During the 2018—2019 school year, our schools is helped all students develop the Word Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate through the Mount Holly SIC team discussing the need for students to be exposed to a variety of career possibilities. In response to this need,two career focused Club Friday groups (one for lower grades, and one for upper grades) were formed. These clubs met monthly and students were introduced to various careers through books, videos, demonstrations, and special guests. In addition, “Careers on Wheels”, an engaging event to educate students at Mount Holly about future career opportunities was planned for the end of May. In addition to our focus on the future, we wanted to teach our students the importance of being thankful and having gratitude. The students and staff worked together to create a “Garden of Gratitude” in which students wrote why they were thankful for each other. Every student in the school wrote a kind statement about a peer and then enjoyed receiving a statement that one of their peers had written about them. Also, students in all grade levels engaged in critical thinking activities and lessons through gifted and talented materials such as Junior Great Books, Jacob's Ladder, and Primary Education Thinking Skills. The Depth of Knowledge Wheel and Higher Order Thinking Skills were embedded throughout the instruction at our school.
In addition, our fourth and fifth graders participated in a production of Alice in Wonderland and provided our school and the community with an excellent performance on stage. Through rehearsals and extended school days for several months, cast and crew proved to our school and the community that we can reach success by working as a team with all members contributing to the goal. We are proud of our students and their hard work. We know that the Arts are an integral part of education. During the school year, our teachers participated in a variety of staff development opportunities. With an emphasis on Read to Succeed, teachers added additional strategies to their instruction in order to meet the various needs of our students. We continued our work as a Professional Learning Community using the book The Power of Our Words by Paula Denton. We continue to grow as professionals under the three big ideas of a professional learning community: all students can learn, a culture of collaboration, and a focus on results.
Mount Holly Elementary was recognized as a Palmetto's Finest Finalist which gave our school community an additional opportunity to be proud of the work that we do for our students each and every day! We know that we are headed in the right direction, and we will continue to build upon the solid foundation that we have established. Our goal is to help children grow into successful learners and to provide them with the support systems that will enable them to achieve their dreams.
Engaging Students for Success...One Win at a Time!
Dr. Nakia H. Barnes, Principal
Amy Vaughn Newcomb, SIC Chair