**UPCOMING TESTING DATES**
March 20-May 30- MyIGDIs- 4K
April 1-11- Fastbridge Reading & Math (5K, Intervention, SPED)
April 1-11- Amira- Grades 1-5
April 23- MAP Reading (Grades K-2)
April 24- MAP Math (Grades K-2)
May 5- SC Ready ELA Day A (Grades 3-5)
May 6- SC Ready ELA Day B (Grades 3-5)
May 8- SC Ready ELA Writing (Grades 3-5)
May 12- SC READY Math (Grades 3-5)
May 13- SC READY Science (Grade 4)
Upcoming Dates For Assessments:
March 11- 3rd Grade MAP Reading
March 19- MAP Math (3rd, 4th, 5th Grades)
March 21- MasteryConnect Science (3rd, 4th, 5th Grades)
March 25- MAP Reading (4th & 5th Grades)
March 27- MasteryConnect SS (3rd, 4th, 5th Grades)
Ford Report to the Parents
Ford Report to the Parents (Spanish)
It's almost time for the Scholastic Book Fair.
In person shopping starts Monday, March 31, 2025.
Online shopping starts Thursday, March 27, 2025. Parents can use the QR code to shop the online book fair and set up and e-wallet for student shopping at the in-person fair.
Monday, March 31st- We're All Booked- Dress up as your favorite book character.
Tuesday, April 1st-Stop Foolin' Around and Read-Dress up in your craziest or mismatched outfit.
Wednesday, April 2nd-Reading Brings Out Our Wild Side-wear your favorite animal prints or shirts with animals.
Thursday, April 3rd-We are Poppin' Readers-Wear your favorite soda pop shirt or movie shirt based on a book.
Friday, April 4th- Reading is Dreaming With Your Eyes Open-Wear your favorite pjs.
It's Book Fair Time!
The State Board of Education has the responsibility and duty to adopt the instructional materials used for instruction in the public schools of South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Education facilitates the review and adoption process. Last summer, publishers submitted materials in identified subject areas to Instructional Review Panels, who reviewed and vetted the materials based on predetermined criteria. A state-wide public review was conducted in the fall. Then, the choices were narrowed down for school districts. An Instructional Materials Caravan was organized, and district representatives were invited to listen to presentations from each of the publishers on the final list. Currently, those presentations are being shared with teachers and administrators who will vote on the Math Instructional materials we want to use in Laurens County School District 55.
Parents, guardians, and community members may offer feedback on the instructional materials currently on display at the district office.
2024 Turnaround Plan (Progress Report to SIC) February 26, 2025
Ford Elementary School has developed a comprehensive turnaround plan to address areas of improvement identified in the most recent School Report Card, where the school received a Below Average rating. The plan focuses on three key goals. Feedback was requested from parents, staff, and community members, and 2 additional actions steps were added based on this feedback.
Goal #1: The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready Math will increase from 25% in 2024 to 35% in 2025. All other students will improve performance on the Math on SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
Goal #2: The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready ELA will increase from 23.1% in 2024 to 35% in 2025. All other students will improve performance on the ELA and Math on SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
Action Steps for Goal #1 and Goal #2:
• Conduct weekly collaborative clusters to ensure teachers will be able to access and analyze data to create small groups, design effective instruction and plan for individual student needs as reflected in observations of classroom instruction,
self-evaluations, small group instruction, and student work based on the SCTS 4.0 rubric.
Weekly Cluster meetings and Grade level planning meetings are held to analyze data. Class data walls have been updated after Winter MAP testing. Small groups are determined based on MAP data and other screeners. Master teachers and the instructional coach are working with teachers to help plan effective and targeted small group instruction to help our students to continue the academic growth.
• Establish an Instructional Learning Team (ILT) to collect and analyze school-wide data to drive professional learning and instructional planning.
The Instructional Learning Team meets weekly to analyze current data. Using the data, the team has identified specific teachers that need to participate in Coaching Cycles. Master Teachers, the Instructional Coach, and Teacher Specialists have been assigned to these coaching cycles and are documenting the support provided to these teachers. The team also has determined specific professional development to provide for teachers based on the current observation data and data collected from lesson plans. For example, the ILT discussed the 5 Parts of an Effective Lesson and then provided this professional development to teachers. Follow-up on this new learning will continue when meeting with teachers. The ILT plans to continue looking at observation data to determine other professional development needs.
