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Information for Newcomers

Welcome to School District Five!  School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties welcomes you to our district!  We are a district steeped in tradition and high academic excellence.  School District Five has earned a reputation as a top school district in South Carolina and one of the finest in the nation.  We are happy about the prospect of you joining our district family!

Located just 10 miles northwest of Columbia, the state’s capital, our district includes the northwestern portion of Richland County and the northern section of Lexington County.  We have a total of 25 schools, with 13 elementary schools, 2 intermediate schools, 3 middle schools, 4 high schools, the FIVE virtual education program, an Alternative Academy, and our Center for Advanced Technical Studies.  Our district serves more than 17,000 students that live within our boundaries 


 

Our vast curriculum offers talented and gifted programs, work-based learning, special education courses, various choice and magnet options, and adult education.  Each school in the district uses up-to-date technology as a part of daily instruction and sets high standards for academic performance.  Our high schools offer an extensive advanced placement program and various dual enrollment courses for college credit.

 

Registering Your Child

 

According to South Carolina law, all children between the ages of 5 and 17 are required to attend school.  Children who will be five years old on or before September 1 must enroll in kindergarten unless a parent or guardian signs an official waiver, available through local elementary schools.  All students entering first grade must be six years old on or before September 1.

 

To register, call the elementary school that is located within your attendance zone.  Take your child’s legal birth certificate, a current SC Certificate of Immunization (or a SC Certificate of Medical or Religious Exemption), a property tax receipt or rental lease showing all occupants, and two utility bills showing your correct home address to the school to which you are zoned.  According to state law, schools may only accept a SC Certificate of Immunization which can be obtained from physicians, county health departments, or military clinics.

 

Parents of children new to the district may bring sealed permanent records from their previous school.  If not delivered by hand, parents should sign a record release form at their previous school and provide your new school with the previous school’s mailing address.  

 

You should tell the school’s administration if your child has been enrolled in gifted programs or in special education classes.  Students new to School District Five may be tested to assure proper placement.  

 

If you are uncertain as to which school you are zoned, use the GIS School Locator link.  The district has made every effort to make sure this information is correct.  However, we encourage you to contact the Office of Student Services and Planning at (803) 476-8121 to verify the information prior to closing on a home.