Woodland Elementary School History

The "old" Woodland school first opened its doors in 1960 as a traditional school with self-contained classrooms.  In 1972, it became part of the Piedmont Schools project, as an experimental program based on the open classroom concept.  The walls between classrooms were removed, and open learning centers were developed.  In 1978, the project was ended, and we returned to the original floor plan.

The new Woodland Elementary School welcomed its first students on August 12, 2002.  We had over 750 students on the first day! Students were combined from several schools including Woodland, Oakview, Buena Vista, and Chandler Creek. Not only did we start the year off with a great bunch of teachers & students, we had a great facility also! Our beautiful building boasted state-of-the-art, student-friendly facilities and architecture.

Our new building is not just a building.  It is a symbol.  Woodland’s tower is supported by 12 steel poles- 3 on each corner. Each pillar represents an important core character trait that we feel is imperative for our students’ success. We believe that strong character is essential for a full, rewarding, and satisfying life. Possessing strong character traits provide necessary support to individuals all along life’s journey, just as the 12 poles provide strong support for the tower itself. It is also our belief that all stakeholders are responsible for modeling these character traits. The character traits we believe represent all that we are at Woodland are: responsibility, integrity, honesty, respect, compassion, perseverance, cooperation, accountability, patience, courage, courtesy, and self discipline. As individuals and together as a family, these character traits provide a basis as to how we interact with each other on a daily day.

The tower itself is enclosed in glass that reveals to all a light that proudly shines in the night across our campus; a beacon - much like that of a lighthouse by the shore. Our desire is for Woodland Elementary School to be a beacon in this community that provides direction and hope for all its students and their families and the promise of a brighter tomorrow for everyone.

In the summer of 2002, along with the furniture, we carried the sense of pride and caring by faculty, staff, parents, students, and community that has always been associated with the old school to the new.

Today, student's display of work in the halls outside every classroom shows that we are devoted to building our student's pride in themselves.  We believe that every student, regardless of personal circumstances can be a winner.  The teachers, staff, and volunteers at our school are committed to that goal.

Our new school is located off of busy highway 14, just inside the city limits of Greer, South Carolina. It is located in a part of Greer that is most affected by growth and change, less than five miles from the old school.