Kershaw County School District (KCSD) continued to keep its focus on 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 during the 2022-2023 school year.
Through rigorous learning opportunities, we inspire students to think critically and solve real-world problems. Teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners and improve student achievement. The continued use 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 opportunities to obtain college credit. An innovative partnership provides qualified Kershaw County graduates with full two-year scholarships to CCTC.
This year again, KCSD’s financial operations received the best audit results possible with an “unmodified opinions” from an external independent CPA firm.
In January, North Central High School held its dedication and open house for the newly built school, welcoming students back to the campus for the first time since tragedy struck on January 12, 2020, when an EF-2 tornado touched down on the school’s campus. The 130 mph winds destroyed classrooms, the school library, athletic fields, and school buses parked there overnight. The storm left the campus unusable. The school was temporarily relocated to the empty facility that formerly housed the district’s career and technology center while the high school was rebuilt. Even in the midst of such tragedy, North Central High School was one of ten schools from around the state selected as a finalist for the 2023 Palmetto’s Finest Awards.
The district hosted an inaugural Elevate to 4K event. KCSD received a Countdown to Kindergarten community partner grant from First Steps to go towards putting on this back to school transition event for the Kershaw County community.
A staggered start schedule was used for our kindergarten students for the first week of school to allow students to experience a smoother transition and allow staff members time to build strong relationships with students and parents in support of continued academic and social emotional growth.
Our schools continued to receive state and national honors. KCSD won many awards in the SC chapter of the National School Public Relations Association’s 2023 Rewards for Excellence communications contest.
North Central Middle School has earned the national honor of being designated as a "School to Watch." North Central Middle joins Camden Middle, Lugoff-Elgin Middle and Leslie M. Stover Middle who received this national recognition in previous years. Kershaw County School District is one of only two school districts in the state to have all of its middle schools receive this prestigious designation.
Blaney Elementary School (BES) participated in SC Department of Education's (SCDE) Collective Leadership Initiative for the 2022-2023 school year. BES is the first KCSD school to participate in the program focusing on a cohesive vision for teacher leadership roles within South Carolina’s schools.
In May, nine seniors representing Camden, Lugoff-Elgin, and North Central High schools participated in Kershaw County School District’s Future Educator Signing Day. The event, sponsored by KCSD’s Teacher Forum, celebrated students who have decided to pursue careers in the field of education.
KCSD has talented and highly-skilled employees, many of whom were recognized at the national and state levels this school year. 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.
