School starts today in York, Chester, Lancaster counties. Here are some things to know.
School starts Monday for York, Lancaster and Chester County students.
Local districts have prepared for 2019-2020 with leadership changes, the opening of a new school and heightened security.
Here are some things you should know:
Rock Hill
- Rock Hill leaders approved two years of district calendars.
- New security rules have been put in place for District 3 Stadium events.
Rock Hill schools is also hiring private, armed security officers to be stationed at all district elementary schools.
- Rock Hill leaders raised teacher pay for 2019-20 and approved a $172.6 million budget.
Doug Pearson Jr. was named Rock Hill High School’s varsity boys’ basketball coach.
Page Wofford is the new head football coach at Northwestern High School.
Rock Hill is participating in the S.C. Education Oversight Committee eLearning days pilot program. Students can access assignments via laptops or other devices rather than coming in for make-up days.
New leaders:
Rock Hill school board members approved multiple leadership changes earlier this year:
- Dan Blackburn was named dean of students.
Saluda Trail Middle School’s new assistant principal is Aaron Clark.
Kenneth Crump is the new assistant principal at Rawlinson Road Middle School.
Amber Handy was named assistant principal at Dutchman Creek Middle School.
Derek Johnson is the new assistant principal at York Road Elementary School.
Kay Runyans was named dean of students.
Jessica Wren was named assistant principal at Rock Hill High School.
Several Rock Hill leaders moved to other schools for 2019-20 and new people were hired:
Nakia Barnes moved to Sunset Park Center for Accelerated Studies.
Jackie Jones now leads Mt. Holly Holly Elementary School.
Crystal Guyton moved to York Road Elementary School.
Christopher Roorda moved to India Hook Elementary.
Patrick Robinson now leads Finley Road Elementary.
Kim Nordin is now assistant principal at Northside Elementary School of the Arts.
Takela Burns is assistant principal at Mt. Gallant Elementary School.
Sheleea Leonard was named assistant principal at Ebenezer Avenue Elementary.
Beau Modla is assistant principal at Dutchman Creek Middle School.
Marek Marshall is assistant principal at South Pointe High School.
Chris Curtis is assistant principal at Northwestern High School.
Sgt. Michael Johnson of the Rock Hill Police Department is the new director of safety and security for the district.
Tonya Belton is the director of federal programs.
ShaQueena McLaughlin was named the Multi-Tiered System of Support Specialist.
York
- A new utility line worker certification program has launched for York and Clover students.
York’s Stop Food Waste program limits the amount of lunch food wasted and benefits hungry students and families.
York approved the 2019-20 district calendar.
- York schools approved a $49 million budget with teacher pay raises.
Clover
Metal detectors and new safety measures were announced for Clover school athletics.
A new utility line worker certification program has launched for York and Clover students.
Teacher pay raises were approved in Clover’s 2019-20 $93.3 million budget.
Clover approved the 2019-20 calendar.
Lunch items donated through Clover’s elementary school share table program help students in need.
Clover is participating in the S.C. Education Oversight Committee eLearning days pilot program. Students can access assignments via laptops or other devices rather than coming in for make-up days.
New leaders:
Norris Williams is the new principal for Blue Eagle Academy.
Nicole Thompson is the principal of Griggs Road Elementary School.
Fort Mill
- Fort Mill school board leaders approved the 2019-20 district calendar.
Some Fort Mill students will start school five minutes earlier under a new bell schedule.
- Catawba Ridge High School is set to open for its first year.
Catawba Ridge offers a Navy National Defense Cadet Corps unit.
Mascots were named for Fort Mill’s newest schools. Kings Town Elementary is home of the Knights, River Trail Elementary School will cheer for the Otters and Forest Creek Middle School’s mascot is the coyotes.
Catawba Ridge High School’s mascot is the copperheads.
Fort Mill became the top paying school district in York County for teachers. Pay raises were approved in the district’s $149.9 million 2019-2020 school budget.
New leaders:
Marc Pyrc has been named Banks Trail Middle School’s principal.
Ren Patel is the new director of Fort Mill High School bands.
Adam Fantone is the new principal of Springfield Elementary School.
Jad Griffin was named principal of Fort Mill Elementary School.
Leaders were chosen for Fort Mill’s newest elementary schools. Jocelyn Young will lead Kings Town Elementary School. Peter Olinger was chosen as principal for River Trail Elementary School.
Lancaster County
- Lancaster County school board members approved the 2019-20 district calendar.
- Lancaster’s $124 million budget includes teacher and staff pay increases.
Chester County
- Chester County leaders raised starting teacher pay as part of the $52 million 2019-20 budget.
- Chester County approved its district calendar.
Chester County School District came to an agreement with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office and the county to increase the number of school resource officers in the district.
This story was originally published August 15, 2019 at 11:03 AM.
