Philip Simmons Middle School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe and caring learning environment and an exceptional middle school education, while fostering academic excellence. Our school’s vision is to challenge and empower all students to be successful in a highly competitive world.

PSM is proud to be one of the district’s first STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) schools. Through our STEAM approach, Philip Simmons Middle School fosters an atmosphere of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity to achieve exceptional student outcomes. Our trans-disciplinary STEAM instructional approach is built around relevant, real-world problems with many solutions. Students construct knowledge while creating problem-solving objects/products. Design thinking is embraced and students learn through mistakes, viewing failure as an opportunity for growth and/or redesign. We cultivate a positive learning environment by demonstrating Iron Horse PRIDE—a framework for high expectations and rigor in all academic and social areas of our school and greater community.

Teachers continue to work collaboratively in professional learning communities to implement instructional units and develop professionally with a focus on student achievement and engagement. Our organizational structure for learning and support provided a highly successful structure for faculty engagement and buy-in and will continue to be implemented. Through Professional Learning Communities, our teachers and administrators work together in four focus areas that we believe are critical to success: individual student planning, data analysis, curriculum alignment, and STEAM planning. Through engaging conversations and collaborative work, all teachers share a voice in a trans-disciplinary learning approach. Support for teacher and staff advancement is provided through district staff development times as well as embedded professional development during the school day. Through the ongoing support of our school community and dedicated work of our students and staff, Philip Simmons Middle demonstrated the ability to thrive.

PSM students demonstrate a commitment to community service. Beta Club groups provided school service as peer tutors and sponsors of school beautification projects.

As a school community, we are extremely proud of our strong partnerships with BP, Nucor Steel, Daniel Island Community Association, and other local businesses, churches, and community organizations. These partnerships allow us to provide our students with access to opportunities that have been and will continue to be engaging and productive. Students also participate in Trident League Basketball and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

As we prepare for another year, we will continue to forge our future and the future of others by intensifying our focus on student achievement, building stronger community relationships, strengthening existing programs and activities that support success, and creating new opportunities for our students to shine through academics, leadership, and character development.

Philip Simmons Middle School 

2065 Seven Sticks Drive

Wando, SC 29492

Phone: 843-471-2590

Fax: 843-471-2599