South Carolina Schools Start Back

FORT MILL, SC– “We just moved to Fort Mill about 3 months ago it’s really nice area we’re excited about being here,” said Fort Mill resident, Lerond Freeman.

Lerond Freeman and his wife Kortney are picking up their kindergartner for her first day of school at Pleasant Knowles Elementary. She’s one of the estimated 800 new students in Fort Mill schools this year,  many families like the Freeman’s who work in Charlotte but chose Fort Mill to live.

“Quality of life close to Charlotte where you can live in small town and enjoy benefits of a larger city, the taxes are lower,” said Fort Mill Superintendent, Dr. Chuck Webb.

And more schools are on the way thanks to voters approving a bond package last year.

“Two hundred twenty six million dollar bond to build the middle school going beside this campus and the third high school,” said Webb.

Another change this year, the new 10 point grading system getting South Carolina on par with neighboring states.

“Prior to this year a 91 in North Carolina was an A and 91 in South Carolina was a B so that hurts those kids competing for college scholarships,” said  Webb.

Parents say that’s another reason they’re happy with the district.

“We thought about moving several times but we decided there’s no way we could actually risk our child not having the academic career we know he will have,” said Fort Mill resident, Marcea Black.