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District presents year‑four strategic‑plan update and rolls out calendar proposals as attendance improves
Summary
Administrators presented year-four updates to the district strategic plan — emphasizing culture, community engagement and continuous improvement — reported progress on teacher turnover and student growth, and previewed a modified year‑round calendar and makeup-day policy changes tied to e‑learning.
District leaders presented the year-four update to Fort Mill's strategic plan and described how the document guides priorities for leadership capacity, instruction, safe and healthy schools, and opportunity-gap work.
Presenters underscored the plan's focus on culture, community engagement, commitment and continuous improvement; they cited multiple data sources used for needs assessment (Cognia accreditation reports, achievement and college-career data, climate surveys, attendance and retention metrics). One presenter said teacher turnover for the 2024–25 school year stood at 9.5 percent, down from 16.4 percent in 2021–22.
Administrators described pilot interventions, including high‑dosage middle‑school math tutoring (three 45‑minute sessions per week for six to seven weeks) and middle‑school math interventionists, and said the district will create grade‑band task forces to address opportunity and achievement gaps.
Separately, the district previewed a modified year‑round calendar for 2027–28 with balanced semesters, October and February breaks, and an additional teacher return week; staff said community response has been generally positive. Mr. Burke explained that because state law and the district's e‑learning program have evolved, the district is realigning which days are designated as weather makeup days, reducing the number to the minimum required by law while preserving e‑learning as an option on days of closure.
Attendance data presented by the superintendent's office showed district enrollment at 18,253 and monthly attendance increases (district-wide December attendance above 95.31 percent), with elementary, middle and high schools reporting varying attendance performance and chronic absenteeism rates.
Board members asked questions about implementation timelines, how the strategic plan intersects with accreditation (Cognia) and how calendar changes will be shared with families. Administration said it will return with final budget recommendations and present the strategic plan for approval at a subsequent meeting.
