South Kilbourne Elementary wins prestigious Exemplary Writing Program

S. Kilbourne Elementary School is among 26 schools in the state that earned Exemplary Writing Program Awards for 2004.

"South Kilbourne Elementary School is proud of its Exemplary Writing status," said Principal Andrenna Smith. "“Our children and our staff expand many lifetimes through writing. The immense joy of writing radiates in the classrooms, in the hallways and in the neighborhood."

The Exemplary Writing Program is sponsored by the State Department of Education, administered by the Writing Improvement Network 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.

State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum announced the winning schools after a comprehensive five-month evaluation that included a site visit. The State Superintendent said the winning schools will serve as resources for other schools across the state.

“Visitors to our school, our community, and our web page will be pleased with our preponderance of poetry, captivated by our classrooms' creative collections and delighted by our diversity in dialogue,” said Smith. “However, this is just the beginning. We continue to prepare our students to become life-long writers.”

Last fall 90 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, 36 schools were chosen for site visits. Applications were scored by three separate reviewers, and site visits made by two reviewers. The schools that met the rigorous criteria of the program were designated as Exemplary Writing Program Schools.

The Exemplary Writing 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, the scoring of the Exemplary Writing Program applications was recalibrated to set as higher standard for what constitutes a truly Exemplary Writing Program.

Christy Clonts, director of the Writing Improvement Network, said the Exemplary Writing Program is a national model for school reform and transformation, as well as excellence in the teaching of writing.

“Schools that have gone through the three- to five-year process of developing an Exemplary Writing Program credit it as the key to their success in creating a total exemplary instructional program for their students and faculty,” Clonts said. “After one visit to an Exemplary Writing Program Award school, teachers want to teach there, and families want to do whatever it takes – even pick up and move – to have their children learn and grow in such an environment.”

The Writing Improvement Network is a state-funded organization based at the University of South Carolina that works with local school districts to improve reading and writing skills.