Pinecrest Academy South’s (PAC South) vision is to empower life-long learners to become innovative global leaders of tomorrow. The belief that all students can attain the skills necessary to achieve in the next level begins with the youngest of students. At PAC South, achievement and growth are measured through a data-driven culture that has empowered teachers and administrators to make instructional decisions and students to track their learning goals.

 

Beginning in Kindergarten, we have a system of performance assessments in place to monitor the growth of every student at PAC South. Performance is monitored by administrators, teachers, and students. The administration works together with teachers to make instructional decisions to improve learning goals.  Students reflect on their own data and create their own learning goals together with the teacher. Each year, students are given diagnostic assessments to set each students’ threshold and expectations. PAC South follows a standards-based assessment grading model where student grades are are derived from genuine and targeted assessments in core areas. The goal is to measure learning gains resulting from meaningful instruction. Students in third through fifth grade take the information in these assessments as indicators as to how they will perform in the Florida Standards Assessments and Statewide Science Assessments.

 

Our administrative team and faculty are continuously engaged in the study of data from assessments to further address the individual needs of students. Professional development is offered to the teachers based on data and teacher input. Assessments provide a guideline and a point of reference to address strengths and areas of growth for our learners. Based on the trend revealed by these scores, the grade levels create lessons that target the areas of concern to meet the needs of every student. These data trends are discussed monthly as a grade level team as well as individually quarterly. Teachers keep an updated data binder as a reference tool submitted to the administrative team for progress maintenance and monitoring.    

 

Since inception of our STEM Program, our data demonstrates maintenance of high achieving performance and growth in both our minority and economically disadvantaged subgroups as noted by Miami-Dade Public Schools STEM Designation (please see graph below).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We are proud of being able to provide our community with a high level of education. Our rating through the Great Schools website shows a 10 out of 10 score. Our students continue to perform above District and State norms and we hope to continue with this trend. 

 

Our STEM literacy has increased since introducing PLTW (Project Lead the Way) at our school. As early as kindergarten, our students learn the Engineering Design Process and terminology used throughout. A few years ago, our students had no idea what a prototype was but now are able to explain it and create one depending on their STEM challenge. PAC South students actively participate in problem-based learning, as a result, they learn team building skills, and ways to positively communicate with their peers. Although our goal is to ensure our students are life-long learners and attend college and university, our main goal is to prepare them for the demand of middle school. Through Career Day, STEM presentations, Shadowing a Croc at PPMH, and our Positive Behavior Support System, we are committed toward workforce readiness.