Our school is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a nurturing, safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment. By doing this, we are honoring our school's mission statement which is, “In cooperation with home and community, Westcliffe Elementary School prepares students to be life-long learners and citizens of good character in an ever-changing world.” Helping the students at Westcliffe become life-long learners is a focus that all Westcliffe staff members have for our students as we challenge them to always strive to reach their full potential and achieve even more than expected,
Westcliffe teachers are always on the outlook of ways to learn and use new and effective instructional strategies in their classrooms. We have used strategies such as Thinking Maps, learning to Code by using technology skills, Balanced Literacy, Accelerated Reader, Write From the Beginning and Beyond and AIMS Math and Science. All of these programs have helped us to enhance learning for our students.
Another way we support learning for our children is through having Math and Reading Interventionist who help provide support to all students in reading and math from kindergarten through fifth grade. All of us are very proud of the strong history of academic success our students have had at Westcliffe Elementary.
In addition to our academic programs, we have various programs that focus on the development of the whole child. We believe that character development and physical well being are integral parts for our students' success. Through our school-wide counseling program, Westcliffe students learn life skills through participating in classroom programs such as Second Chance, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, and Character Words of the Month as they learn through classroom lessons. We work with our students in having good character along with our counselor and her activities which focus on students having good manners,being honest, helping others as well as being organized and having a personal responsibility to self and others at all times.
Westcliffe is also thankful for the partnerships we have that are constantly supporting our students. Some are Public Education Partners, Greenville Federal Credit Union, Greenville Health System, Horace Mann Insurance, Greenville County Library and McDonalds on Whitehorse Road. All of these partners support our students through activities like hosting a Summer Reading Program where they provide take home books for all students kindergarten through fifth grade, bicycles for Yearly Perfect Attendance, hoodies for all Westcliffe students are just a few things our partners have done for our students. All of them also help with our community outreach program, Westcliffe On Wheels. This is where Westcliffe staff members go out several times a year into different areas of our community. We do this to help meet the needs of our students and their families and they can see us in a different light as we have games to play and prizes to give to the children. It is a common ground for the school and home to come together and have fun while talking to each other. Our partners also send out volunteers to answer questions or give out information on where parents can go for help or get questions answered. A big treat of our children is when the Berea Fire Department comes out with the Smoke House and the fire truck to talk about smoke detectors and fire safety. Our parents can also get information on Internet Safety, getting a library card, or talk with Healthy Connections to see where they can go to seek more information on topics they may need help with.
At Westcliffe Elementary, the faculty and staff believe the school, family, and community must share the educational responsibility for our children. All of us at Westcliffe Elementary feel privileged to serve our children everyday and their families as we work together to meet the needs of our children as they begin to walk the path on developing skills of a student who will become a Future World Class South Carolina Graduate.
Mrs. Faith Kennett, Chair of the School Improvement Council
Ms. Carolyn Morgan, Principal