Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee Recommendation to the Superintendent January 4, 2014.

Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee

Recommendation to the Superintendent

January 4, 2014

Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee

Process

33 community members met 7 times over 14 weeks, beginning Sept. 30, 2013 and ending Jan. 15, 2014.

Community members were comprised of residents who are vested stakeholders in Cainhoy Elementary Middle and Daniel Island Elementary Middle covering more than 25 miles of area around the Clements Ferry Road corridor.

Mr. Herman Gaither facilitated all meetings which were held at CEM and DIS on a rotating basis; meetings were videotaped and meeting minutes recorded.

All materials were posted to the website http://www.berkeley.k12.sc.us/community.cfm?subpage=114159

Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee

Committee Work

Two committees were formed to ease workload and help make the process effective and efficient:

Grade Configuration/School Type1. Investigated grade

structure;2. Considered science and

art programs as part of learning;

3. Toured Howe Hall and Marrington Middle; and,

4. Learned about effective classroom delivery systems.

School Site/Population Growth1. Investigated how the

growing population of the area is impacting public school resources;

2. Participated in City of Charleston and DOT planning meetings; and,

3. Reviewed land options that may meet the needs of new schools to be built.

Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee

Teacher Forum Representation

Teacher forum had an active and participatory role on both committees.

Teacher forum leaders answered questions about K-12 education in their classrooms, related their classroom experiences first hand, answered direct questions about programs and teaching models related to arts, science, and Common Core.

Teacher forum leaders represented the voice of teachers and offered insight into the functionality and practicality of classroom work as it relates to new building ideas and curriculum management.

Special guests visited with the committee at different times to answer questions and provide resources for consideration.

School Type/Grade ConfigurationCommittee Recommendation: Grade Structure

The Committee recommends to the Superintendent that the new facility (or facilities) serve the voter approved middles grades (6-8) and expand to serve grades K to 5.

Based on committee discourse, a school(s) serving grades K to 8 is seen as the most logical grade structure to eliminate overcrowding in the existing Daniel Island School and adequately address the current and future known population growth of the neighborhood areas.

School Type/Grade ConfigurationCommittee Recommendation: School Type

The Committee recommends that the new facility be designed and constructed to build upon traditional academic areas (mathematics, science, Language Arts, social studies) and infuse a STEAM delivery system program focused on student outcomes such as:

• critical thinking skills;• problem solving skills;• individual and collaborative research and project ability;• team and group work capability;• fluency with existing technology and applications;• familiarity with the Arts (creative, performing, visual, etc.);• writing and conversational skills;• character education; and,• foreign language familiarity with at least one language other than their

native language.

The academic program should be defined so that the entry into high school is seamless. Additionally, all students should be exposed to career and college opportunities available locally, nationally, and globally.

School Type/Grade ConfigurationCommittee Recommendation: School Design

The Committee recommends that the Facility be designed and constructed for

1. flexible adoption of new technology, instructional emphasis and delivery

systems;

2. accommodation to known future growth and community scale;

3. attracting potential new students because of its academic potential (example: a

future Palmetto’s Finest Award or National Blue Ribbon School).

School Site/Population GrowthCommittee Recommendation: Site Options

School Site/Population GrowthCommittee Recommendation: Site Options

To get to this recommendation, the committee reviewed the following considerations

1. Safety: Discussed distance from the HS to the new school, learned about the Cane Bay and Park West models;

2. Transportation: Reviewed traffic on Clements Ferry Road corridor, attended SC DOT meetings, and gathered information about CF Road expansion plans;

3. Collaborative Learning Space: Learned about shared space that would attract and retain students and families, as well as offer students exceptional learning opportunities; and,

4. Serving K to 8 Recommendation : Reviewed the input of the School Type committee and its desire to integrate STEAM delivery with transitional opportunity to High School.

Cainhoy-Daniel Island Community Committee

Closing

• Questions or Comments