Southeast Middle School is one of 20 South Carolina schools named as winners of the 2005 Exemplary Writing Program Awards 

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

 

“The ability to communicate in writing is absolutely crucial, whether you’re at work or at home,” Tenenbaum said.  “These 19 schools are succeeding in helping their 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 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.

 

Last fall 52 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, 27 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 a higher standard for what constitutes a truly Exemplary Writing Program.

 

Amy Mikell, coordinator 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.  Mikell said 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.

 

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