School District Five has named finalists for its 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year award. The finalists are: Anna Maria Hinson, a Spring Hill High School English teacher; Kathryn Meetze, a Reading Interventionist at H. E. Corley Elementary School; and Patrick Smallwood, a Biomedical Technology teacher at the Center for AdvancedContinue Reading
District Five has named finalists for its 2026-2027 Support Employee of the Year award. The finalists are: Jessica Catalano, a special education assistant at H. E. Corley Elementary School; Jeanette Farr, a literacy lab assistant at CrossRoads Intermediate School; and Dina LaBarca, a school secretary/bookkeeper at Ballentine Elementary School. CatalanoContinue Reading
IRMO – Lexington-Richland School District Five Superintendent Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr. was surprised April 20 at the School District Five School Board meeting with the prestigious South Carolina National School Public Relations Association (SC/NSPRA) Administrator of the Year Award. The announcement was made by Toni Chewning, President of SC/NSPRA.Continue Reading
IRMO – There was little downtime over Spring Break for Dutch Fork High School astronomy instructor J.M. Cameron, who traveled to Suffern to attend the North American Astronomy Forum and Space Expo on April 11–12. The event, considered the largest space and astronomy expo in the world, brought together leadingContinue Reading
IRMO – The Center for Advanced Technical Studies continues to gain national recognition, as its SkillsUSA chapter has once again been named a Model of Excellence—marking the sixth time in the past seven years the school has earned the distinction. The honor places The Center among the top 24 SkillsUSAContinue Reading
IRMO – Ten Lexington-Richland School District Five schools have been recognized with Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards from the SC Department of Education for academic achievement and student progress on State Report Cards. Ballentine Elementary (Silver), Chapin Elementary (Gold), Chapin High (Gold), Chapin Intermediate (Silver), Chapin Middle (Gold), Dutch ForkContinue Reading
IRMO — Each March, the Office of Academics organizes a recycling initiative in recognition of Global Recycling Day, encouraging students and staff to contribute to sustainability efforts while supporting community partners. This year’s project focused on collecting recyclable materials for EdVenture Children’s Museum, which requested supplies for its A-Ha MakerContinue Reading
IRMO — School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties Coordinator of Instructional Technology Carol Lunsford recently joined fellow leaders from across the state for a Women’s History Month gathering focused on advancing education in South Carolina. The event, organized by Discovery Education in partnership with the South Carolina AssociationContinue Reading
Four students and one educator from Irmo High School represented School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties at South Carolina AP Day, held at the South Carolina State House. Hosted by the College Board, the event brought together students, teachers, and education leaders from across the state to advocateContinue Reading
Experienced, professional accountant David Estes was approved by the Board of Trustees March 23 to serve in the role. Estes has served as a financial controller for Sharpvue, Inc, a senior accountant for Rather Outdoors and an auditor for Burkett, Burkett and Burkett. “I’m honored and excited to serve DistrictContinue Reading
School District Five has named Allen Knotts the Interim Chief Operations Officer for the district. He will replace Dr. Gerald Gary who is leaving the district to become superintendent for the Sumter School District. Knotts has been serving the district since August 2022 as Director of Facilities. Before joining theContinue Reading
IRMO – Lexington-Richland School District Five has named Allen Knotts as Interim Chief Operations Officer. He replaces Gerald Gary, who is leaving the district to become superintendent of the Sumter School District. Knotts has served the district since August 2022 as Director of Facilities. Prior to joining District Five, heContinue Reading
Allison Terracio, who represents Richland County District 5, has announced she will be seeking re-election. Terracio was first elected to serve in 2019. As a county councilwoman, Terracio has been a passionate and effective leader for District 5. Elected and sworn in before the COVID-19 pandemic, she guided Richland CountyContinue Reading
District Five high schools have made the list of the 2025-2026 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings. All four high schools are among the top high schools in the Columbia metro area and the state according to the new rankings. Spring Hill High is ranked the bestContinue Reading
School District Five has completed the inaugural season of the Bridge Development League, launched in partnership with the Irmo Chamber Recreation Commission (ICRC). The Bridge Development League is designed for middle school-aged children (ages 9–14) to develop fundamental skills and prepare for higher levels of competition. The program focuses onContinue Reading
The Lexington-Richland School District Five Foundation brought back a familiar tradition last week, hosting a Retiree Luncheon on Thursday, March 26 at the Seven Oaks Recreation Center. Nearly 250 former District Five employees turned out for the gathering, reconnecting with colleagues and celebrating the years they dedicated to local schoolsContinue Reading