Beaufort Elementary is a Title I school of great diversity located in downtown Beaufort. Our school offers a variety of programs. These programs show both the great diversity and great potential located within the building. Our programs include Montessori (K-5), Advanced Math Engineering and Science (AMES) serving gifted and high ability students (3-5), and a large Special Education program that includes students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities, students with autism, and deaf/ hard of hearing students. Our population is made up of students from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We know that focused participation in the Arts greatly benefits ALL children. Students from 1st – 5th have had the opportunity to take part in arts clubs after school which contributed to a 5-point increase in sense of belonging ratings completed in our student survey. Our historical setting allows ample opportunity to incorporate cultural aspects of the community into our instruction We have seen this firsthand with students completing a study of local artist Jonathan Green and creating an arts display that was hosted at the Gullah Museum. Additionally, a group of students completed a mural to support the Gullah Farmer’s Extension project. This mural is now on display to the public. Students have been able to use our local culture and economy to better understand the history and growth of Beaufort, SC. Our vision is that all children will not only gain in academic content knowledge and appreciation of the arts by engaging in our activities, but that they will also develop a sense of pride and respect for the many different talents and abilities that everyone possesses. As a certified ABC school, we will have the resources and support to make this vision a reality.
Hendrix Elementary School provides its diverse population with a variety of programs to meet needs of all learners. Students have opportunities to participate in many arts-based programs such as Suzuki Strings, Wildcat Dancers, Gifted Art, Spring Musicals, Wildcat Winds, and Drum Circle. We are a Title I school; therefore many students do not have access to opportunities that their counterparts within our district may have. These arts opportunities enhance success for students who struggle in general classroom experiences. Through a partnership with the Chapman Cultural Center our school benefits from visits by the Muse Machine Outreach Program several times a year, thus engaging our students in the experience of live performances. Arts integration makes learning visible, allowing students to master content in a meaningful way. Through our International Baccalaureate Programme, both academic and arts teachers collaborate to integrate the arts into the academic curriculum in an authentic and engaging way, providing students with multiple opportunities for creativity and success.
Southside Middle School (SSMS) is one of four middle schools located in Florence, South Carolina and currently services a total of 827 total seventh and eighth grade students. Southside is a Title I School, and currently, all students receive free lunch, provided by a waiver. SSMS blurs the lines between rural and suburban descriptors in its unique location, being outside of the city limits, yet nestled inside a neighborhood. The school has been designated a Distinguished Arts Program (DAP) since 2009, and an Arts in Basic Curriculum school since 2007. Currently, SSMS serves as the middle school magnet school of the arts in Florence County and feeds directly into South Florence High School, which was recently named the arts magnet high school for Florence District One.
The SSMS Fine Arts and Technology Academy, established in 2012, offers honors-level courses in Band, Chorus, Creative Writing, Dance, Fundamentals of Computer, Guitar, Media Arts, Orchestra, Photography, Piano, Theater and Visual Arts. Potential students must apply and interview in order to be considered for admission, which allows out of zone students the opportunity to attend as well. Non academy students are eligible to take the same courses on a non honors, introductory level. Gifted and Talented programs are offered in both ELA and Math. Southside Middle School has a diverse faculty with 58.6% having advanced degrees. Six faculty members are National Board Certified Teachers, three of whom serve in the Fine Arts Department.
It is the school’s vision to use the arts as a vehicle for learning. The mission statement of SSMS is “Cultivating Today’s Learners to be Tomorrow’s Leaders!” which is paired with the school’s core belief that the responsibility of educators is,“To mold young minds to be creative, knowledgeable, productive citizens of good character in an ever-changing, challenging world.”
Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary School is a Title I school located in North Charleston and serves approximately 675 students in grades 4K-5th. Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary School is at the heart of the Windsor Hill Community. What makes our school unique is the fact that we are a neighborhood school with an arts infused program. Students do not need to audition or apply to get in. Our school is well known for the fine arts opportunities offered. Our arts teachers work very closely with core grade level teachers using the arts to teach reading, math, science and social studies to make learning relevant, exciting and fun. We offer a wide array of fine arts classes including dance, theater, instrumental music, vocal music, 2D visual arts and 3D visual arts. When we are not in limited cohorts due to Covid our fourth and fifth grade students are able to really sharpen their arts skill by choosing two semester arts classes and we have a clubs program in which every student participates. We have had a partnership with Engaging Creative Minds for the past three years.
McDonald Green Elementary is a small Title I school in the rural, sothernmost region of Lancaster County. The economic shift from textile mills and factories has hit this area hard, causing many families to move and our enrollment to dwindle. Since there is little business development in our area, we have built relationships with professional artists, community organizations and local churches. Since our school was built in 1949, many of our students have parents and grandparents who attended MGE. This means that we are truly a tight-knit neighborhood school that operates as our community’s epicenter. With our passion for our students, the use of the arts to ignite and connect learning, and work ethic that creates balance amidst some of the greatest inequity, McDonald Green has often been called Lancaster’s best kept secret.
