The South Carolina Department of Education has selected Westview Middle and Westview Elementary for this year's Learning Lab visits, recognizing the schools’ ability to empower teachers and students to become leaders in teaching and learning.
Westview Middle and Elementary are both part of the Collective Leadership Initiative (CLI). On Thursday, April 23, schools will have visitors from all around the state, who are also part of the CLI, exploring their schools and seeing their leadership skills in action. Visitors will include district officers, administrators, teachers and staff from Berkeley County School District, as well as other school districts, who are eager to see the way Westview Middle and Elementary have created leaders within their buildings.
"It is a significant honor for Westview Elementary and Westview Middle to be selected by the state to host these learning labs,” BCSD Superintendent Dr. Anthony S. Dixon said. “The schools' ability to cultivate teacher-leaders is evident in their school report cards; their approach is yielding results, and students are being positioned for success."
The CLI is an opt-in initiative for schools that want to implement South Carolina’s Collective Leadership Framework. It is a state-wide process for which schools need to apply in order to participate. The framework is designed to promote teacher retention and improve student outcomes by supporting teacher-leaders within schools and disseminating leadership opportunities for everyone in the building. Westview Elementary is in its third year of participating in the initiative – and was actually the first school in BCSD to join – and Westview Middle is in its second year.
The framework was co-constructed with teachers, school leaders, state department leaders, and researchers from the Center for Teaching Quality. Each school identifies a CLI Team to lead the process in their school. Ideally, schools interested in applying can identify teacher leaders currently serving in hybrid leadership roles. Professional development supports and technical assistance are provided throughout the school year and participating schools provide continuing data for measuring the effectiveness of the collective leadership framework. Additionally, participating teachers and administrators have the option to earn micro-credentials in Collective Leadership.
According to the SCDE’s website, schools selected to participate identify members to serve on their school’s Collective Leadership Team. The Office of Leadership Effectiveness (OLE) works with administrators and teacher leaders to implement a cohesive vision for teacher leadership roles. This work supports the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by helping schools develop the collaborative culture and high-quality professional learning that promote student attainment of world-class knowledge, skills, and life characteristics. Collective Leadership also supports teacher retention by creating meaningful opportunities for teachers to lead without leaving the classroom. Selected schools learn and implement South Carolina’s Collective Leadership Framework.
Schools that have shown progress in applying the framework are asked to serve as Learning Labs, and the state only picks two schools in the entire state to serve as labs at the end of the year. A lot of the visitors who participate in the Learning Labs might be coming from schools who are new to CLI and are still actively learning about it. Westview Middle and Westview Elementary just happen to be the two schools that were selected this year to host the initiative's end-of-year Learning Labs.
Crystal Halma, Education Associate from the South Carolina Department of Education, said the two Westview schools were selected because they demonstrate a strong, consistent commitment to collective leadership.
“Rather than relying on a top-down approach, the schools actively cultivate shared responsibility among administrators, teachers, students, and staff, creating an environment where all perspectives inform decision-making,” Halma said. “Leadership is distributed across teams, empowering educators to take initiative, collaborate meaningfully, and drive continuous improvement. This culture not only strengthens professional trust and accountability but also leads to more responsive and effective practices for student success. As a result, these schools serve as a powerful model for how collective leadership can transform both adult learning and student outcomes.”
During the Learning Labs, visitors will learn what teacher-leaders look like at Westview Elementary and Middle and hopefully walk away with ideas on how to apply the framework at their own schools and subsequently improve their own student outcomes.
Westview Middle Principal Dr. Taylor Bradley and Westview Middle Elementary Principal Erika Wyatt agree that they were likely chosen because of the unique story their schools’ have to offer; these two principals are both independently strong while working close together to create a seamless transition from elementary to middle school for its students.
The two principals have also seen improvements in their schools over the years; Westview Middle was named a recipient of the Palmetto Silver Award for the 2024-2025 school year, and both schools have raised their overall report card ratings from “Average” to “Good.”
Both schools will have different activities happening concurrently as part of their individual Learning Labs. Westview Middle will have classroom visits first thing in the morning followed by sessions for visitors to rotate through where they will learn about key programs and practices at the school. There will be a teacher Q&A panel, as well as a student panel where the students will share their perspectives on learning, school culture and engagement.
“I feel our selection as a Learning Lab school reflects the intentional work our staff has done to improve outcomes for all students,” Bradley said. “Our focus has been on empowering teachers to build sustainable systems grounded in data-driven instruction, while also creating a positive school culture that supports and promotes academic success for every student. We are excited to welcome educators from across the state to share effective practices and engage in meaningful conversations that continue to strengthen our work at Westview Middle School and beyond.”
Westview Elementary will operate similar Learning Lab rotations throughout the morning. The elementary students will serve as tour guides to take visitors around the school so they can observe and learn more about the framework.
Wyatt said Westview Elementary has been very intentional about creating opportunities for teachers, staff and students to lead, collaborate and have a voice in the decisions that shape the school.
“Over the past three years, we have focused on building strong, aligned teams, putting systems in place that support meaningful collaboration, and keeping our work centered on what matters most: our students,” she said. “This work has strengthened our culture, increased ownership across our staff, and helped us grow together in authentic ways. We are proud to open our doors and share our journey.”