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Three Rock Hill elementary schools outline improvement plans, cite literacy and targeted supports for gains
Summary
At the May 12 meeting, principals from Richmond Drive, Ebenezer Avenue and York Road elementary schools presented continuous improvement plans that emphasize early literacy, targeted interventions and family engagement; trustees pressed for achievement projections and welcomed visits to the campuses.
Rock Hill School Board trustees heard continuous improvement plan presentations from three elementary schools at their May 12 meeting, where principals highlighted targeted literacy work, tutoring and instructional changes as drivers of recent gains.
The presentations, delivered by Richmond Drive principal Robert Ham, Ebenezer Avenue principal Shalia Leonard and York Road presenter Carrie Brown, summarized school-level data and next steps tied to the state report-card framework that measures achievement, growth and school climate.
Those measures matter because the state report card uses fourth- and fifth-grade results and other indicators to rate schools. "At Richmond Drive our kindergarten and first-grade work on foundational phonics and a restructured intervention 'win time' has already shown promise," said Robert Ham, who told the board that about 43 percent of fourth-graders are currently demonstrating the growth the district uses to predict SC Ready results. He said the school is prioritizing oral reading fluency and small-group instruction to accelerate literacy.
At Ebenezer Avenue, Shalia Leonard said third-grade ELA growth from fall to spring showed a roughly 15 percentage-point increase and projected that more than 60 percent of fourth-graders were on track to meet or exceed expectations on SC Ready ELA. "We embed spiral review and data-driven small groups so teachers can flexibly target students who are close to proficiency," Leonard said, crediting before- and after-school tutoring and teacher-led professional development.
York Road's presenter reported schoolwide projected improvements — the transcript shows a jump from about 29 percent to roughly 38 percent schoolwide projected to meet SC Ready — and called out increases in third-grade reading and in fifth-grade math. "We intentionally focused on strengthening instruction, improving school climate, and increasing family engagement," the presenter said, describing expanded after-school supports, manipulatives in math and targeted feedback for teachers.
Trustees pressed for more precise achievement projections in addition to growth numbers. Doctor Belton asked for estimated achievement levels for fourth- and fifth-grade cohorts rather than growth-only projections; Richmond Drive's principal said he would provide those figures after the meeting. Board members also questioned climate-survey methods and how student understanding of survey items was supported; principals described town halls and pre-survey explanation sessions used to improve question clarity and response validity.
Board members praised instructional creativity and outreach. "Your use of PLCs, tutoring and classroom manipulatives is a model that could be shared across the district," said Miss Daniel, who also commended principals for keeping students in class while offering both ELA and math supports.
The principals invited trustees to visit their schools; the superintendent and trustees said the district will continue to provide data and follow-up materials. There were no formal citizen comments on these agenda items.