• Conduct regular classroom observations and walkthroughs to guide individual educator growth plans aimed at improving instruction.
All certified staff have been observed at least once during the 1st round of observations. Post-conferences were held with all staff to provide feedback on these observations with a reinforcement and a refinement. The 2nd round of observations are taking place at this time. By the end of this round, Feb. 11th, all certified staff will have been observed and feedback provided for a 2nd time.
• Provide intensive academic instruction to identified students that are not progressing with effective Tier I and II interventions.
Academic Interventionists have used current MAP data to identify groups of students. Some students have continued with intervention and new students have been added based on this data. These interventionists are documenting the progress of these students and how often they are able to work with them to provide the intensive academic instruction.
• Train staff and students on effective use of "Thinking Maps" to enhance student learning and achievement.
Thinking Maps training has been completed. We are currently teaching one map a week to the students. We have 2 more maps to teach in the next two weeks to complete teaching all of the Thinking Maps to the students. We have reviewed these maps in faculty meetings as well. These maps will continue to be used during instruction in all subjects.
• Continue implementing Lexia English for all Multilingual Learners to increase literacy development.
All of our ML students are using Lexia English when working with ML teachers and in their regular classrooms.
• Train staff and students on effective use of "Write from the Beginning" to enhance student learning and achievement in the area of writing.
Staff will be trained in Write from the Beginning on Feb. 17th. At this time, all Thinking Maps will have been taught to students, and staff will be able to start using the maps to help with writing instruction.
• Continue to look for outside professional learning opportunities that will support classroom teachers with meeting the needs of students.
SIC Title 1 Planning Committee Meeting Minutes
February 26, 2025
In Attendance: Brook England, Patsy Taylor, Clyde Scott, Elizabeth Green, Paula McKelvey, Charlene Davenport, Chelsea Marino (Virtual)
Absent: Kim Penland, Elisabeth Carroll, Chris Wzorek, Sandy Molina
The mission of Ford Elementary School is to empower and inspire all to be educated and informed.
• Welcome, Sign-in: Approval of January Minutes by BE: PM left off attendance of Jan minutes (Marino will fix) EG reviews January minutes. PT makes approval of minutes, PM seconds it. KP is absent because she is in Washington for NIET.
• Goals for the 2024-2025 school year: BE reviews below goals for the meeting.
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready ELA will increase from 23.1% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready Math will increase from 25% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ All other students will improve performance on ELA and Math SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
■ Climate Goal: The school report card rating for School Climate will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
■ ML Progress Goal: The school report card rating for Multilingual Learners' Progress will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
• Turnaround Plan: BE 30 day report at Jan meeting, reshare turnaround plan- review action steps. Discuss Board meeting presentation & how Master Teachers, and Teacher Specialists, and use of data is helping to grow our students using our turnaround plan. EG goes to get her test data folder to show at the meeting and her TAP satchel. The data wall/folder is a huge visual to see and track movement and growth of students to better serve the students needs. We are continuing with the data tracking no matter what happens with the NIET grant. We use the data/needs to determine what coaching cycles, cluster learnings, and PD our teachers need to help our students. EG discusses how thinking maps help the students organize information, but it's a learning process to determine which map to help them and how to use. Working on writing a paragraph using the maps. Continuing with 3 cycle evaluations for every teacher in the school. Al are using MAP and Fastbridge data, ML teachers are using Lexia English data. SLO's are upcoming- goal based meetings. PT can tell a huge difference in the atmosphere due to volunteering at Ford. Review The Big 5 test taking strategies. Maintenance facility needs and upgrades taking place.
o Progress on Goals (See Document)
• Title I (Suggestions for funding) BE if there is any input, we have suggestions box, please let us know.
• 21st Century After-School Program/Attendance Recovery -BE 21st Century Afterschool still going strong ends at the end of April.
o Attendance recovery during Intersession on March 13-14. BE states any child needing absence make up will use these two days for seat time. It is by invitation only. Attendance recovery is happening one day a week afterschool as well with Mrs. Jones.
• NIET Grant terminated- BE reviews discussion on Board meeting & press release-our DILT is in Washington this week & are hand delivering it white they are there.
o The district is appealing
o The School Board approved to continue funding Master Teachers and Teacher Specialists through the rest of this school year. We are unsure of next school year.
o Discontinuation of Performance-based compensation and NIET coaching. PT asks if teachers are disappointed about the performance based being cut. EG & PM say it is sad, but it's ok and they will continue doing what they do. PM questions Teacher Specialist pay- BE & CM state it's a stipend for the extra work but it will continue until June.
