RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Richland County School District One is celebrating its highest ever graduation rate, which the district achieved during the 2018-2019 school year.
At 82.2% of students graduating, it is the highest graduating percentage the district has ever seen. Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon acknowledged those in the district who contributed.
"That speaks to the hard work, certainly, of our students, our schools' staff, our support staff, counselors, social workers, our teachers, everyone that comes together," Witherspoon said.
Representatives from Richland One schools gathered to celebrate on Wednesday morning in the W.J. Keenan High School auditorium. Students from the school's marching band payed, and cheerleaders performed along the sides of the crowd. According to Witherspoon, representatives from every school in the district were present.
"It's a lot of work that goes on from year to year, and it's not just a one year event. There's work that has to be done to keep track of students all four years of their high school careers," Witherspoon said.
The superintendent continued, "We're certainly going to pause today to celebrate, to recognize the teams and individuals and schools that brought us to this point. And after we celebrate for a little while, we're going to get back to work and make sure that we're still doing those things on a day-to-day basis that continue to move our district and move our students forward."
Richland County School District One is the ninth-largest school district in the state. It accommodates 24,000 students in 52 schools.