Gilbert High School strives to empower students to develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing an academically rigorous curriculum focusing on three dimensions of student achievement: master of knowledge and skills; character; and high-quality student work. Having completed our third implementation year in partnership with EL Education, GHS will continue to foster a vision for student success that includes habits of scholarship marked by persistence, time management, communication and excellence. We will continue our pursuit in preparing students for success in college, career, citizenship, and life.
Gilbert High School continues Phase 2 of its partnership with EL Education after three complete years of implementation of the EL Education Core Practices. In order to receive the EL Education Credential, recognition of exemplary outcomes and mastery across three dimensions of student achievement must be obtained through a strong credentialing portfolio that communicates our schools unique impact story. Over time, our school collects multi year evidence that shows how student achievement is improving across each dimension of achievement. The system of credentialing is how our school implements systems and structures intentionally designed to routinely collect, analyze, and collectively reflect upon patterns of achievement and progress towards annual performance benchmarks and multi-year impact goals as written in our Annual EL Education Work Plan. Each year, Gilbert High School creates a work plan with goals that are supported through professional learning and progress monitoring. We conduct a mid-year review, and continue the professional learning and support for teachers while monitoring progress. We re-evaluate our progress again in early May with an End-of-Year Review.
Redefining how performance is measure in K-12 education, EL Education in 2014 began recognizing schools that demonstrated high levels of implementation and achievement with a credential. Again, EL Education define achievement as mastery in three areas, all of which are powerfully associated with success in college and career:
- Master of Knowledge and Skills. Students show evidence of proficiency and deep understanding of a subject, critical thinking, the ability to communicate clearly, and application of their learning. Performance on state assessments over a period of several years is on measure.
- Character. EL Education schools establish consistent school-wide “Habits of Scholarship” (such as persistence and time management), which are then tracked by students and teachers to provide evidence of growth over time.
- High-Quality Student Work. School present evidence showing how the quality, depth, and authenticity of student work has improved during the school’s multi-year partnership with EL Education.
To ensure that we work towards the implementation of our mission, vision, and beliefs, we model our instructional practices after the EL Education model. Our instructional model challenges students to think critically and take active roles in their classrooms and communities through the use of Crew Service Projects. The Gilbert student is proud of his/her school and community and this pride is shown daily through a variety of academic and extracurricular activities that support our mission, vision, and beliefs. Gilbert High School develops students through the structures of Crew and Habits of Scholarship. Crew is a structure where every student at Gilbert High School is known well and supported by adults. The structure of Crew allows for relationship building, academic progress monitoring, and character development. Crew allows students to build positive connections with their peers and Crew leader. Our Habits of Scholarship is also a critical part of character development at Gilbert High School. Students are directly taught and assessed on their proficiency of persistence, time-management, communication, and excellence. Every Monday, each student has a check-in with their Crew leader and reflects on both academics and Habits of Scholarship, which help to encourage growth in character and academic knowledge. At the end of each quarter, students get both academic and Habits of Scholarship report cards to communicate mastery of knowledge, skills and character.
In 2017, Gilbert High School boasted a 90% 4-year graduation rate, an increase from the year before and one of the highest graduation rates in school history. But we know we can do better. At the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, a group of 35 seniors were identified as “striving seniors” based on having 16-18 credits entering their senior year (24 credits are needed to earn a diploma). A team was developed made up of school counselors, administrators, teachers, Crew leaders, and instructional coaches to regularly meet with these students to check in on their grades, attendance, and significant life events and to provide regular encouragement and support. This committee of support, known as the AIM Committee, which stands for “take Action today that will make an Impact on yourself and others and build Momentum for future success”. Because of this focus on continuous advocacy for these students, 33 out of 35 students walked across the stage at the GHS graduation on June 1st. The remaining students will complete their diploma this summer through Lexington One Adult Education’s diploma program. We look forward to expanding these efforts to provide support for more student’s next year s we fulfill the Lexington School District One Vision Statement to “Empower each child to design the future”!
Ann O’Cain
Principal
Tammy Harman
School Improvement Council Chair