a daily basis. In addition, our students participate in effective mentoring programs such Essence Pearls, Boys Leadership and Girls Leadership. Also, we host a College and Career Day with a focus on STEAM careers. Our students participate in Beta Club Service Learning Projects, Recycling Club, Killian Network News Show, and many more extracurricular clubs and activities.
Students are assessed using a variety of formal and informal prescriptive and achievement measures including state assessments ( SC Ready, SC PASS), Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) and Mastery Connect Benchmarks. Students are provided differentiated support and encouragement to excel regardless of ability levels. KES has a Response to Intervention (RTI) plan that meets the diverse academic and social needs of students through intervention, acceleration and remediation.
Along with Richland School District, Killian will continue to address all safety issues with its stakeholders. As we continue to provide our students the “BEST” Engaging Learning Environment, teachers, staff and administration will focus on improving student achievement in a variety of ways. These high expectations will be met through hiring, retaining and providing meaningful professional development for Killian teachers. We are committed to our vision of “Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today” and strive to make this vision a reality for each of our students.