At New Prospect Elementary School we assert a fervorous Arts Motto of “One Community, One Purpose, Every Child.” Though N.P.E. is a small Title I school nestled in Spartanburg School District 1, we have distinguished ourselves as a unified arts hub for the northern Spartanburg rural community because of the intentional collaboration between all stakeholders. We seek to “create an informing environment in which students assume ownership and advocate for their arts experiences” (Goal Statement 3). Arts specialists design professional development that directly addresses teachers’ needs and challenges our strengths to ensure that students receive the most succinct arts education offered. Through data-driven focus groups, arts specialists build relationships, foster appreciation, and make connections to their disciplines alongside classroom teachers. All faculty work closely together to encourage students to use their individual and collective voices to express their ideas. We also strive to mold learners who are responsible for their performance and conduct themselves in a manner worthy of professional praise. Student performances and exhibitions are student-driven, inclusive of all art forms, and highly supported by stakeholders who devote countless resources, time, and skills to ensure students receive the best experiences. Students, teachers, and administrators take ownership of their experiences in arts advocacy events, curating digital and physical portfolios, and reflecting on their progress through constructive response. As a school family, we commit to “build upon knowledge and skills obtained by our leadership, faculty, and staff to increase engagement in the whole-school arts mission and vision” (Goal Statement 5). In short, knowledge gained is knowledge shared. We believe that collaboration is the key to becoming lifelong learners in the arts. We fully believe that any N.P.E. visitor can feel the strong sense of community in the arts and collaborative nature that is “Wildcat Strong” at New Prospect Elementary.
Northside Elementary School of the Arts is unique for many reasons. One of these being that it is a School of Choice for the Arts. In our district, this means that students that are not zoned for our school can apply to attend our school to be immersed in the arts. Students that are zoned for our school can still attend as well, but they do not have to apply. This gives us a unique mix of students. We are a Title I school, so most of our students do not get experiences that other students may, such as attending performances, lessons, etc. However, we also have students who are in some of the elite arts programs in our community and get to attend many artistic opportunities. It is our goal to merge these students together and give them the most comprehensive elementary arts experience as possible. We also give exposure to various arts forms through intentional planning of natural arts connections in core curriculum. Because of these experiences and opportunities, students can make connections, show their learning, and become more engaged learners than they may not otherwise be. NSES is the only school in our district that offers dance, drama, music, and visual art giving students a wide-ranging arts education, along with the arts integration of the core classroom. These arts classes give our students that may struggle with typical classroom experiences the opportunity to shine and feel successful. All students at NSES also participate in performances. We find unique ways to make sure every student can be successful beyond academics. Our students have an extra “lens” through which to look at their learning and knowledge, using different aspects of their arts curriculum to better understand the traditional core subjects about which they are learning.
Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School is a unique place. SCCAS is an urban Title I school in downtown Charleston that serves PK – 5th grade students from two distinct neighborhoods. There are 406 students enrolled, with 95% being African-American students, 3% Hispanic, and 2% Caucasian. All of our students receive free lunch. Our mission is to offer a quality, comprehensive arts curriculum through creative writing, dance, music, theatre, visual art, and various experiences while developing productive, responsible, and creative students in a positive environment with a fully integrated arts curriculum. SCCAS uses creative strategies and support school-wide which include arts-integrated lessons in each grade level, artists-in-residency programs, formal arts performances, and culminating cultural arts experiences. Our expanded day arts partnerships made possible by Charleston Promise Neighborhood include: African Dance, Heal of Hearts (visual arts), Carolina Studios (music), Charleston Stage (theatre), and Inspirational Pathways (visual arts). Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School is honored to be an Arts in Basic Curriculum school.
Calhoun Academy of the Arts is a Title I school located within the city limits of Anderson, SC. Calhoun currently serves 476 students 4K through Fifth Grade. Calhoun Academy has a very diverse student population with an equal number of black and white students, along with students of mixed ethnicity and a smaller Hispanic population. The Calhoun Academy staff believes all students can and will learn. Calhoun students have a unique opportunity to enrich the basic curriculum with the arts. The Calhoun staff strives to bring the curriculum to life through an arts integrated approach. Through this approach students become active and engaged participants in the learning process and develop a desire for learning early in their academic careers. Calhoun believes that the arts integrated approach supports various modalities and rates at which students learn. In addition the integrated approach increases student motivation for learning. At Calhoun, students have the opportunity to participate in visual art, music, dance, drama, and strings, where the general curriculum is reinforced and further brought to life. Arts integrated strategies are also incorporated into regular classroom instruction, giving all students an opportunity to experience success and make real-world connections. Not only do students have many opportunities to excel academically, but grade level and school-wide performances and events provide all students with an opportunity to perform on the “big stage” where they can showcase all they have learned over the course of each school year.
Heath Springs Elementary School is an arts-infused, STEAM-focused, Title I rural school in Lancaster County with 347 students in pre-K-5th grade. Seventy percent of the student population is white, with 30% African American, Hispanic, and bi-racial. Heath Springs has a poverty rate of 66%. Therefore, our students cannot travel outside this area for art experiences. The population of Heath Springs in 2021 was only 765 people. The downtown area has one restaurant and two churches. The school’s mission is to foster lifelong learning in and through the performing arts, including dance, music, visual art, and theater. Arts integration is vital to students’ success. Heath Springs infuses drama, creative writing, music, visual arts, and dance in grade-level PTO Arts Integration performances and plays. The arts play a significant role in students’ daily learning as students are prepared for life beyond graduation in STEAM classes. The arts will play a significant role in project/problem-based learning. Arts clubs are offered on the last Friday of every month. These include drama, pottery, engineering, landscaping, academic challenge, LEGO, art, gardening, recycled art, tap dancing, and many more taught by teachers, parents, and community members. The Beta club meets once a week after school. The funding of the ABC grant affords opportunities for students.