The Kershaw County School District (KCSD) is helping all students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by ensuring that our students are college and career ready. We have high expectations for all students’ academic performance, which is provided in safe and nurturing learning environments. Although the 2019-20 school year included additional challenges with a tornado destroying the majority of one of our high school campuses and a pandemic forcing the closure of all in-person learning for our schools, our students, staff and community worked together to persevere. #KCStrong was a uniting sentiment as we made the conversion to daily online instruction for all students during the last two months of the school year. As one of the first eLearning pilot school districts in the state, all of our K-12 students are equipped with their own computing devices, making this transition easier. Highlights of the school year included the opening of a state-of-the-art technology center named for the founder of Kershaw County’s first career and technical education center, Dr. Gil Woolard, and a groundbreaking ceremony for a new elementary school to serve the North Central area. In addition, KCSD was one of only 23 school districts to be named as a National Exemplar District by the National Council on Digital Convergence. The designation is awarded to school districts and educational organizations that reach Stage 3 or above in the Digital Convergence Framework—a research-based methodology to personalize learning at scale. KCSD also was selected as a Purple Star district, a statewide recognition program that celebrates schools and districts that make a significant commitment to welcome and support military families.
Through rigorous learning opportunities, we inspire students to think critically and solve real-world problems. Hands-on technology experiences enrich our students’ learning. Student achievement continues to improve as teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners. The implementation of Delayed Start Wednesdays allows weekly professional development time for teachers. Advanced Placement classes and numerous dual-enrollment courses through a partnership with Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) offer our students with opportunities to obtain college credit. An innovative partnership provides qualified Kershaw County graduates with full two-year scholarships to CCTC.
KCSD’s financial operations again received the best audit results possible with “unmodified opinions” from an external independent CPA firm.
Our schools have received state and national honors for their success. Three Kershaw County schools—Lugoff-Elgin Middle, Mt. Pisgah Elementary and Pine Tree Hill Elementary—received Palmetto Silver Awards from the South Carolina Department of Education for their academic performance. For the second year in a row, Lugoff-Elgin High School won Central Carolina Technical College’s annual Academic Challenge while Camden High School’s Quiz Bowl Team won the Midlands Collaboration Academic Bowl Tournament. North Central Middle School’s Quiz Bowl Team won the Midlands District and finished as the runner-up in the Middle School/Division II at the State Academic Challenge. All 18 Kershaw County School District school kitchens were recognized in the USDA HealthierUS School Challenge program. The Kershaw County Adult Education program earned six top state awards recognizing outstanding student achievement during the 2018-19 school year. Yearbooks from both Stover Middle and Lugoff-Elgin High received the Palmetto Award as the best yearbooks in their divisions from the South Carolina Scholastic Press Association. North Central High was one of only ten South Carolina high schools to receive national recognition for having a high percentage of female students take and pass the AP Computer Science exam.
Our students are also earning accolades for their achievements. Ten students earned a perfect score on standardized tests including one student who earned the maximum score on SCPASS, and nine students who earned a perfect score on SC READY. Lugoff-Elgin Middle student Abigail Shoemake was the 6th-8th grade division winner for the United States Attorney’s Office’s 17th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest. Stover Middle students Amanda Spencer and Leland Sample were selected for the 2019 Region Orchestra. The North Central Silver Knights Marching Band placed second in the 1A State finals, earning a Silver Medal. North Central Middle School student Alazia Moody's essay won 3rd place at the district level in the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. Blaney Elementary student Taylor Brown was named the 2020 South Carolina Archery in the Schools State Elementary Female Bullseye Champion. North Central High and WTC student Presley Springfield won First Place Overall at the 2019 Printing Industry of the Carolinas Awards.
KCSD has talented and highly-skilled employees, many of whom were recognized at the national and state levels this school year. Ten additional KCSD teachers earned National Board certification, bringing the number of our teachers having this qualification to over 100. Lugoff-Elgin Middle School STEAM/Project Lead the Way teacher Tracy Elmore was selected as the SC Future Minds’ SC STEM Educator of the Year. Lugoff Elementary School fourth grade teacher Brantley Smith and North Central High School English teacher Nicole Gainey were named the 2019-20 Kershaw County Reading Teachers of the Year by the Kershaw County Reading Council while Mt. Pisgah Elementary Principal Britt Gardner earned the award for Kershaw County Reading Administrator of the Year and was selected as one of four finalists for the Palmetto State Literacy Association's 2019-2020 Distinguished Literacy Administrator of the Year. Lugoff Elementary Principal Dr. Melissa Lloyd was named the district’s Principal of the Year by her peers. Kershaw County School District Coordinator for Web and Media Services Julie Putnam was one of 17 professional and civic leaders from across South Carolina selected to participate in the SC Education Policy Fellowship Program. Three Kershaw County School District teachers—Amber Pitts from Blaney Elementary and Kathy Dozier and Kara Matney from Stover Middle—were the only South Carolina teachers named “Unsung Heroes” by Voya Financial. Lugoff-Elgin High wrestling coach Ted Monroe was selected as Head Varsity Coach for the 2020 North-South wrestling tournament. He was also nominated as 5A Region Wrestling Coach of the Year. Lugoff-Elgin Middle School sixth grade ELA teacher Erica Peake was nominated by her former student Alasia Hughes as WLTX's Teacher of the Week. Pine Tree Hill Elementary librarian Lisa Conrath received the Adjunct Teaching Award from the University of South Carolina's School of Information Science.
These accomplishments are a tribute to the excellence of our staff and the unwavering support of our families and the larger community. We appreciate these partnerships that help us to continue our academic success.
Dr. Shane Robbins, ATC
Superintendent
