Castle Heights Middle School is committed to helping all students develop the World Class Skills as defined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Castle Heights focuses on social equity, academic excellent, developmental responsiveness, and establish organizational structures and processes that promote the wellbeing of adolescent learners. We promote a culture and atmosphere where student needs come first and by utilizing meaningful practices, our goal is to develop our students as lifelong learners.
At Castle Heights, we are striving to create, design, and collaborate in a safe and secure learning environment where all students and staff reach their highest potential. One way in which we strive to achieve this goal is using the Workshop model in Language Arts, Math and Science classrooms. This model assists our teachers in providing students with a quality mini-lesson, followed by scaffolded independent work time, and then, ending with a time for reflection. Another way in which we are striving to help our students in reaching their highest potential is through accelerated programs such as Advanced Core classes in all grade levels, English I, Algebra I, Spanish I and Geometry. In addition, all students identified as Gifted and Talented are receiving specialized instruction in their Language Arts and Math classes.
Our teachers utilize Mastery Connect that provides them with data on student’s performance and mastery of Essential Learning standards. Teachers create Trackers of their rosters then create assessments such as benchmarks, exit slips and other formative and summative assessments. Mastery Connect provides teachers and students with immediate feedback on the student’s level of mastery for each assessed standard.
Other areas in which we are working to help our students reach their highest potential is in their elective classes. In Careers and Technology course, students work together to sample a variety of jobs through projects. One such project is the Knowledge Park Entrepreneurial Program where students create a business plan that will solve a real-world problem. They present their plan to business professionals in our city. Their presentation is judged on their business readiness, background research, customer need, competitive advantage and quality work. This STEM project provides opportunities for critical thinking, problem solving and communication.
Our students report to Enrichment every morning for a 40-minute block of time. Every staff member, including administration, Guidance and instructional support work with a group of students. Some students are working in a “Pilot/Co-Pilot” mentoring program where students that have been identified, receive peer mentors in order to assist them with organizational skills, assignments, and remediation. Some students are pulled by their Math or Language Arts teacher in order to receive remediation and/or enrichment as part of their Tier 2 interventions.
We strive to create a culture of reading in our school. Our media specialist is providing students with Literature Circles based on Project Lit books; author visits tied to One Book, One Author and One Book, One Theme; and teacher book clubs to facilitate our culture of reading. Our district is also supporting our reading culture by establishing a goal of 10 books per student and has created a reading data dashboard for students to log the books they have read.
Castle Heights continues to increase student recognition programs by engaging all students. Students are recognized for academic excellence, good character and citizenship. Quarterly assemblies are held to celebrate their success. Each grade selects Student of the Month. Students are also recognized on the school and district level for visual and performing arts, Duke Tip, Junior Scholars, and Perfect PASS score. Our school resource officer awards and recognizes students who demonstrate integrity and good morals.
At Castle Heights we focus on building relationships within and outside of our school. Several community groups support Castle Heights. We have partnered with a neighboring church who has provided meals for families for evening events. We have two mentoring groups, the Kappa League and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Our Parent Support Committee and School Improvement Council offers parents, teachers, administration and other stakeholders the opportunity to discuss school events and policies that can enhance overall school performance. Parents were invited to ‘Learn With Me’ parent night where students had an opportunity to teach their parents/guardian instructional lessons. Parents get a glimpse of their child’s school day.
As we continue to examined our instructional programs and support the development of the skills and knowledge our students will need to be successful, Castle Heights has maintained the national and state award recognition of a Schools To Watch and in 2020 received Re-designation III.
Cynthia L. Robinson, Principal
