Florence School District 5 principals report mixed gains; Johnsonville Middle wins 'excellent' progress rating

The Florence County School District 5 Board of Trustees heard principals’ reports at its October meeting, where administrators summarized state report‑card results and plans to raise student achievement. Johnsonville Middle School received an “excellent” rating for student progress, a major driver of its overall score, while Johnsonville Elementary and the high school were described as ‘average’ with specific areas targeted for improvement.

School leaders told trustees that the middle school’s progress measures were notably strong: the school reported 61.6% of overall progress points versus a 45% state average and 61.4% of students in the lowest 20% meeting growth targets versus the state’s 50.8%. The middle‑school principal said these growth measures were the primary reason the school earned the excellent rating and credited expanded class periods and targeted remediation for the gains.

District presenters described multiple classroom and schoolwide strategies intended to raise scores. Measures cited included extended reading and math blocks (80 minutes), individualized learning pathways using iReady, instructional tutors who push into classrooms for remediation, weekly diagnostics and competition incentives tied to Progress Learning, and restructuring gifted (PACE) programming to better serve advanced students. For science, schools are adopting inquiry‑based 5E lessons and hands‑on activities, along with digital tools such as Gizmos, to prepare students for tests that again count toward report cards.

Administrators stressed the district will continue regular progress monitoring and parent communication. They noted parent‑teacher conferences set for Nov. 4 and described family‑engagement efforts (literacy nights, incentives) intended to support growth. One principal pointed to a seven‑point gain in a two‑year span at one school and said the district is aiming to move schools from average to good or excellent in coming years.

Board members asked questions about how scheduling and instructional tutors are being used to reach students who are close to proficiency and how the district tracks the lowest‑performing students. School leaders said they are using diagnostic data to target “bubble” students—those close to the next achievement level—and holding frequent progress checks every two to three weeks.

The presentations closed with schools outlining next steps for targeted interventions and a pledge to return to the board with further updates during the next cycle of reporting.