Chicora Elementary School

Chicora Elementary School is an elementary school in North Charleston, SC, located at 3100 Carner Ave. The school operates under the motto "At Chicora Elementary we persevere to grow and succeed." It serves students from PreK through 5th grade, focusing on core academic standards and student growth. The school name is derived from the Chicora Native American tribe, a coastal group historically settled in the vicinity of Pawley's Island, SC. The tribe grew corn, tobacco, and beans, and domesticated animals such as deer and chickens. Historical records indicate that the Chicora may have been among the first Native Americans to encounter Spanish explorers around the 1520s. One member, Francisco de Chicora, traveled to Spain with explorer D'Allyon, where he learned the language and shared details about his ancestral lands. The school maintains partnerships with local organizations to support student well-being and community development. These include the Charleston Promise Neighborhood, which aims to provide every child in the area with a clear path to college, and the Lowcountry Food Bank, which distributes healthy food and grocery products to nonprofit agencies serving the poor in ten coastal counties of SC.

The school integrates specific instructional frameworks to support literacy development. Teachers utilize a data-driven protocol and various curricula, including EL Modules for grades 1-5, EL All Block for grades 3-5, and CKLA Skills and Writing lessons for grades 1-5. Additional tools include Heggerty, Fastbridge, and I-Read, alongside regular grade-level team and literacy team meetings. Teachers engage in professional development through LETRS, with specific numbers of staff having completed Volume 1, Volumes 1 and 2, or beginning the program. The school also hosts the MUSC KidsWell Program, a school-based telehealth service that provides access to healthcare through a physician or nurse practitioner from MUSC or the local community, with assistance from the school nurse. Upcoming academic milestones include SC Ready Testing dates for grades 3-5 in English/Language Arts, Math, and Science, scheduled for late April and May. The school year begins with teacher workdays and professional development days in early August.