The Four Pillars of Meeting Street Schools

Meeting Street Schools’ model is replicable and rooted in best practices. Through successful implementation of this model, we know we can empower students to achieve in academics and in life.

 

1

Early Start

As cited by Nobel Laureate and human development expert, James J. Heckman, “Early childhood education fosters cognitive skills along with attentiveness, motivation, self-control and sociability- the charter skills that turn knowledge into know-how and people into productive citizens.” At MSS, students begin their schooling as three and four year olds in a program that gives them a strong foundation in:

  • Early literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Social and emotional development.
  • Early childhood physical skills such as gross and fine motor development.
2

Family Partnership

Engaging deeply with families is a key determinant of student success.

  • Home Visits: Our teachers visit every family in their home prior to the start of each school year.
  • Report Card Conferences: Our principal and teachers ensure a 100% parent/caregiver attendance rate.
  • Student Attendance: Strong family relationships generate our high student attendance rates.
  • Friday School Assemblies: All families are encouraged to attend our Friday assemblies where the week’s accomplishments of students, teachers, staff and families are all celebrated.
  • Volunteer Program: Our families enthusiastically participate as mentors, literacy volunteers, field trip chaperones, focus group participants, field day helpers, report card night helpers and more.
3

Holistic Approach

We believe providing additional student support services and programs paves the way for student success.

  • More Time in School: Our extended school day begins at 7:30am and ends at 5:30pm; and our extended school year provides 190 school days versus 180 district school days.
  • Healthy Nutrition: We provide our students with two nutritious meals and three healthful snacks each day.
  • Character Curriculum: Our “Path to Success” program incorporates daily activities focused on the eight character traits of grit, gratitude, optimism, empathy, citizenship, integrity, self-control and curiosity.
  • Medical Care: Medical services, dental checkups, vision screening, hygiene clinic and mental health support services are all provided within our schools, including the first of its kind onsite medical clinic operated by MUSC at our Brentwood school.
  • Community Outreach: Our “Backpack Buddies” program provides weekend food service to families in need.
4

Great Teachers

We hire exceptional teachers who are committed to student success in and out of the classroom.

  • Embedded Professional Development: We conduct weekly all-staff professional development sessions and provide three times more professional development days than typical district schools.
  • Dynamic Coaching: Teachers receive real-time, customized coaching via weekly or bi-weekly observation by their administrators and peer observations throughout the year. This constant constructive feedback is a crucial driver of positive student outcomes.
  • Meaningful Performance Reviews: Teachers meet with principals twice each year for formal in-person performance reviews featuring deep data review and actionable insights for improvement.
  • Rewards for Excellence: High performing teachers are financially rewarded via a flexible salary scale that allows our best teachers to advance in compensation at an accelerated pace.

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Join a community of incredible, passionate people working to change the lives of our students. Our compensation and benefits are a cut above the rest: the most competitive total compensation in the region.

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News & Notes93% of MSA-Charleston Alumni Are College Going This Year

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Our Schools

MSA – Charleston

Pre-K3 To 6th


Downtown Charleston, SC

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MSA – Spartanburg

Pre-K3 To 5th


Downtown Spartanburg, SC

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MS – Brentwood

Pre-K3 To 8th


North Charleston, SC

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MS – Burns

Pre-K3 To 6th


North Charleston, SC

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MS – Jasper & Beaufort

K To 1st


Jasper County, SC

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CommunityVoices

  • 1/3

“MSA is a family. Once you’re in, you’re in. They said they would follow our kids from K-3 to college and they actually lived up to what they said they would do. Not only did MSA challenge my daughter academically but it also exposed her to new things that she probably wouldn’t have been exposed to at our previous neighborhood school. Our journey at MSA was exciting and rewarding. They actually walk the walk.”

— Tyeka GrantParent

  • 2/3

“We come into work everyday truly believing that our students are capable of achieving anything that is put in front of them. Here at MSS, students are provided the opportunity to achieve success through the facilitation of well-educated teachers, resources, and a responsive classroom school environment.”

— NikToshia GilesTeacher

  • 3/3

“Meeting Street Academy is my family. They taught me that I am valuable. I am an asset to the world…They asked me, ‘What is your dream?’ I had never been asked that before. The MSS community gives me the strength to pursue my dreams.”

— Kadelyn SteedStudent

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