Berkeley Elementary School opened in 1929 as the first elementary school in Berkeley County. Our original building was a two-story wooden building next to what is now the Berkeley County School District central office (Berkeley Education Center).

In 1954, our students and teachers moved into the larger Berkeley Education Center and remained there until 1997 when the current location on Highway 6 was opened. 

Our first principal was Annie McCants. She served for 32 years. 

Berkeley Elementary helps all students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Providing high quality instruction that will enable students to show mastery of the South Carolina College to Career Ready Standards. We are dedicated to educating the whole child so they are successful in all aspects of their life.  

To ensure a strong core instruction for every child, common instructional units and assessments were utilized throughout school year in reading and math.  In Professional Learning Community meetings, teachers use data from the common assessments to plan whole and small group research based instruction in the classroom.  Using the common instructional units and assessments ensures that all students are taught and assessed at the same rigor level.  Teachers also participate in a variety of professional development sessions during the school year such as:  Teaching for Understanding Planning Cycle through AAIS, Enhanced Balanced Literacy, integrating technology, and Mastery Connect. 

Intervention, academic assistance, and enrichment are provided daily for our students.  Using progress-monitoring data, students are grouped and given specialized instruction forty minutes a day.  Intervention groups were taught by a certified teacher and focused on phonemic awareness, fluency, or comprehension skills.  Academic assistance groups use our computer labs to refine reading skills, while our students who are reading above grade level participated enrichment learning activities.  Students have the opportunity to move between the three groups depending on their academic progress. 

Our current principal is Kelly Gabriel and our assistant principal is Ginger McCoy.

State School of Character: 2009-2013

National School of Character: 2012-2015

Red Carpet Award: 2001-2002

BCSD School Wellness Champion, Sponsored by the Boeing Center for the Children’s Wellness and MUSC: 2018-2019

Students enter building: 6:55 a.m.
Tardy Bell: 7:20 a.m.
Early Sign Out: by 1:20 p.m.
Dismissal: 1:50 p.m.
Half-Day Dismissal: 10:50 a.m.
2-Hour Weather Delay: (Bus routes will also starton on a 2-hour delay): 9:20 a.m.
3-Hour Weather Delay: (Bus routes will also starton on a 3-hour delay): 10:20 a.m.

Contact us

PH: 843-899-8860 | FAX: 843-899-8865