BBlleennhheeiimm EElleemmeennttaarryy // MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll RReeppoorrtt ttoo tthhee PPeeooppllee Vol. 3 Spring 2011 From the Principal’s Desk Dr. Gwendolyn L. Dixon-Coe trophies in basketball and baseball and reign as middle school champions. They earned 2nd place in football in the boys’ middle The students, staff and leadership school Championship. In addition, our cheerleaders and girl team of Blenheim Elementary / Middle athletics programs have both grown stronger each year. School have expressed their “Eagle The Academic Challenge Club was active in participating across Pride” in so many ways this school the Pee Dee and bought home a win before the end of the season. year. We expected nothing but The newly formed Girls Scouts Troop # 7 hit the ground running as excellent results from a year of total they met consistently once a month. They held a booth sale, which dedication to data driven instruction. yielded an amount of $1,000 for the Girl Scout cookie program. Much time has gone into working with both our students and The STEM / Robotics team or “Blenheim Bots,” as they are called, staff to develop strategies for writing. Students have improved even participated in their first Robotics Competition. Rounding out their reading through the AR Reading program and bumped up the year was our twenty-two member Student Council, who hosted their Math scores using manipulatives and computer assisted our visit from the State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Zais, and instruction. Working in their RIT bands and using Learning Force sponsored our annual talent show. The Jr. Beta Club induction as an accelerated program, students were able to feel the provided an opportunity for staff to brag on the leadership and success from monthly assessments. Teachers and staff character skills our students exhibit at home and away. participated in Summer Boot Camp prior to the opening of The 2010 – 2011 school year allowed our students and staff the school. As a result, they went on to implement teaching opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching and strategies through TAP, in-class modeling, Tech Tuesdays, learning process. There was definitely a sense of urgency in the STEM, and Differentiation Workshops. midst of positive change. We thank all of our students, staff, State and district facilitators, Teacher Quality Specialist and parents, community partners, and leadership team members for a local administrators mentored our teachers on a regular basis. job well done. It’s always a “great day” at Blenheim Elementary/ Students enjoyed the sweet taste of victory as they celebrated Middle, so have a great summer! with incentive programs during the year. Ice Cream parties, game day, and other celebrations, all brought proud smiles and “thank you” from hundreds of students. We are so proud of our student athletics and character building organizations. This year the Eagles walked away with 1st place 2501 Highway 38 South; Blenheim, SC 29516 Phone (843) 528-3262 / Fax (843) 528-3202 1 Blenheim Elementary / Middle School-wide Initiatives Academics Core Instructional / Academic Strategies * As a part of the District’s “Turnaround Initiative,” two Teacher Quality Specialists were hired to help teachers with instructional Writing Strategies strategies, coach teachers, and model lessons whenever it was During the 2010-2011 school year, Blenheim Elementary needed. Middle School students in grades 2-8 were introduced to * All of the students at Blenheim received additional academic various writing strategies to help them improve their writing support in ELA and math this year during their morning RIT skills. ELA teachers assigned weekly writing prompts on Band groups. In addition, students had extra resources to accelerate their performance by using Learning Force materials, literary and informational topics, and teachers modeled and IXL math software, and Study Island. provided samples of descriptive, narrative, expository, and * Select students from grades 6-8 participated in the Academic persuasive modes of writing. Challenge Team by competing with students from across the Students received even more experience during the fall and Pee Dee area. spring when they were given Practice PASS Writing Tests that * STEM students from grades 4-8 participated in their first LEGO were scored with the 15 point rubric. Teachers gave students League Robotics Tournament in Florence, SC, and they immediate feedback on their results, and identified weak represented the school well. Students and their Robotics areas that were identified were targeted Facilitators attended a “Project Lead the Way” / STEM AR Reading conference in Columbia, South Carolina. * The Blenheim Elementary Middle School Chapter of the The Accelerated Reader program is a reading incentive National Jr. Beta Club attended the South Carolina State Beta program designed to encourage students to read more. Convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in December, and Students are assigned points once they have completed a book competed with distinction in several competitions. and taken the AR test for that book. * Four 8th grade students were nominated for the state’s Jr. For the second year in a row, our fifth grade ELA students Scholar Awards Program, based on their 2010 Exemplary PASS accumulated the largest number of points for their scores. participation in the Accelerated Reading Program. We are * Seven middle school students were nominated and accepted hopeful that this class’s enthusiasm will spread, and we will into the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and have more “eager readers” in all grades next year. Mathematics (GSSM) From Middle School to College (FMSTC) program for the summer of 2011. Extra Curricular Activities RIT Bands / Learning Force (Grades 3-8) * The media team students participated in the Media In order to accommodate our students and meet their needs at Literacy initiative, and were very active throughout the year. each level, the Leadership Team created small instructional Several participants interviewed students and judges at the groups, according to each student’s RIT score on the MAP test. Robotics Tournament, and famous performers at the “Auntie Students received additional remediation and acceleration in Karen” young entrepreneur’s Masters Class in Columbia, SC. ELA and math each morning from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. * Students participating in the Century 21 After School Since most groups consisted of no more than 12 students, our Program were offered many opportunities to take field trips they were able to receive additional help with skills identified that included going to the movies, and to Charleston, SC. as needing extra support. The Edison Learning Force Partnerships workbooks and math manipulatives were used during the RIT * Leadership South Carolina collaborated with Blenheim Band morning sessions. Elementary Middle School, and provided two sets of park benches as a part of a beautification 2011 class project. 2010 2nd Nine Week Academic Awards Ceremony * The State Organization on Arts and Disability sponsored an artist in residence. W. Levone Griffin, to work with our special needs students to help them create a play about a hidden disability. The finished product was submitted, and if selected as a finalist, this play will be presented in Washington, DC. L-R: Eric Erwin, Jasmine Brown, Quintez Adams, Kaylan Liles, Bethany Vaughn 2501 Highway 38 South; Blenheim, SC 29516 Phone (843) 528-3262 / Fax (843) 528-3202 2 Blenheim Teacher Selected for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at BEMS Science P.L.U.S. Institute By: Ms. Karina Liles In preparation for the Blenheim STEM Academy, the following STEM activities have been conducted throughout the 2010- 2011 school year. Technology Tuesdays Technology Tuesday was designed to expose teachers to different technologies and allow teachers to share ideas for the integration of technology in the classroom. All teachers met every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month during their Ms. Mae Dines, 4th grade Math and Science teacher at planning period. Teachers developed lesson plans for students based on Technology Tuesday topics including Dance Central for Blenheim Elementary / Middle School was selected to attend Xbox 360 Kinect, robotics, and creating digital lessons. the Science PLUS Institute, June 13th – 17th at the Roper Observation / Feedback & Guest Instruction Mountain Science Center in Greenville, South Carolina. “I Teachers have been encouraged to use technology in the am excited about the tentative classes for the week. Not only classroom at least 1 hour per week. Teachers were visited will I gain knowledge to help me in teaching science, but also periodically for assistance on use of technology in the classroom. I will get to share with my colleagues from across the state. Teacher Training Attending the Institute will also give me hands-on One-on-one training was given to the itinerant teachers on experiences in directing my students to be bolder in classroom lessons to be extended during the itinerant class for exploring more “What if” scenarios.” a given subject. Student Instruction The SC Teacher Advancement Program Students completed lessons that enhanced learning across the academic curriculum. All lessons aligned with South Carolina State Standards. Students were actively engaged and demonstrated a high level of success. Students completed lessons using Xbox 360 Kinect, Genibo Robotic Dog, LEGO WeDo Robotics, and LEGO Mindstorms Robotics. The SC TAP program