Dear Students, Parents, Community Members, and Educators,
It is an honor to serve as the Superintendent of Rock Hill School District (York 3). As a former teacher in Rock Hill, and now leader of this great school system, I am very proud of and humbled by the way our students, employees, parents, and community approach the ability to handle the demands we have been faced with to protect everyone as we further educated our students under most-challenging circumstances. It became evident through the continued pandemic crisis that our parents and families are our most vital resource as they helped bridge the gap between home and school as a constant presence for all involved with our school district.
This report card includes information about student performance; however, the numbers alone do not speak to the total efforts and creative investments contributing to our performance. Rock Hill teachers, administrators, and district staff continued to come together and ensure our students had access to teaching and learning that met the needs of our students. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Rock Hill Schools remained committed to looking continuously for ways to improve the K-12 educational experience. There were many accomplishments and achievements experienced throughout the school year to recognize our students’ talents and the unyielding commitment of our faculty and staff members.
Rock Hill Schools Board of Trustees continues to demonstrate a commitment to providing the students with a high-quality educational experience in academics, arts, and athletics. We are proud to retain highly qualified and dedicated teachers and support staff, led by talented administrative teams. This year, teachers, counselors, and administrators focused on the essential needs of students including academic recovery efforts and support with social and emotional needs due to the pandemic. Holistically, the district aimed to provide opportunities to students to resemble as normal a school year as possible, while aiming to remain innovative in creating new and different initiatives due to safety parameters. These efforts were met with a tremendous amount of collaborative support from Board members as well as district personnel.
Rock Hill Schools aims to help all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by preparing them to be leaders in their communities, successful college graduates, outstanding members of our workforce and military, and productive citizens in our diverse society. All Rock Hill students, from preschool through adult GED/diploma learners, are challenged with high expectations and supported with curricula that ensures opportunities to develop intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and artistic appreciation.
Innovative teaching practices and district-created digital resources allowed student learning to continue through both in-person and virtual modalities. Rock Hill Virtual Academy (RHVA) served over 1,000 students with an opportunity to engage in synchronous online learning. Devices were provided to all students, as was internet access to families in need. Continuous learning models of instruction were present to help ensure learning continued whether students attended school face-to-face or in a remote, or virtual, environment. Additionally, student participation in dual-credit with local colleges and universities, as well as enrollment in advanced placement and career and technical education classes, remained strong within the course offerings for our students.
Rock Hill Schools was able to provide face to face summer programs including Summer Reading Camp, summer enrichment camps, and summer school. The number of students attending these programs increased, and students were able to remain engaged in learning through the summer offerings and activities. Programs focused on priority standards, STEAM experiences, social and emotional well-being, and credit recovery so students could be prepared for the next school year. This non-stop service allows students to continue in their pathway toward College and Career Readiness.
There is no doubt that Rock Hill Schools and the community continued to be challenged in many ways during 2020-2021, and we clearly have work to be done to move more of our students to proficient performance with academics; however, with the support of our valued stakeholders, the school system remains both excited and focused about the possibilities for students in the year ahead. The commitment of all involved with our schools can only lead to a stronger district and truly exemplify that we remain “Rock Solid” in the year ahead.
Dr. Tommy Schmolze, Superintendent