• Upcoming Events BE reviews below events.
o District Testing for Grades 3-5
o Book Fair - March 3-7
o Final SLO Conferences - March 5-7
o State Tornado Drill - 9:00
o MTSS Meetings - March 10-11
o Intersession Support March 13 & 14
o Teacher Work Day March 17
o Report Cards - March 18
o Eagle Ticket Celebration - March 21
o Spring Fling Parent Night - April 3
o Spring Break April 14-18 and the 21 (Still waiting to hear on excused mak-up days from the state) BE Any questions, concerns, comments?
EG makes a motion to end the meeting, and PM seconds it.
• Future meeting dates: All meetings will be held at 3:30
o March 26
o April 30
o May 21 (if needed)
NEXT MEETING: March 26th at 3:30
SIC Title 1 Planning Committee Meeting Agenda
February 26, 2025
The mission of Ford Elementary School is to empower and inspire all to be educated and informed.
• Welcome, Sign-in: Approval of January Minutes
• Goals for the 2024-2025 school year:
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready ELA will increase from 23.1% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready Math will increase from 25% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ All other students will improve performance on ELA and Math SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge
assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
■ Climate Goal: The school report card rating for School Climate will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
■ ML Progress Goal: The school report card rating for Multilingual Learners' Progress will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
• Turnaround Plan :
o .Progress on Goals (See Document)
• Title I (Suggestions for funding)
• 21st Century After-School Program/Attendance Recovery
o Attendance recovery during Intersession on March 13-14
• NIET Grant terminated
o The district is appealing
o The School Board approved to continue funding Master Teachers and Teacher Specialists through the rest of this school year. We are unsure of next school year.
o Discontinuation of Performance-based compensation and NIET coaching
• Upcoming Events
o District Testing for Grades 3-5
o Book Fair- March 3-7
o Final SLO Conferences - March 5-7
o State Tornado Drill - 9:00
o MTSS Meetings - March 10-11
o Intersession Support March 13 & 14
o Teacher Work Day March 17
o Report Cards - March 18
o Eagle Ticket Celebration - March 21
o Spring Fling Parent Night - April 3
o Spring Break April 14-18 and the 21
• Future meeting dates: All meetings will be held at 3:30
o March 26
o April 30
o May 21 {if needed)
NEXT MEETING: March 26th at 3:30
Good afternoon,
The phone systems at EB Morse and Ford Elementary are out of service. This issue should be resolved very soon. Thank you for your patience in this matter. Have a good day!
We will be celebrating Read Across America the week of March 3-7, 2025.
TESTING DATES
Performance Task Assessment (Intermediate) dates for Ford Elementary are February 25 and 26, 2025. (selected students)
Performance Task Assessment (Primary) dates for Ford Elementary are March 3 and 4, 2025. (selected students)
Good afternoon,
The Segra fiber connection for LCSD55 has been restored. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Have a good weekend!
SIC Title 1 Planning Committee Meeting
Agenda
January 29, 2025
The mission of Ford Elementary School is to empower and inspire all to be educated and informed.
● Welcome, Sign-in: Approval of December Minutes
● Goals for the 2024-2025 school year:
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready ELA will increase from 23.1% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready Math will increase from 25% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ All other students will improve performance on ELA and Math SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
■ Climate Goal: The school report card rating for School Climate will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
■ ML Progress Goal: The school report card rating for Multilingual Learners’ Progress will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
● Turnaround Plan:
● Approved by School Board 1-27-25
○ Progress on Goals:
● Title I
● 21st Century After-School Program/Attendance Recovery
● Awards Programs for First Semester
● Upcoming Events
○ WPEC Principal PD Day - January 30
○ Reading All Stars Program - January 27
○ Interim Reports - February 4
○ Preschool Registration - February 4-6
○ Safety Committee Meeting - Feb. 6 at 8:15
○ Black History Month - February
○ Valentine’s parties - February 14
○ Professional Development Day - February 17 (
○ 5th Grade Recruitment Concert - February 18
○ Black History Month Celebration Lunch - February 20
● Future meeting dates: All meetings will be held at 3:30
○ February 26
○ March 26
○ April 30
○ May 21 (if needed)
NEXT MEETING: February 26th at 3:30
SIC Title 1 Planning Committee Meeting
Minutes
January 29, 2025
The mission of Ford Elementary School is to empower and inspire all to be educated and informed.
