River Bluff High School is helping all students develop the World-Class Skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by designing and facilitating rigorous learning experiences within an innovative schedule and relational approach.
Partnered with caring teachers and administrators, RBHS, an EL Education School, has changed the paradigm by placing students as leaders of their own learning, personalizing both a curriculum and a schedule to meet the needs of the 21st century graduate. Serving 2,050 students in grades nine through 12, the established school culture, “Gator Style,” embodies a desire to see collaboration permeate both the student and teacher experience, as students learn within a Flexible Modular schedule. This schedule exists as a five-day repeating cycle consisting of 25 10- to 30-minute modules of time per day. Small- and large-group instructional settings as well as independent learning time are offered, so students have choices about the time and place in which to engage in their learning. Developing leaders and global citizens who can collaborate and communicate at high levels, RBHS’s motto “Work hard. Get smart. Do good.” is the standard for both leadership and service with students and teachers. In heterogeneously grouped, grade-level CREWs, students find their individual place and develop an attitude of scholarship and citizenship within both RBHS and the community of Lexington, seeking to become effective learners and ethical people who make contributions to a better world.
This past year, more than 120 needy children in our community were provided gifts during Christmas through the Ella Stuff a Stocking schoolwide service project. Life and career characteristics are developed within RBHS’s five Habits of Scholarship and each student rates their progression on these habits with evidence in a digital portfolio, shared once a year during their Student-Led Family Conference, Passage Presentation and Senior Talk.
With a strong commitment to developing the entire student, RBHS has shown amazing academic, art and athletic achievements culminating this year with the awarding of SCASA’s Palmetto’s Finest High School. A list of challenging academic courses offered to students is coupled with two opportunities for advanced learning in two Centers for Advanced Study within Lexington County School District One: Law and Global Policy Development, and Media Arts, Design and Production. Engaging in real-world applications and skills, students from around the district learn new techniques and engage in a case study and portfolio development.
Students learn by doing through one of three Learning Expeditions for ninth and 11th graders within science, English and United States history courses. Tackling issues such as environmental footprints, Newton’s laws of motion and power, students engage in fieldwork and create high-quality pieces of work presented in their culminating learning displays.
With a growth mindset and a desire to improve continually, analysis of student academic and social data drive decision-making processes to support increased student achievement in three dimensions: mastery of content and skills; character; and high-quality student work. A comprehensive professional learning work plan and a commitment to engage parents and the community assist RBHS in creating a family atmosphere that sets a culture of high expectations and student engagement.
Dr. Luke Clamp, Principal
Kim Jeffcoat, SIC Chair