Our Mission Liberty STEAM Charter works to provide all students with equal access to a world class K-12 education in an academically rigorous and student-centered learning environment, creating graduates who will be thoughtful and engaged citizens prepared to take on the leadership challenges of the 21st century. Our Vision In partnership with our families and the community, our vision is to provide real-world interdisciplinary, personalized, and project-based learning experiences through a STEAM-based academic program where graduates become the next generation of leaders, ​employers, and employees who contribute to the economic well-being of their communities and families.

Liberty STEAM Charter will offer a PK-12 STEAM-focused, project-based and personalized learning model that is innovative and unlike any other school in Sumter. Our model is designed to prepare students, who we will call scholars, with the academic foundation to pursue college or university studies if they so choose, but LSC is also designed to ensure that scholars leave high school with real world skills and habits to be successful in industry careers that offer meaningful salaries. Key pillars of the school that will drive expansive learning opportunities and successes for scholars include: Commitment to Excellence, Top Quality Teaching, Collective Leadership, Whole Child Approach, and Family and Community Engagement. LSC is committed to a high-quality, standards-based curriculum, more time on task, significant exposure to enrichment opportunities, a data-driven learning environment, two teachers in each Primary Academy classroom with smaller classroom sizes, a comprehensive MTSS model to ensure that the needs of all scholars are being met, and an innovative high school model with a set of learning PATHWAYS designed to link real-world project-based learning and student connections to college and fields of industry. Taken together, these components of the educational model will create an “academically rigorous and student-centered learning environment” where LSC scholars will thrive. As a public school that will be accountable to families, its charter sponsor, and taxpayers, LSC believes deeply in accountability and has a founding planning committee that is committed to ensuring the academic, financial, and operational success of LSC. LSC's K-12 progression includes 4 Academies, which will help to personalize student learning and create smaller learning environments. LSC is committed to the idea that some scholars may need extra support and additional resources to ensure that all scholars can attain a world-class education. The need is urgent, thus the time to act is now. In creating a charter school where rigor, joy, and community are the essential keys to success, we are on a mission is to change the narrative about what is possible for the children of Sumter County so that every child is equally positioned to succeed emotionally, academically, and socially.

Our School Approach: Core Pillars to Provide a World-Class STEAM Education Option Commitment to Excellence Top Quality Teaching Collective Leadership & Accountability Whole Child Approach Family & Community Engagement Our Commitment to Excellence We are committed to the highest standards of excellence by fostering continuous improvement and innovation in response to the changing needs of our community. We know that excellence is the result of purposely learning from many failures. We will work relentlessly to help change the narrative of what is possible for all scholars. Top Quality Teaching Quality teachers drive exceptional results. Research affirms that effective teaching “completely changes the academic trajectory of low-achieving scholars - vaulting them from the lowest to the highest quartile.” Therefore, we utilize successful practices to recruit, hire, develop, and retain educators of the highest caliber. Our recruiting efforts will extend across the country, and we will initiate connections with mission-aligned organizations, such as Teach for America, to ensure that the best and brightest teachers educate our scholars. We seek teachers who believe strongly in our mission and whose actions demonstrate high expectations for themselves, scholars and families. We hire smart and organized individuals willing to work. We value each employee and provide an environment that fosters continuous learning through education, sharing of knowledge and experience, and opportunities for challenging work to ensure that all students have access to high-quality teaching. Collective Leadership & Accountability We believe that teachers and school leaders can work collaboratively as a team to ensure all of our scholars achieve at high levels. We take responsibility for our attitudes, actions, and judgments and expect to be held accountable for them. We take great care to protect the resources entrusted to us. Whole Child Approach We believe each child in our school community should be exposed to a broad education and deserves to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. We will operate on an extended school day and extended school-year calendar to help meet the basic needs of our scholars. Scholars will learn how to behave well and work hard because our school is structured, disciplined and joyful, and we adhere to the true definition of discipline – teaching how to do good and how to be good. Scholars are taught that their effort directly correlates to their achievement, and they are recognized and celebrated for their hard work and academic success. Family & Community Engagement We value diversity in families, our organization, and our community. We recognize that strong collaborations and partnerships are the foundation of community mobilization and change.

All scholars can learn at high levels. Parents are our partners. Victory is in the classroom. Leadership and accountability are the shared keys to success. It takes the engagement of the entire community to ensure the success of the school.

Respect Enthusiasm Achievement Citizenship Hard Work

We live by our core values, which inform and guide us in all aspects of what we do in helping to create a positive, achievement-oriented school culture. Bold Innovation Working together as a team, we will provide the freedom to innovate together and is foundational to our ability to serve students well and trust is paramount to that direct collaboration. We will pioneer new approaches to raising scholar achievement. Relentless Pursuit of Excellence The needs of students will always come first and before the interests of adults. We will do what we say both punctually and with attention to detail because the difference between good and great is in the details. We create accountability by owning mistakes when we make them and hold others accountable to their commitments. We will be persistent, insistent, and deliberate in all that we do. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion We believe diverse teams perform better and get the best results for our students. We seek diverse voices and welcome a variety of perspectives in order to arrive at the best decisions. We examine ourselves to ensure our practices and beliefs lead to equitable outcomes for all. Results without Excuses or Shortcuts In all that we do, we will relentlessly pursue excellence and never settle for mediocrity. We will work hard every day to deliver on the urgency around providing an outstanding education for our scholars – an education that will ensure students graduate with a clear purpose. Excellence is always the goal, and good is the enemy of great. We assume personal responsibility for the ambitious results that support our mission and serve our families. Continual Improvement We assume we can be better. We continually reflect on ourselves and our practice for the sake of improvement because our mission is an extraordinary one that demands that we, too, strive to be extraordinary.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Communication Collaboration and Teamwork Information Literacy Appreciation for Diversity Learning to Learn (Metacognition)