Spotlight One
2019-2020 Mid-Year Edition
A Publication of Richland County School District One
A Major Milestone Every year, we inevitably remark around this time of the year that the school year is going by quickly. The 20192020 school year is no exception. As we look back on the first half of the year and look ahead to the second, we can be proud of major achievements and everyday triumphs in schools and departments across our district. We believe it’s important to celebrate our successes and keep our stakeholders informed about our progress. This publication is one of the many ways we do that. During the fall semester, we celebrated the news that our graduation rate reached a major milestone – 82.2 percent – the district’s highest-ever graduation rate. Our schools, students and staff won prestigious honors and awards at the state and national levels. We held a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of our last stadium renovation project. Please take time to read this mid-year update to catch up on all the great things that have been happening in Richland One. We also want you to stay connected throughout the year via our website, social media, R1TV and our Spotlight ONE publications. As always, we thank you for your support of Richland One as we work together to transform the lives of our students through education. We are Richland One Strong!
Craig Witherspoon, Ed.D. Superintendent
W ith high-energy music playing and purple pom-poms waving in the air, ecstatic Richland One students, school and district leaders, support staff and community partners celebrated the district’s highest-ever graduation rate with a special assembly October 2. At 82.2%, Richland One’s 2019 high school graduation rate is not only the highest in the district’s history, it also surpassed the statewide average of 81.1%. The latest graduation rate data was released by the South Carolina Department of Education as part of the 2019 school, district and state report cards. Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon credited the historic increase in the district’s graduation rate to the bold new strategies that were implemented last summer, including creating school and district graduation teams to track student progress, holding meetings with seniors and their parents to identify needs and barriers to graduation,
and providing mentors to motivate students who may need an extra push. “It does take a village. It takes everyone working together. Reaching this number – 82.2% – starts in elementary school. Graduation doesn’t just happen. You can’t just wait until their senior year. It’s a culmination of people doing a lot of work at the district, school and community levels,” said Dr. Witherspoon. “We start strong, we finish stronger and we do what we do because we care for
our young people.”
Inside: By the Numbers · Points of Pride · Key Dates