Students enjoy Early Release Day Clubs at Beech Hill Elementary

There are a lot of special things taking place at Beech Hill Elementary in Summerville. The school has academic success, and the more than11-hundred students have a great time as well. We head to Dorchester County for our Cool School of the Week.

Beech Hill Elementary School has W.E.R.D. Clubs Day, that's Wednesday Early Release Day Clubs. From walking clubs, to recycling, and a girls robotics team, to sign language, and a service club that encourages students to help their community through service learning projects, Beech Hill has it all. The school also has a sign language club. Teacher Jennifer Fusco says, "They're proficient at this point at signing the alphabet, and just basic conversation signs. If you were to meet someone who is hearing impaired or deaf, they knew sign language, just how are you, nice to meet you."

NFL player AJ Green, a former student at Beech Hill played a role on the school's juggling team.  P.E. Teacher Anne O'Sullivan says, "We've traveled all over the Lowcountry. We've done Riverdogs and the Citadel, College of Charleston, we've been all over. We went to Beaufort for their Kidsfest."

More than thirty clubs are offered during the school day, giving all students an opportunity to experience an extracurricular activity, regardless of transportation issues or after school activities, providing an opportunity to showcase talents outside of the classroom. All are designed to promote teamwork, discipline, and leadership, and extends learning beyond the classroom. Principal Rene Harris says, "We're proud that they're academically strong, but what we hope is that they're developing life long skills and life longs attitudes, and ideas that will promote nurture, being kind to the environment, that would promote the arts, that would promote technology."

So why is Beech Hill Cool? Fifth grade student Betsy Hathcock says, "I think we have a cool school because of all the great teachers, all the great clubs and all the great education that we get."  Fifth grade student TeJon Kitt says, "Because we have the WERD clubs."  Third grade student Kadynce Hausen says, " I think it's a cool school because everyone is safe, honest, intelligent, nurturing, and empowered." Kadynce also signed the words Cool School.  Eight-year-old second grade student, Matthew Traylor summed it all up, " There's a lot of friends. It's cooler than anything. it's cooler than anything. We got the best principal. We got the best teachers, counselors, we got everything. It's like this big place is Chuck E. Cheese, or this is the carnival, step right up, step right up, where's your ticket, step right up."

Beech Hill Elementary is among four elementary school finalists for the 2012 Palmetto's Finest Award. The award recognizes innovation and excellence. The school met AYP three years in a row, and rated excellent on the State Report Card.

Coming up Friday on News 2 Today, we will present Beech Hill Elementary with our Cool School Award.

We want to hear about the good things that are going on at your school. Send an email to Octavia at omitchell@wcbd.com and tell us all about it. You can also find a link to nominate your school on our Cool School page as well. Maybe your school will be the next Cool School of the week.