Introducing "School Spotlight"
Sharing What We're Learning
Introducing PSAE's "School Spotlight"
Unprecedented. For the past several months, the term has been used over and over again to describe our current situation. But regardless of how unprecedented things may be, our schools and educators have been hard at work providing what normalcy and stability they can for their students - even as those students are physically distanced from them and from each other. 

My children are grown now, but through the eyes of my grandchildren, I've had the opportunity to see what a difference this makes. I've heard from them how excited they were to receive a phone call from one of their teachers or what fun they had with a particular project. And I've the opportunity to get a very small snapshot of the differences in what is happening in my grandson's school in California and that of my great-niece in Georgia compared to my grandchildren here in South Carolina. From that admittedly small glimpse, I have to say that my hat is off to South Carolina. The state's educators seem to be ahead of the game in being prepared to continue to teach and serve their students. I realize that this is still a work in progress, but that work is impressive. 

Because of this, PSAE wants to recognize the creativity and hard work being accomplished by our arts-focused schools. We thought that one way we could do this was to highlight what is happening in our schools, featuring one school in each issue --
highlighting what its experience has been - what they've tried that has worked as well as what hasn't. This way we can share and learn together. 

Our first School Spotlight is Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School (AIMS) Elementary .

Kudos to all of you who are making such a difference in our children's lives!

Eve Walling Wohlford
Executive Director
Palmetto State Arts Education
2017 Briarwood Road
Greenwood, SC 29646
864.993.8396


Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School (AIMS)
Goose Creek, SC
principalInsights from Chris Swetckie, Principal

We have had a lot of challenges since we've made the transition to e-learning but we've also had a lot of success. I'm thrilled to be a part of a district where the technology and the infrastructure were in place so that all of our students had Chromebooks ready to go home when we started this event. I can't begin to describe how proud I am of our students, our teachers, our parents and our entire school family for how they've handled the entire situation. 

When I think of successes and challenges, I think specifically of communication. It is very difficult to maintain open lines of communication when dealing with mandated isolation. I think the use of social media has been a huge help to us. We've made sure we've used Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I started my own YouTube channel for story times and a morning news show. This allows us to take care of the kids' social emotional well-being by making sure they're smiling and happy as we know this is stressful for adults and it's just as stressful for children. I've done the morning new show each and every day making sure that it's light and happy to give them a couple of chuckles. I've done some rap star outfits, songs and some silly skits. I want to keep our kids laughing. I also like for them to start each morning with the Pledge of Allegiance and to give them a sense of routine like they would have at school. I think it is important to get their day kicked off and get started on school so they're not lying around all day in their pajamas playing video games. I also believe it's been important to make sure that we've used some old-fashioned tools as well. We've made sure that we contacted all of our students and family weekly which is phone calls. 

Our Fine Arts teachers have been incredible in terms of opening up opportunities. We have a virtual art gallery that our art teacher Brooke Irimescu set up. Our dance teacher, theatre teacher, and music teacher have all been incorporating assignments into the student's daily work and making sure that the children are celebrated. They share their work through social media and Google Classroom so that we can see the student's successes. 

Additionally I think it's important that we keep it simple for families. We have a daily sheet that outlines everything they have to do and accomplish. It helps keep assignments and lessons well-organized and serves as a check list for things that have to be done. 

Our teachers have also used this time to their advantage. We've had a number of teachers complete online professional development. We have also had teachers put together their work and share with other educators throughout the state and nation. Personally, I've had the opportunity to participate with an Arts in Basic Curriculum working group as well as some other professional working groups to help keep my own professional saw sharp.

Another challenge is simply navigating all the uncertainty and keeping a high expectation for student learning while making sure that we have all the support in place that is possible. We want to make sure they're for our kids and our families we know that there for them in these unprecedented times. There are clearly lots of struggles and challenges for all. We want to make sure that we are not just focusing on academics and the arts. We need to keep our focus on the all the whole child. As a principal, I'm making sure that I'm not just an invisible voice behind a computer. I am making sure that I'm there for my teachers and my staff. We start each morning with a virtual faculty me at 8:30. It is a way for us to get online, and if for no other reason to see what everybody's back porch view looks like, their pets climbing around, or their babies on their laps, it's just a chance to smile and break the ice. We can then get started with our day. It has been an amazing way to just kick off each day a little bit of fun and sense of family.

I truly believe that's the thing that sets AIMS apart from a lot of schools. We intentionally try to make it fun. Of course, we want to be the highest performing school in the country and we hold ourselves to a very high standard. However, regardless if it's e-learning or traditional learning, whether it's brick and mortar or a Chromebook, I want a smile on everybody's face and I want them to feel like a family. One example of this is a short music video produced by our theatre teacher.  