In Attendance: Brook England, Chelsea Marino, Elizabeth Green, Chris Wzorek, Kim Penland
Absent: Charlene Davenport, Sandy Molina, Patsy Taylor, Clyde Scott, and Elisabeth Carroll
● Welcome, Sign-in: BE Welcomes and greets everyone
● Approval of December Minutes: EG reads Dec. minutes bc she sat in as Secretary (for CM being absent) BE Motion to approve: PM makes a motion to approve, and CW seconds it.
● Goals for the 2024-2025 school year: BE reviews below goals
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready ELA will increase from 23.1% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ The percentage of students scoring Meets or Exceeds on SC Ready Math will increase from 25% in 2024 to 35% in 2025.
■ All other students will improve performance on ELA and Math SCREADY/MAP/FastBridge assessments by at least 10%. Students who are performing at the highest proficiency level will maintain their scores.
■ Climate Goal: The school report card rating for School Climate will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
■ ML Progress Goal: The school report card rating for Multilingual Learners’ Progress will improve from Unsatisfactory in 2024 to Average or above in 2025.
● Turnaround Plan: BE reviews the turnaround plan, blue font explains how we are working to meet that goal.
○ Approved by School Board 1-27-25
○ Progress on Goals: CW asked where the scores were. EG goes to get her TAP satchel and show him her class data scores. BE explained , CW asks: Why and how do you go about teaching them things I think they should have known…for example How many feet are in a mile? etc. BE & EG explained the MAP tests are broken down into RIT and have learning targets/ objectives needed to know for each RIT band. Explain you have to go to the state because they set the standards and rules for Education. Standards and programs change because of adapting to the new technology and changes in education due to the population.
○ BE explains Cluster teachers meet weekly and we are working on Parts of a lesson plan and small group instruction. 2nd Round of observations have started using the rubric from the state and each teacher gets graded by a member of the ILT and they also grade themselves and they meet to discuss a reinforcement and refinement.
○ CM & BE explain We look at data sheets and discuss why so many are low. We explain how the MTSS process looks at each individual child and why they are/aren’t growing and set a specific plan to try to help and we meet every 4-6 weeks to reassess.
○ Thinking MAPS training just completed in January to prepare for Write from the beginning training in February to help with breaking down how to think, plan, and write. Discuss The Big 5 test taking strategies.
○ Need for teacher to identify needs/maintenance issues-working on a google form.
● Title I -BE still working with ILT and DILT using that money to get the things needed for our school and students.
● 21st Century After-School Program/Attendance Recovery: BE Serving about 20 students in Afterschool & started Attendance recovery by Mrs. Jones
● Awards Programs for First Semester: BE we had to reschedule some grade levels due to last week's weather (Early dismissal, snow day, & 2 hour delay) for 4th, SPED, and 5k.
● Upcoming Events: BE and Penland
○ WPEC Principal PD Day - January 30- KP presenting
○ Reading All Stars Program - January 27-February 28- Read to earn a free game ticket for the student. Teachers and students get to go to the field to be recognized.
○ Interim Reports - February 4
○ Preschool Registration - February 4-6
○ Safety Committee Meeting - Feb. 6 at 8:15 (adjusted due to weather week)
○ Black History Month - February
○ Valentine’s parties - February 14 (to be celebrated at the end of the day)
○ Professional Development Day - February 17 (Write from the beginning training)
○ 5th Grade Recruitment Concert - February 18
○ Black History Month Celebration Lunch - February 20
● MOTION TO ADJOURN: EG made a motion, and PM seconded it.
● Future meeting dates: All meetings will be held at 3:30
○ February 26
○ March 26
○ April 30
○ May 21 (if needed)
NEXT MEETING: February 26th at 3:30
LCSD 55 is experiencing intermittent internet connectivity due to a major Segra fiber cut in the state. We ask your patience and understanding during this time. A notification will go out once the fiber cut is repaired. Thank you and have a good day!
Outside calling has been restored for Laurens County School District 55. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Have a good day!
Good morning,
AT&T has an outage currently. This outage causes no outside calling in our district. You will still receive incoming calls and you can call district extensions. You cannot call any 10 digit numbers at this time. We will update you on the progress routinely.
