Governor's School of Excellence Award Winner!
The Marie V. Duffy Elementary School , A Governor's School of Excellence , is dedicated to building a strong community of learners within a nurturing community of parents. Together, we have created an environment in which potential is maximized, success is ensured, and happiness abounds.
During the 2003-2004 school year, the Duffy School defined itself within the context of the community by creating and then voting upon a school mascot, the Duffy dragon. The staff of the school, in the spirit of camaraderie, created and then voted upon the school motto, “We're Burning for Learning”. The adoption of the mascot and the motto symbolized the drive to unite as one voice and to exhibit the strength and creativity that lives within the Duffy School .
As a community of learners, the Duffy School provided opportunities for students and their families to find success in education. In order for our students to achieve outstanding growth in the core content areas, we offered intensified learning experiences, specially trained instructors, authentic assessment, rubric writing tools, and enriching summer programs. A devotion to the love of reading was instilled through the visits of notable authors, illustrators, and storytellers. Project based learning units and cooperative learning strategies allowed for more customization of instruction, while an understanding of and sensitivity to students who speak other languages allowed for more visual and kinesthetic approaches to learning.
Meaningful parental involvement took shape in a Duffy Forum, whereby teachers hosted learning centers which parents visited to learn about the plethora of educational strategies and methods that were being implemented in the classrooms. Other evening programs designed to strengthen the parent partnership included Family Science, Family Math, Families and Schools Together, Family Tools and Technology, and Take Learning Home with the Phonics Game. An additional and exciting program that was offered for the first time in 2003-2004 was the English class for foreign-born residents of the community. A year long evening class held two nights a week, the turnout was tremendous and further served to bridge the gap between home and school.
A culminating school wide event, the World's Fair, encompassed all that we hold true to our hearts about education. The World's Fair was a unit of study undertaken by every class in the school. Each class voted upon a country of study and then embarked on a month long journey, discovering differences and commonalities shared by people around the world. Issues of tolerance, compassion, and understanding were raised hand in hand with curricular studies in all of the core content areas of instruction. Students learned about others and themselves as they slowly transformed their classrooms into their countries of study. The World's Fair provided the parents and other members of the community a glimpse of education at its best. Students dressed in traditional garb, reciting songs and poems, highlighting indigenous style artwork and foods, and demonstrating customs and norms of different societies. For two days, our global citizens exhibited the power of thought-provoking and profound instruction that altered perceptions and opened minds. Thereafter, the spirit of the Fair remained as the school community continued to grow, proud of its efforts and proud of its community.
Marie V. Duffy is a proud community of learners within a proud community of parents. Together, we create opportunities that allow students to “Dream Big”.
Pamela Blalock , Principal
E-Mail
the Principal
Duffy Office
361-2506 ext. 226
Attendance
361-2506 ext. 401
New Student Registration
361-2506 ext. 239