I'd like to say this to all the PSAE school leaders. Try to embrace this challenge as a wonderful opportunity, a "happy accident" and look for the silver linings. Take advantage of the tools you have to incorporate the arts and make learning fun for kids. Please reach out to us if there's anything we can do for you as we go through this challenge. We're all in this together and we want to be there for you to support you in any way we can.

 


Chris Swetckie,  Principal 

Howe Hall Arts Infusion Magnet School (AIMS)
115 Howe Hall Road
Goose Creek, SC 29445
843.820.3899 

teacher Insights from Maria Earl, 3rd Grade Teacher
Having an existing flipped classroom has been advantageous in the transition to full-time eLearning. Throughout the regular school year, prior to the stay at home order, third graders had regular co-teaching STEAM sessions with our assigned district Innovation Coordinator and me during Science and Geography. During these sessions the students learned the importance of using technology and social media to be informed citizens, spread awareness, and enact positive change. Teaching this message early on through social studies and arts-integrated lessons, as well as providing the technology and software skills to do so, continues organically now with our learners, as they are consistently using our Google Classroom, Google Meets, and various types of social media to demonstrate core learning and share their individual "voices" through digital portfolios, Adobe Spark presentations, original poems, letters, songs, and videos or sound bites. The students also built and designed a Google Site during our regular school session, allowing them a virtual hallway during this eLearning time. 

The morning meeting (or opening meeting), an integral part of daily learning, has been extremely challenging to continue. Although the Google Meet allows for virtual contact, certain exercises like small group improvisation with "Stoke Deck" and one-on-one social skill practice (body language, conversation skills) tend to get lost in translation over a virtual connection. Teachers continue to design more successful ways to pursue brainstorming and creative warm-up sessions during this time of isolation. These opening exercises would typically set the tone and energy for our daily learning and provide much-needed socio-emotional learning.

This extended work-at-home situation is the opportune time to reflect on designing eLearning with the students in mind. Professional development is more salient than ever, especially when it comes to being technologically literate. In these weeks so far, I have pursued certification in our regularly used technology-based platforms and other areas of significance to education and the arts: Flocabulary certification; EdPuzzle Coach Certification; Google Certified Educator; and Understanding Diversity and Inclusion Certification (Purdue University through FutureLearn).




Maria Earl, 3rd Grade Teacher
Howe Hall Arts Infusion Magnet School (AIMS)
115 Howe Hall Road
Goose Creek, SC 29445
Insights from Kathy Clark, Music Teacher
Howe Hall AIMS and the Berkeley County School District as a whole have been fortunate to have technology in place and supported prior to the present extended school outage. Most of our students are comfortable with technology, using it routinely to demonstrate learning in their regular classrooms and the arts classes. One challenge for arts teachers has been finding the educational platforms that will allow us to continue to deliver high quality arts instruction and then receive work back from the students. 

All of Howe Hall's students now receive grade-level specific instruction in one arts area each day, for example Music on Monday, Theatre on Tuesday... The arts teachers have created and located instructional videos to introduce and explain new learning and arts assignments. Students' chrome books and our Google Classrooms have provided a means for students to receive instruction, communicate with teachers, and provide evidence of their learning. Students have videotaped their singing, playing, dancing, acting, and improvisation and provided evidence of visual art created. Flip Grid has been especially useful for the performing arts teachers, as students are able to show their creativity as well as their attainment of essential arts skills through an easy electronic means. Teachers and students can view the performances and then provide feedback, both positive and instructional, to the students. 

Current music lessons have fifth graders analyzing, creating, and performing music in response to a challenge from the singer Jon Bon Jovi. After analyzing the text (lyrics) of an older Bon Jovi song and discussing its use in a current television commercial, students viewed a recent video from the artist. Bon Jovi introduced his newest song as his response to the pandemic and asked for others to create a verse telling how their life has changed or perhaps thanking a specific group for their work at this time. I challenged Howe Hall's fifth graders to take the week of Spring Break to think about their verse, which they will each write and then perform to Bon Jovi's accompaniment. In addition to providing composition and performance experience, these lessons demonstrate a real-life use of music (and ELA) while also providing an opportunity for students to express themselves as many do during times like these - through music.



Kathy Clark, Music Teacher
Howe Hall Arts Infusion Magnet School (AIMS)
115 Howe Hall Road
Goose Creek, SC 29445
If you know of schools we should highlight in upcoming issues of School Spotlight, please email us.
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