Dear Parents and Guardians of the Class of 2013:

     Congratulations on the upcoming graduation of your child. The faculty and staff of Lake City High School are proud of the accomplishments of these young people. To insure that their graduation is a special and memorable time for them, their friends and you, their family, it is important that everyone is kept well informed of guidelines that have been put in place for the ceremony. After reading this, should you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact a member of the Lake City High School administrative staff or graduation committee.

• Graduation will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. At that time the doors will be closed and locked and no one will be allowed in. There are no exceptions to this.
• Everyone has to have a ticket. Your graduate has been informed of this and knows that it applies to any age individual (This includes infants).
• For safety reasons and so that everyone has an opportunity to see the entire ceremony, no one will be allowed on the gym floor. Guests will remain behind the roping in front of the bleachers at all times. Pictures can be made after graduation or from your seat.   Failure to follow these guidelines will result in immediate removal from the gym.
• Please refrain from yelling and shouting during the ceremony. This is a joyous, but dignified ceremony. Every student should have the right to have their name heard by themselves, their families and friends. Please do not deny them of this by celebrating loudly during the ceremony. There will be an appropriate time for cheering after all students have received their diplomas.
• Your student has been given information regarding appropriate attire and graduation etiquette. Your assistance in making sure that they follow these instructions would be greatly appreciated.

     We are looking forward to seeing you at graduation. The Class of 2013 is anxiously awaiting this milestone. It is our hope that we have planned a ceremony that will meet with their expectations of this special night.

Sincerely,

Lake City High School Graduation Committee

FCSD3 SCHEDULES EARLY AND LATE REGISTRATION DATES

Florence County School District Three will hold early registration for students in grades 5K-8 on Thursday, May 30, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Friday, May 31, from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Parents should register their children at the school for which they are zoned. When registering their children, parents are required to provide photo identification, such as a driver’s license, and an electricity bill as proof of residency. If the utility bill is not in the parent’s name, the parent must provide a notarized document that verifies residency.

During early registration, parents will complete or update the student registration information, as well as health, transportation and emergency contact information only. Registration fees for the 2013-2014 school year will not be collected during early registration.

Registration for students new to the district will be held on Tuesday, July 30, from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Students must register at the school for which they are zoned.

Registration for grades 9-12 and late registration for grades 5K-8 will be held on Wednesday, July 31, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Thursday, August 1, from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Students in grades 5K-8 will register in the Lake City High School gym. Students in grades 9-12 will register in the Lake City High School commons area.

Applications for free/reduced meals will be available to parents during registration on July 31 and August 1. Applications will also be accepted August 5-19 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. in the food service office located at the district’s administrative offices at 125 South Blanding St. in Lake City.

Links:

Student Registration Form

Student Health Information Form

Bus Transportation Registration Form

Parent Registration Checklist

Student Lunch Application Flyer

Affidavit for Utility Arrangements (For parents whose utilities are in the name of another person)

Affidavit for Rentors (For parents whose utilities are included in rent costs)

FMU OFFFERING FREE DUAL CREDIT COURSES

Francis Marion University is offering free tuition for dual credit courses for all Florence County high school students who meet the enrollment and academic requirements. Credits earned will count towards both high school and college requirements.

For a list of courses included in this program, see your Guidance Counselor.

View FMU’s dual credit flyer.

FCSD3 TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON 2013-2014 BUDGET

Florence County School District Three has scheduled two public hearings on its projected 2013-2014 budget on Tuesday, April 16, and Tuesday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the board meeting room located behind the district office at 125 South Blanding St., Lake City.

The Board of Trustees held first reading of the budget at its regular monthly meeting on March 21. Second reading will be held at its regular monthly meeting on May 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room located behind the district office.

The 2013-2014 projected budget is based on preliminary figures provided by the state. The district used a Base Student Cost (BSC) of $2,101 that was approved by the South Carolina House of Representatives. All budget figures are subject to change as more budget information becomes available from the state. 

The district’s millage for 2013-2014 is projected to be 192.1mills for operations.

To view the projected 2012-2013 budget, click here. A copy of the budget presentation is also available at the district office, Lake City Library and Olanta Library.

To view the presentation from the first public hearing on April 16, click here.

To view the presentation from the second public hearing on May 14, click here.

LAKE CITY HIGH SCHOOL IS NAMED A PALMETTO GOLDRECIPIENT FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

For the third consecutive year, Lake City High School is the recipient of a Palmetto Gold Award for its outstanding academic achievement. The school received the award for “general performance,” according to the South Carolina Department of Education.

Lake City High School earned an Absolute Rating of “Excellent” and a Growth Rating of “Good”on its 2012 state report card.

“I am very proud of all the hard work of the faculty, staff and especially the students,” said LCH Principal Kasey Feagin. “Our teachers have high expectations for all of our students and our students continue to rise to these expectations. We are still not where we want to be but with the continued hard work of all our stakeholders, we will continue to improve year after year.”

The Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards program (PGS) began with the Education Accountability Act of 1998, recognizing schools for high levels of academic achievement and high rates of improvement. The PGS recognizes schools based on the criteria in the statewide Accountability Manual approved by the Education Oversight Committee (EOC) for both general performance and working towards closing the achievement gap. Within those two categories, a school may be awarded either the gold or silver designation. The EOC revised the criteria for Palmetto Silver General Performance this year, reducing the number of eligible schools.

