In School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties, we realize the tremendous impacts of schools on communities and strong communities on the world.  We are committed to providing students with an education that equips them with the world-class skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

The 2020-21 school year advanced the legacy of excellence that is associated with School District Five students, teachers, and schools. The outstanding work of our students, staff, and community earned state and national recognition, including national rankings by U.S. News & World Report.  Our incredible team of teachers, staff, and administrators also earned several awards this year. School District Five teacher Amy Carter was named South Carolina Teacher of the Year.  This was the second consecutive year that a District Five teacher earned this prestigious award.  Principal Gerald Gary was named the 2021 South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year, the fourth District Five principal in five years to receive the honor of being a state Principal of the Year.

These accolades, along with many others, are not possible without the combined efforts of students, staff, parents, and community members. School District Five provides world-class educational opportunities and classrooms that encourage critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.

Critical Thinking

Exceptional instruction is the cornerstone of developing our students’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Students in our classrooms identify research questions, evaluate sources, analyze information, and develop informed conclusions. Intentionally-designed learning experiences allow our students to become problem-solvers as they reflect on evidence and propose new ideas, arguments, and solutions. This emphasis results in numerous academic accolades each year.

Our district and students ranked among the highest in South Carolina on tests such as the ACT and SAT while maintaining high participation rates on such assessments. The College Board awarded the Advanced Placement Scholar designation to 588 high school students. 108 eighth grade students from our three middle schools were named Junior Scholars. The Class of 2021 continued the district’s tradition of producing numerous National Merit Scholars, adding to the overall list of more than 300 students from our district to have earned this award.

District Five’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs continued to shine.  Students earned awards including the South Carolina Young Entrepreneur of the Year, first prize in the South Carolina Farm to School Junior Chef Competition, and Career and Technical Education Technology Champion of the Year for the Midlands. Three students were elected to serve as state officers in SkillsUSA, the district's SkillsUSA chapter won the national chapter of the year award, and District Five students were elected to two state officer positions in the South Carolina Health Occupations Students of America organization.  The Center for Advanced Technical Studies (The Center) was named a National Models of Excellence school by SkillsUSA.  Our CTE faculty also earned awards, with one earning the distinction of being named the SkillsUSA National Advisor of the Year and another being named the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program’s Educator of the Month.

Communication

In School District Five, we know the importance of communication. In classrooms throughout our district, our students hone this important skill by creating presentations and projects in a variety of formats and styles to showcase their learning. This has included podcasts, slideshows, essays and research papers, three-dimensional models, original works of fiction and nonfiction, and murals. Students also write, produce, and edit videos.

Our students’ abilities are encouraged through and evidenced by our award-winning programs, which encourage communication through a variety of means including the arts. Seven students earned awards in the “Art of Healing” art competition sponsored by Lexington Medical Center and the Columbia Museum of Art, and one student earned national recognition in the Magnet Schools of America poster contest. 

Collaboration & Creativity

Our district provides world-class experiences which allow students to demonstrate creativity and build collaboration skills. Socratic seminars and activities incorporating peer feedback allow students time to listen to and learn from one another. Students also collaborate through cooperative activities and group-based projects. Students in performing arts classes work to understand how individual contributions lead to the success of the whole group during performances, where they showcase creativity.

Teachers also foster students’ creativity and collaboration skills in one-to-one computing environments. As part of our iFive technology initiative, our district has implemented digital citizenship lessons for students. Teachers utilize a variety of programs to build students’ abilities to work together online.  School District Five teachers have also used technology to facilitate discussions between students in different classrooms, schools, and countries.

Cooperative learning continues to be a focus of professional development in our district. #LeaD5, our teacher-led professional development program, incorporates cooperative learning and collaboration activities that teachers can use with their students. Our district has also developed students’ abilities in this area through targeted instructional coaching and support.

School District Five students earned state and national recognition during the 2020-21 school year because of their collaboration skills.  This included a state championship in football as well as District Five coaches being awarded Region Coach of the Year honors in basketball, football, and tennis.

Community organizations and partnerships play a critical role in our success. Parent organizations help support our schools and students, and the district continued existing partnerships with the University of South Carolina and established new relationships with organizations such as Lexington Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina.

In School District Five, our goal is to provide students with experiences and programs of study that will both prepare them for the workforce and help make them good citizens. Our career development programs earn top honors and accolades, including national awards for students at the district’s Center for Advanced Technical Studies. School District Five also is a leader in career development opportunities for students with special needs, providing its BOOM (Building Occupational Opportunities in the Midlands) initiative and Project SEARCH program through collaborations with several business partners including PRISMA Health and Midlands Technical College.

The mission of School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties, in partnership with the community, is to provide challenging curricula with high expectations for learning that develop productive citizens who can solve problems and contribute to a global society. We are very proud to say our district prepares students for success in school, in the work place, and in life thanks to the extraordinary impact of our students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and community. In School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties, we are “Pursuing Excellence for Tomorrow’s Challenges.”