Curriculum Highlights for 3rd-5th
- Intentional focus on development of whole child: academic, social, and emotional
- Classroom projects and inter-curricular work used to promote hands-on and replicate real-world learning
- Strong emphasis on writing and communication skills
- New literacy curriculum that incorporates the arts and sciences
Meet the 3rd -5th Grade Team
Caring, Passionate Educators and Mentors
Tracy Lewis
3rd Grade Teacher, 3-5 Team Leader
Louis Torchio
4th Grade and Pre- K-4 Music Teacher
Michelle Edwards
5th Grade and 5-8 Music Teacher
Tracy Lewis
3rd Grade Teacher, 3-5 Team Leader
What is Mrs. Lewis’ background?
Mrs. Lewis has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bemidji State University in Bemidji, MN, and a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.
About Mrs. Lewis’ family
Her family consists of a grown daughter who lives in California, a grown son serving as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force stationed in South Korea, and a husband who moved with her from Minnesota to North Carolina in 2018.
One of Mrs. Lewis’ funniest moments teaching
Once when Mrs. Lewis was about 42, she told her 5th grade class that she was 25. Apparently, this became the talk around the dinner table, and even though she had a 16-year-old daughter and some of her kids were pretty good at math, a group of moms brought her a 25th birthday cake on her birthday!
Mrs. Lewis’ proudest moment
“My proudest moment was when my son was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant.”
What are Mrs. Lewis’ hobbies?
Louis Torchio
4th Grade and Pre- K-4 Music Teacher
What is Mr. Torchio’s background?
Mr. Torchio has a Music Business degree from Montreat College and a Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education from Western Governors University.
About Mr. Torchio’s family
He has a wife of four years and a 16-month-old son.
Where did Mr. Torchio grow up?
Mr. Torchio grew up in Centreville, MD
Where is his favorite place?
Charleston, SC, is his favorite place.
Who influences or inspires him?
He is inspired by Jesus, Eddie Vedder, Bob Dylan, Ghandi, and Buddha.
What is his favorite quote?
Mr. Torchio’s favorite quote is, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
What are his hobbies?
Michelle Edwards
5th Grade and 5-8 Music Teacher
What is Mrs. Edwards’ background?
Mrs. Edwards grew up in Westerville, Ohio, a small town north of Columbus with brick streets and friendly, caring neighbors. She graduated Cum Laude from Ohio Dominica College with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
What hobbies does she have?
Mrs. Edwards enjoys growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers, playing the piano, baking, swimming, walking her two dogs, and taking care of her nine chickens.
Tell us about Mrs. Edwards’ family.
Her husband, Bobby, retired from Blue Ridge Community College where he taught at Schenk Job Corp. They had three children, Andrew, Mary, and Matthew. Matthew and his wife, Ashely, have a son (her grandchild), David.
What is one of her favorite childhood memories?
Growing up on a farm, taking care of the animals and gardens. One day her dad brought home an old Morgan horse that he had saved from the “glue factory.” To Mrs. Edwards, she was absolutely beautiful!
What is something random we might not know about Mrs. Edwards?
In 1995 she volunteered for a month at Haitian Christian School for the Deaf in Port au Prince, Haiti. She has been an interpreter for the deaf using ASL (American Sign Language) off and on for over 30 years.
What does Mrs. Edwards love about teaching?
She says that teaching is not just a job, but rather a way of life, as teachable moments are all around us. Regardless of the grade level or the subject, guiding and motivating students to reach their full potential has been very rewarding.
What is her favorite quote?
“Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do.” – Hellen Keller
What is the most famous or infamous thing someone in her family ever did?
Progress Monitoring: How do we know your child is ready for the Next Step?
- MobyMax used for individualized progress monitoring and differentiation instruction to fill in any learning gaps or further challenge students
- Acadience reading and math benchmark assessments used to monitor growth
- Yearly standardized assessment used as a tool to guide instruction and measure student growth but not as definitive way in which growth is measured
Five Star Accreditation for 5-Star Care. Capable, loving preparation for elementary school.
Focusing on the fundamentals and differentiation of strengths to target math and reading foundations.
A safe environment for developing mature teens ready for the challenges of high school and beyond.
