Over the 2018–19 school year, Lexington Middle School has emphasized our commitment to the future of each child through equitable instructional practice, student advocacy and community outreach, helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

LMS has been striving to improve our collaborative professional development opportunities for all teachers and administrators with a clear emphasis on student achievement. Our professional development sessions on the SCTE 4.0 rubric have provided opportunities for teacher collaboration through the use of protocols and peer conversations. Our teachers are encouraged to participate in district professional development activities during collaborative planning days. We have also begun teacher-led faculty meetings that are collaborative by nature and give teachers the opportunity to share effective academic strategies.

This school year, we have also been working to develop a more comprehensive student advocacy program. We currently meet this need during our Approaches to Learning time where all lessons are focused on social and emotional learning. We have also been emphasizing the importance of relationships with students through our professional learning. This year we have also specifically targeted small groups of students for relationship building through clubs, small group counseling and field trips.

We believe that on-time promotion is essential to student success now and in the future. Our RtI program, ESOL services, 504s and IEPs provide different platforms and service models for academic and behavioral interventions. The goal of each of these programs is to create equitable environments for each child to learn in every classroom. The focus on student growth and learning is emphasized through the least-restrictive service models of classroom accommodations, push-in instruction and pull-out academic, behavioral and social support. Our school counseling services also provide on-time promotion support for all students.

We have been striving to increase our community outreach in 2018–19. We began the school year with teacher-led community service projects as a team-building activity for our faculty. We also increased our communication by adding a Facebook page for parents and community to follow our activities. Our PTO, School Improvement Council and Counseling Advisory Group provide invaluable support and feedback as we continue to improve in these areas.

We believe that increased focus in these areas will increase student achievement in all subject areas. The goals of these initiatives strive to improve student achievement for each and every student at LMS. These efforts, along with our student advocacy program, are all part of a larger emphasis on doing what is best for each child. We believe in the district vision of “Empowering each child to design the future.”

Casey B. Calhoun, Principal

Ebony Bowers, SIC Chair