The Eagle Express #1

October 15, 2026

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Decoding SC School Report Cards

Over the past few days, you may have heard much about SC School Report Cards on social media or the news. These were released by the SC Department of Education on Monday, October 12. While looking at the overall rating is important, analyzing the components contributing to that rating is perhaps even more important. The smaller components - Student Achievement, Preparing for Success, Student Progress, School Climate, Classroom Environment - give greater insight of where we shine and where improvement may be needed.

For its last year as Chapin Intermediate, our school earned an overall rating of Good on the 2025-2026 School Report Card. There are five ratings that a school can earn - Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, or Unsatisfactory. The rating of Good means “school performance exceeds the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the SC Graduate.”

As part of the overall calculation of the Good rating, CIS received Excellent ratings for both Student Achievement (based on SCREADY Math and ELA) and Preparing for Success (based on SCREADY Science). In the area of Student Progress (based on growth/improvement in ELA and Math), we received an Average rating. School Climate was our lowest area as a school with a rating of Below Average.

The total points earned by CIS on the 2025-2026 School Report Card was 56 out of 100, and we were rated as an elementary school with our previous grade levels (5th and 6th). Incidentally, the cut off to earn a rating of Excellent for middle schools (grades 6-8) is a 56, so I’m curious to see how we perform as the “new” Chapin Middle on next year’s School Report Card. We are ready to put in the hard work needed for continuous improvement.

Want to learn more? Access the full 2025-2026 School Report Card for CIS here:

https://screportcards.com/overview/?q=eT0yMDI2JnQ9RSZzaWQ9MzIwNTA1MA

Thank you for your support of Chapin Middle School. Go Eagles!

Kind regards,

Principal Unversaw

PURCHASED PICTURES HAVE ARRIVED

If you purchased pictures from Legacy Studio, they have arrived and will be handed out to students in the next few days. Please ask your student if they received theirs. If you purchased pictures and you do not receive them or if you would like to purchase, please reach out to Legacy Studios. (see information below)

Click here to view and order your student's pictures

Click here to find your code

MAKEUP PICTURE DAY

RED RIBBON WEEK

Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity to educate students and promote awareness of drug and bullying prevention. During this special week, our school community will come together to encourage healthy choices, positive decision-making, and the confidence to stand up for what is right. From October 26–30, students, faculty, and staff will celebrate Red Ribbon Spirit Week with themed activities, a Red Ribbon Photo Booth, and the events listed below. Together, we can promote a safe, supportive school environment where every student can learn and grow!

TRUE BLUE CREW

8TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE TRUE BLUE CREW!

CMS eighth graders are invited to apply for the True Blue Crew, joining our Eagle All Star Unified Team to build friendships, promote inclusion, and support Special Olympics! Applications are available from Crew Time teachers and must be returned to Mrs. Thompson in B127 by October 23.