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Summerville Elementary School • February 24, 2012
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SJS, SES partnership a ‘win-win’ BY KAREN THOMPSON orty-one years ago when I was in Mrs. McCleskey’s fifth grade class at Augusta Circle Elementary School in Greenville, I would have been over-the-moon if my class could have written a newspaper insert for The Greenville News. Well, guess what? My class and I at Summerville Elementary ARE overthe-moon. The fact that my students were able to participate in the Adopt- a -Teacher program with the support from the Greater Summerville /Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce once again was very humbling.
My original intent three years ago was to find a business that would help my students know that writing is real. Writing a newspaper DOES make writing real to my students. The class ran the gamut from writing biographies of the class; brainstorming story ideas they felt were important to our readers and then interviewing and writing those stories; taking photographs and writing cutlines for the photographs; to finally drawing advertisements. My students have witnessed the “pressures” of a deadline and all that producing a newspaper entails. SES is a leadership school where we live The Seven Habits (of Highly Effective People) through the Art of Leadership: being proactive, put-
THE TURTLE TIMES STAFF 2012 ting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand and then to be understood, synergizing, and sharpening the
ALL ABOARD Fifth grade students at Summerville Elementary recently took a train ride on the Amtrak from North Charleston to Kingstree. The field trip tied in with their study of Westward Expansion in social studies. At left, Meagan Reed and Nicole Willsea enjoy eating snacks on the train. At right, a conductor welcomes students aboard. Photos by Dylan Zoeller
saw. This project encompasses all of The Seven Habits. These life skills will help these fifth graders as they begin their new
Photo by Paul Zoeller
adventure into middle school next year and beyond. An independence and confidence have developed in these children that is immeasurable. I’d like to thank Chris and Paul Zoeller for their tireless efforts in making this newspaper a success. Their dedication to making this does not go unnoticed. I’d also like to thank Judy Watts, the writing staff and advertising staff for coming in and assisting my students with their stories and advertisements. What a treat for my students to have professionals help them perfect their writing and explore their creativity. “Kids are our business...Leading the way, every learner, every day, with rigor, relevance, and relationships” is our school motto. It truly encompasses what our experience with The Summerville Journal Scene has been for the past three years.