School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties is committed to helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by carrying out the District’s motto to “Love and Grow all Students.”  School District Five has invested time this year developing and implementing the Whole-Child Continuum, which addresses all the needs our students face and prepares them for academic success. The Continuum starts with the most basic human needs and advances to educational needs, thus producing a well-rounded graduate who is ready to move to the next level of academia or the work-force.  

School District Five’s mission statement, in part, directs the faculty and staff to “prepare all students to be college and career ready by providing a challenging curriculum in a safe, secure, diverse, and equitable learning environment focused on academic, social, and emotional growth and development.”  School District Five is using the Whole-Child Continuum to meet the physical, social, and academic needs of its students, which gives them the ability to master the skills outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate and be successful after graduation.

The first element of the Whole Child Continuum is Physical Safety.  School District Five’s first and utmost priority is the physical safety of its students and staff.  School District Five employs three District-wide safety officers who, along with School Resource Officers and other law enforcement partners, stay abreast of the latest technology in school safety and educate school staff on best practices for identifying potential threats.  School District Five also utilizes the STOPit app, which is available for all students to anonymously report any threat or concern that they see or hear for further investigation.  School District Five staff monitor the app 24-hours per day.  By providing the safest environment possible, School District Five ensures its students can learn confidently and focus on educational priorities.

Once School District Five has ensured a safe physical environment for all students, the District must address students’ Physical Health.  A child who is not physically well cannot learn.  School District Five has a year-round Nursing and Health Services Supervisor, who works with school-level nurses to ensure the best care possible for all students.  The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges in schools, from safe return to in-person instruction to quarantining close contacts to Test-to-Stay procedures.  All of these tasks were in addition to pre-existing responsibilities such as hearing and vision screenings and referrals for more specific follow-up.  The School District Five nursing staff continues to work diligently so that our students are healthy and can remain in school.

This past school year, the School District Five community experienced an apartment fire that affected several families with school-aged children.  School District Five’s team of social workers sprang into action to help those families secure temporary housing and other immediate needs so that the children could return to school and continue to learn.  That is just one example of how the Whole-Child Continuum meets the Social Needs of our District’s students.  School District Five’s social workers bridge the gap between school, home, and community to remove barriers to student achievement, such as financial instability, homelessness, or family structure changes.  With those barriers removed, students can come to school ready to learn and grow successfully.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation and fear it produced brought to light many Mental Health crises students experience.  As a result, School District Five has responded with a team of clinical counselors to help students overcome those difficulties.  Students with mental health challenges can also face learning challenges because of an inability to focus at school and disruptive behavior.  Targeting those students and addressing their needs benefits all students because it leads to more productive learning environments.  

Many factors can lead to negative Behavioral Issues such as bullying and disobedience.  Regardless of the reason, though, behavioral disruptions are detrimental to all in a classroom environment.  School District Five has invested in a full-time Student Services Officer to equip students and families with tools students need to reach their greatest potential.  School District Five has also utilized Behavior Interventionists and Expectation Coaches who work in the schools to form relationships with students and families and support teachers and administrators to facilitate positive behavior.  

School District Five undertook several new programs this year to increase our students’ Academic Readiness.  The COVID Student Support Team is a group of teachers at each school assigned to help students in COVID quarantine or isolation.  They don’t replace the classroom teachers but serve as additional resources for students who need assistance.  Each School District Five high school is also offering voluntary after-school tutoring, staffed by certified teachers, after that need was identified in the schools’ Academic Recovery Plans.  Finally, School District Five has employed Varsity Tutors, an online live tutoring service for elementary grades; Dreambox Learning, an elementary online math enrichment program; and USA Test Prep, a secondary classroom tool for teachers.  All of these efforts are used for students who need additional academic support so that they are ready to learn at grade level with their peers.

When students feel safe and healthy and they have the tools to be socially and emotionally successful, then they can be ready to learn and have their Educational Needs met.  School District Five has a phenomenal team of administrators, teachers, and instructional assistants who lead our students to academic excellence.  In 2021, School District Five students exceeded the state average in Kindergarten Readiness to Learn, “Met or Exceeding” on SC Ready and SC Pass in grades 3-8, End of Course Testing in grades 7-12, College and Career Readiness, English Learners Progress Toward Proficiency Target, and On-Time Graduation Rate.  School District Five is loving and growing students who are creative and innovative.  Our students can think critically and problem solve.  Our students know that collaboration and teamwork are essential to learning.  Our students are communicators and know how to use media and technology to solve problems.  Our students are on the path to achieving the profile of the South Carolina Graduate.