Fort Mill School Board Meeting Highlights, March 18, 2025

Strategic Planning Update

Dr. Mike Waiksnis presented the year four update of the current Fort Mill School District 5 Year Strategic Plan. The work on this plan started in 2019 and has included feedback from countless stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, parents, community members, board members and more. The strategic plan has four goal areas:

Leadership Capacity
Learning Capacity
Resource Capacity
Personalized Learning

Each goal area includes performance goals, strategies and action steps design to support the district overall mission.

The next steps in the strategic planning process as we near the end of this cycle are:

2025-26 School Year
- Update the current plan for the final time.
- Preliminary planning for the new Strategic Plan and Cognia Accreditation visit.
2026-27 School Year
- Cognia Accreditation visit.
- New Strategic Plan due – April, 2027.

To view the current Fort Mill School District Strategic Plan please click here.

Swim Program Update

Peter Olinger presented an update on the district’s “Splash with Confidence” swim program offered in partnership with the YMCA. The program currently offers swim classes to all second-grade students as part of a four-day program. The classes are 45 minutes long and are led by instructors while being monitored by lifeguards. Students are placed in one of four swim levels:

Basic Aquatic Skills
Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Strike Mechanics
Stroke Improvement

First reading of the 2025-2026 Calendar

Mr. Joe Burke presented the administration’s calendar recommendation for the 2026–2027 school year for first reading. The calendar features the following:

Equal 90 day semesters
Student Start Date Aug. 3
Fall Break for students and eligible staff Oct. 13–16
Thanksgiving Break Nov. 25–27
Winter Break Dec. 21–Jan. 1
Break for students and eligible staff in conjunction with Presidents Day Feb. 15–19
Spring Break Mar. 29 – Apr. 2
Last Day of School May 28

The proposed calendar draft is attached to the highlights email. The draft will be submitted to the board for approval at the next school board meeting.

Superintendent Search Committee Presentation and Update

Dr. Kevin Castner with BWP & Associates, presented an update to the board regarding the superintendent search. BWP was selected to lead the search process and the team consists of Dr. Kevin Castner, Dr. Percy Mack and Dr. Frank Morgan. The search objects are:

Create a procedure that aids the Board in identifying the most suitable candidate.
Foster community and staff support for the search effort by engaging them in the process.
Intensive recruitment of exceptionally skilled candidates.
Successful completion of the search within the Board’s timeline, budget, and expectations.

The search team will conduct interviews with the board members, arrange meetings with representatives from different groups, host open forums for employees and the community, and conduct an online survey to assist in creating a leadership profile for superintendent candidates.

Using this information, BWP will review applications for additional consideration to identify candidates that fit the leadership profile. The candidates will be presented to the board for review and interviews.

Below is an outline of the search timeline:

Search Planning and Preparation – February/March 2025
Recruitment and Assessment – February/May 2025
Selection – May 2025

The process for collecting input is currently underway. The online survey is now open on the district website at the link below until midnight on March 24 and there is an open community forum scheduled for Thursday March 20 at the Fort Mill School District Training and Support Center beginning at 6 p.m.

Survey Link

Approval of the Class of 2024 Hall of Fame

The board voted to approve the 2024 Fort Mill School District Hall of Fame inductees:

Doug Chapman: Mr. Chapman is a long-time volunteer with Fort Mill High School football. He has been part of the volunteer “chain crew” for nearly 60 years.
Irabelle Love: Mrs. Love was a beloved teacher at the George Fish School, where she taught home economics in the early 1950s. She went on to become a guidance counselor at Fort Mill Jr. High shortly after the integration of schools.
Margaret Lundy: Ms. Lundy was a graduate of Fort Mill High School who later served more than 30 years in the transportation department, driving buses and training drivers.
Keebler Mills: Keebler Mills Jr. was the band director at Fort Mill High from 1959-1971. He is credited with bringing Fort Mill bands “out of the doldrums” with his fun, upbeat music.
Chari Young: Chari Young worked in the Fort Mill School District for nearly 45 years, working with students in multiple roles before moving to the district office, where she served as the assistant curriculum coordinator.

The new class will be inducted during a special reception April 8, 2025.

Approval of Resolution to Provide for Capital Improvements to Fort Mill School District Facilities

The board is authorized to approve and issue bonds for up to a total of 8% of the assessed tax value without referendum. The district typically issues these types of bonds annually to cover special projects that go beyond the scope of the school budget. Payback for these bonds typically occurs within 3-5 years. The board approved the issuance and sale of not exceeding $4.45 million in general obligations bonds for the Fort Mill School District.

Approval of Resolution to Provide for Contractually Agreed Semi-Annual Payment to Fort Mill Schools Facilities Corporation

The board approved the issuance and sale of not exceeding $6 million in general obligations bonds for the Fort Mill School District, which are used to pay the annual Installment Purchase Repayment Bonds (IPRB).

Fort Mill School Board meetings can be viewed live or on demand on the district’s YouTube channel or with the link below.