Dear Parents,
Education has always been about more to me than sharing knowledge and developing skills. My philosophy of education is deeply rooted in the belief that every person possesses a distinct purpose. I believe we are preparing future world leaders to raise families, be good neighbors and lead churches. We are preparing them to solve problems not yet realized and work in jobs that don’t yet exist. It is such a privilege to be called and trusted to walk alongside God’s little people as they discover their unique purpose!
At WCCS we intentionally design experiences in math, language arts, science, social studies, and the fine arts to create a strong foundation and foster a love for learning.
Discovering who you are and what God calls you to is a journey. First through fifth graders, I think, are navigating the best leg of that journey. They are curious explorers and confident dreamers! At WCCS we intentionally design experiences in math, language arts, science, social studies, and the fine arts to create a strong foundation and foster a love for learning.
Our Language Arts program uses Open Court Reading, Reader’s Workshop and Writer’s Workshop. We aim to not only expand their spelling, vocabulary and grammar skills, but develop great communicators.
At the elementary level, we utilize Singapore to facilitate a deeper understanding of math. Math is so much more than rote memorization and replication of steps. We want students to be able to think through concepts and apply them in new ways.
In our Purposeful Design curriculum, Science is brought to life through opportunities provided in the classroom and in the Explore Lab, which is a hands-on experiential learning program, provided to students in order to build their understanding and awe of God’s workings and Creation through science experiments and student driven research labs.
Social Studies in grades 1st-5th facilitates developmentally appropriate learning in current events, South Carolina History, United States History, and World History—all introduced and taught in a way that shows how God’s story weaves together the past, present, and future.
Through Summit Ministries’ Building on the Rock, we spend time each day studying God’s Word. From those Bible studies in the classroom and weekly chapels to teachers integrating what students are learning about the Bible into the rest of their day’s learning experiences, our prayer is that students would develop a Christian Worldview and begin to see how God calls them to be his disciples and bless the world around them.
Even God’s littlest people have a unique purpose in the Body of Christ and I think it’s possible that first through fifth graders – the most curious explorers and confident dreamers among us – might be at the perfect age to see it most clearly!
Carrie Washburn
Elementary School Principal
cwashburn@wccs.org