Of the award recipients, 447 schools were recognized for general performance only, 39 were recognized for closing the achievement gap only, and 191 schools were recognized for their performance in both general performance and closing the achievement gap. Approximately 68 percent of this year’s recipient schools have a poverty index of 60 or higher. Lake City High School has a poverty index of over 90 percent.

“We are pleased that Lake City High School received the Palmetto Gold award for General Performance on their 2012 State school report card,” said Laura Hickson, FCSD3 Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. “Lake City High School has earned the Palmetto Gold Award for three consecutive years and is one of 282 schools that received the award this year. We are very proud of the students, faculty, staff, and parents at Lake City High School for their efforts.”

NEW TDAP VACCINATION REQUIREMENT FOR 7^TH GRADERS

Beginning in August 2013, all 7^th graders will be required to get the Tdap vaccine to protect them against whooping cough. Students who have not had a Tdap vaccination may not be allowed to attend school.

Click here for more information

FCSD3, SCHOOLS SHOW IMPROVEMENT ON STATE REPORT CARDS

Lake City High School maintained an “Excellent” Absolute Rating for the second consecutive year on the state’s school report card released on November 13, while J. Paul Truluck Middle School’s Absolute Rating also improved from Below Average to Average.

“Excellent” is the highest possible rating schools can receive on the state report cards.

The State Department of Education compared Lake City High School to 38 similar high schools. Of those, only six received Absolute Ratings of “Excellent,” while three received “Good,” 17 were rated “Average,” three were “Below Average” and 10 received a rating of “At Risk.” The school’s Growth Rating improved from Below Average in 2011 to Good this year.

“Our Absolute Rating of ‘Excellent’ is a direct reflection of continued hard work of our faculty, staff and students,” said Lake City High principal Kasey Feagin. “Student achievement and making sure our students are equipped with the tools necessary for success for high school and beyond are our primary focus each and every day.”

Lake City High School’s longitudinal passage rate on the High School Assessment Program (HSAP), used to measure a student's academic achievement on South Carolina high school standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics, was 86.6 percent compared to 81.1 percent for the 38 similar schools.

In addition, the on-time graduation rate, which tracks the percentage of students who complete high school “on time” and get a diploma in four years, for the district and Lake City High was 85.6 percent. The state’s on-time graduation rate is 75 percent. High schools similar to Lake City High reported an on-time graduation rate of 66.7 percent. This graduation rate is calculated using the federally-approved method that all states will use by the end of the year.

Other schools showing improvement on the Absolute Rating include Lake City Elementary and Main Street Elementary. Both schools moved from “At-Risk” in 2011 to “Below Average” in 2012. Both schools also maintained an “Average” Growth Rating. Scranton Elementary also improved its Growth Rating from “Below Average” to “Average” while maintaining an Absolute Rating of “Average.”

Ronald E. McNair Middle, Olanta Elementary and J. C. Lynch Elementary each maintained Absolute and Growth ratings of “Average” from 2011 to 2012.

“We are extremely pleased with the improvements that are reflected in this year’s state report cards,” said district superintendent Dr. V. Keith Callicutt. “These improvements are the direct result of the hard work and dedication of our staff, students and parents. It is our expectation to show continued improvement each year.”

Ratings formulas based on student achievement levels are set by the Education Oversight Committee, created by the General Assembly to guide implementation of South Carolina’s Education Accountability Act of 1998.

To view the 2012 state report cards, go to www.florence3.k12.sc.us then click on “Plans & Data” and “State Report Cards.” A parent may also request a free printed copy of a school or district report card from their child’s school.

PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE

The goal of Florence County School District Three is to provide a quality education for all students. Main Street Elementary School, Lake City Elementary School, J. Paul Truluck Middle School, and Ronald E. McNair Middle School have shown significant academic improvement during the past two consecutive years, and will no longer be required to offer School Choice or SES (free tutoring) according to the ESEA Waiver recently approved by the US Department of Education. Students of parents who were enrolled at MSE, LCE, JPTMS, and/or REMMS who have previously opted for school choice and were approved will have the opportunity to finish the highest grade in their choice school.

Please note the following:

1. Title I funds will be used to pay for bus transportation to the choice school for the 2012 -2013 school year. This will give parents adequate planning time to seek an alternative method of transportation for students who remain at a choice school beyond the 2012 -2013 school year.  
2. Payment for choice transportation will be limited. Payment for choice transportation will be discontinued effective June 30, 2013. Transportation for students attending a choice school will be the sole responsibility of parents.  

If you have questions about the school choice option, please call Yvonne Scott at 374-8652 Extension 1110. 

  Our Mission

The mission of Florence School District Three is to ensure that all students are prepared for success.

 South Carolina’s school district superintendents met in the fall and winter of 2010-2011 to outline their vision for education in the state. Their ideas form an education compass to guide public education and, subsequently, to impact the lives of thousands of children who call South Carolina home. To read their vision for educating South Carolina’s children, click here.