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Woodruff Primary School is among the eight South Carolina public schools honored as winners of the prestigious Exemplary Writing Program Awards.
The eight schools were announced recently by State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex after a comprehensive five-month evaluation that included site visits. The State Superintendent said the winning schools will serve as resources for others across the state. The winners are: Lakeside Middle School and Midway Elementary School (Anderson District 5); Northside Elementary School (Colleton County); North Elementary School (Lancaster County); Irmo Elementary School (Lexington/Richland District 5); Conder Elementary School and North Springs Elementary School (Richland District 2); and Woodruff Primary School (Spartanburg District 4). �The ability to communicate in writing is absolutely crucial, whether you�re at work or at home,� Rex said. �These eight schools are succeeding in helping students to develop their writing skills, and they are infusing the teaching of writing into every part of their curriculum. It�s a daily part of each student�s work.� The Exemplary Writing Program is sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Education and governed by the Writing Improvement Coordinating Council. The award is based on an extensive evaluation of the schools� instructional programs, with a particular emphasis on the teaching of writing. Last fall 20 schools submitted written applications responding to 10 criteria of excellence that comprise the Exemplary Writing Program. The applications detailed how each school implements its writing program with reference to leadership, faculty knowledge of research and theory, curriculum, assessment and community partnership. From this group, 11 schools were chosen for site visits. Three separate reviewers scored applications, and site visits were conducted by at least two reviewers. The schools that met the rigorous criteria of the program were designated as Exemplary Writing Program Schools. The program was established in 1987 and is monitored to reflect the latest in the research and theory of teaching students to be writers. In the fall of 2002, scoring of applications was recalibrated to set a higher standard. Each year the application criteria are reviewed to ensure that schools using them as a guide for developing a rigorous writing program are basing their professional development on current theory and research. Pam Wills, from the Education Department�s office of Instructional Promising Practices, said the Exemplary Writing Program is a national model for school reform and transformation, as well as excellence in the teaching of writing. Wills said schools that have gone through the three- to five-year process of developing an Exemplary Writing Program credit it as a key to their success in creating a total exemplary instructional program for their students and faculty. (Image provided by Spartanburg District 4. )
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