In a packed September 1 session, the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees celebrated sweeping athletic state championships and long-serving district staff, approved a major expansion to its academic curriculum, and reviewed key updates on capital projects funded by tens of millions in developer impact fees.
A Night of Honors: State Champions and Dedicated Staff
The board opened the meeting with a series of recognitions highlighting both veteran staff and athletic excellence across the district.
Special honors went to dedicated staff members marking 25 and 30 years of service with the district. The board also celebrated Dwayne Hartsoe, Athletic Director at Fort Mill High School, following his induction into the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, as well as the high school’s athletic department for securing the prestigious Carlisle Cup.
On the track, Fort Mill High School swept the state level in 2026, earning district honors for both the Class 5A Boys Track State Champions and the Class 5A Girls Track State Champions. Additional recognitions included the 2025–2026 FMSD Athletics Coach Awards and the Superintendent’s Red Nose Award.
Expanded Curriculum: New AP, Honors, and Elective Courses Approved
Following a presentation by Dr. Gales Scroggs, the board unanimously approved a robust roster of new Advanced Placement (AP), Honors, College Prep, and locally approved courses to expand student opportunities across middle and high school levels.
Key additions to the curriculum include:
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Advanced Academic & Honors: AP Research, Honors Zoology, Pre-AP Biology, and Pre-AP US History.
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Arts & Humanities: Middle School Theater Arts, Musical Theatre, Creative Writing 2, Film and Fiction, Journalism Editor (4–7), Model UN/Debate, Mock Trial, and advanced Honors Dance and Choir offerings.
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Career & Applied Sciences: Criminal Justice, JROTC Leadership Labs (1–4), and History of Sport.
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Student Support & Skill Building: ESOL (Levels 1–8), Physical Education 7 & 8, and specialized transition courses in Math, English, Reading, and Geometry.
Financial Update & Impact Fee Allocations
Assistant Superintendent of Finance Mrs. Leanne Lordo delivered the monthly financial report for the period ending July 31—the first month of the new fiscal year.
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Operating Budget: The district recorded total revenues of $11,374,364 against total expenditures of (10,837,818), typical for the start of the fiscal year prior to autumn tax collections. Vehicle tax collections reached $2,369,815.
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Impact Fees & Capital Projects: Total impact fees collected to date reached $85,656,428, with an additional $7,525,357 earned in interest. The district has submitted $92.6 million in claims with York County to support critical facility projects, including $67.3 million for Flint Hill Elementary and $25.3 million for Flint Hill Middle.
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Development Growth: August saw the addition of 12 single-family homes and 27 multi-family units, bringing total residential development tracking to 3,023 single-family and 2,288 multi-family units (5,311 units total). August collections hit $917,172, exceeding the 2025 calendar year monthly average of $848,076.
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Upcoming Bond Sale: The district announced an upcoming $24.125 million IPRB refunding bond sale scheduled for September 2 to optimize existing debt structures.
Board Governance and District Operations
Board members recently attended the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA) Law Conference, gathering updates on evolving state and federal educational legislation, legal procedures, and policy strategies aimed at boosting student achievement.
In his report, Superintendent Grey Young provided operational updates on current district enrollment figures, student attendance trends, and the upcoming calendar of events. The district also announced that annual leadership training for PTO, PTA, and Booster Club officers is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30.
Fort Mill School Board meetings are available to stream live or on-demand on the district’s official YouTube Channel.
