2024-2025 News Pages

Guoxin Zhong, a 2025 graduate from Scholars Academy High, has won the National Trig-Star Competition! Trig-Star is a competition sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) that recognizes and rewards high school students who excel in mathematics, particularly Trigonometry, and their teachers.

That’s a wrap on the 2024–2025 school year!

Horry County Schools is proud to announce that eleven more of our students are recipients of National Merit Scholarships!

Congratulations to Rachel Pirttima - Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology, Lauren Mathis - North Myrtle Beach High School, Justin Hawes, Chase Kaluder, Samuel Laing, Haydn Sloop, Joseph Trotta, and Guoxin Zhong - HCS Scholars Academy High School, Tristen Cordi and Noah Marks - St. James High School, and Joseph Dennison - Socastee High School

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) has awarded these students National Merit Scholarships in recognition of their superior academic achievements.

On June 2, 2025, the Horry County Board of Education approved the Superintendent’s Comprehensive Budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which does not require a tax increase. 

The Horry County Board of Education named Tammara Ceaser the new principal at St. James Elementary, beginning the 2025-2026 school year.

The countdown is ON!
Our last day of school is Friday, June 6.

Don’t forget — schools will dismiss 2.5 hours earlier on:

➡️ Thursday, June 5

➡️ Friday, June 6

Horry County Schools will be offering FREE Summer Meals to children 18 & younger. Families should visit the closest location from the sites listed below. Meals will be served during the dates/times stated and MUST be eaten onsite in the café dining area. Please check-in through the front office. 

Contact Nutrition Services at (843) 488-6925 for more information.

Elementary and Middle school sites will be closed on July 3 and 4.

High School sites will be closed June 30 - July 4.

Visit our Summer Meals page for more information.

USDA Non-discrimination statement

The Aynor High Softball team are the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) Class AAA State Champions!

At the annual Rewards for Excellence ceremony for the South Carolina chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (SC/NSPRA), HCS won eight awards for its work in communications.

The SC Band Directors Association (SCBDA) and the SC Music Educators Association (SCMEA) have announced that six HCS music programs have earned an Outstanding Performance Award for the 2024-25 school year!

The Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology’s Plant the Moon Challenge team won the Best in Innovation award, one of only four awards given to South Carolina high school teams in the competition. 

Our 2025 Virtual Tech Fair award ceremonies are live! Click below to find the video for your grade-level division. Thanks to our students, faculty, staff, families, and community members who helped make this another great HCS Tech Fair!

Staff and parents in the St. James attendance area are invited to participate in an informational meeting where you will receive a status update regarding the St. James Elementary Replacement School. We hope you can join us!

In observance of Memorial Day, schools and offices will be closed.

Have a safe and happy long weekend!

On May 19, 2025, the Horry County Board of Education reviewed the Superintendent’s Comprehensive Budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which does not require a tax increase. The final vote and public hearing regarding the budget are scheduled for June 2, 2025.

Horry County Schools will be offering FREE Summer Meals to children 18 & younger. Families should visit the closest location from the sites listed below. Meals will be served during the dates/times stated and MUST be eaten onsite in the café dining area. Please check-in through the front office. 

Contact Nutrition Services at (843) 488-6925 for more information.

Elementary and Middle school sites will be closed on July 3 and 4.

High School sites will be closed June 30 - July 4.

Visit our Summer Meals page for more information.

USDA Non-discrimination statement

The Horry County Board of Education named Ashley Arthur the new principal at Daisy Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year.

The Horry County Board of Education named Richard Reyes the new principal at Ocean Drive Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year.

Six student athletes from Green Sea Floyds, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and St. James High Schools brought home seven state titles from the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) South Carolina State Track and Field Championships.

Congratulations to Imane Aboulqassim, Yining Elaine Deng, Sean D. Dobis, and Alex Tabaku, all from HCS Scholars Academy High! The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) has awarded these four students National Merit Scholarships in recognition of their superior academic achievements.

Palmetto Bays Elementary, South Conway Elementary, Waccamaw Elementary, Carolina Forest High, and the Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology (AAST) have all been recognized by Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for having distinguished programs for the 2024-25 school year. 

The South Carolina National History Day results are in, and HCS is once again well-represented on the list of winners!

A total of 24 projects submitted by 44 students have ranked in the top three in their categories, earning them a spot in the national competition at the University of Maryland in June. Students from Black Water Middle, Early College High, North Myrtle Beach High, and Ten Oaks Middle won additional awards at the competition. 

The MBH Seahawks Boys Tennis team are the 2025 Class AAAAA-Division 2 Boys Tennis State Champions!

This month, we celebrate the incredible individuals who make our school district a place of learning, growth, and connection. Your hard work, dedication, and passion inspire possibilities every day, creating a brighter future for our students. We are deeply grateful for everything you do. Thank you for making a difference!

Conway High School is celebrating 100 years of continuous accreditation as a high school, joining the ranks of less than two dozen South Carolina high schools to achieve this milestone, according to the accrediting organization Cognia.

On May 5, 2025, the Horry County Board of Education reviewed the Superintendent’s Comprehensive Budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which does not require a tax increase. The final vote and public hearing regarding the budget are scheduled for June 2, 2025

Congratulations, McKenzie Brown of Loris High School, the HCS 2026 Rookie Teacher of the Year!

Mr. Clifford Jones, the new Superintendent of Horry County Schools, has scheduled  “Coffee with Cliff” events for the remainder of the school year!

Click below to access registration information and links for new and returning students!

The Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology (AAST) has received one of this year’s Palmetto’s Finest Awards! This prestigious award recognizes schools that offer excellent instruction and outstanding leaders, augmented by strong family and community involvement and a supportive business community.

Socastee Elementary School has received one of this year’s Palmetto’s Finest Awards! This prestigious award recognizes schools that offer excellent instruction and outstanding leaders, augmented by strong family and community involvement and a supportive business community

The Academy for the Arts, Science & Technology (AAST) has received one of this year’s Palmetto’s Finest Awards! This prestigious award recognizes schools that offer excellent instruction and outstanding leaders, augmented by strong family and community involvement and a supportive business community.

Socastee Elementary School has received one of this year’s Palmetto’s Finest Awards! This prestigious award recognizes schools that offer excellent instruction and outstanding leaders, augmented by strong family and community involvement and a supportive business community

Join us on Thursday, May 1 at 5:00 p.m. on our Facebook page as we livestream our Rookie Teacher of the Year Recognition Ceremony!

Please enjoy a safe and relaxing Spring Break!

Schools and offices will be closed Friday, April 18 through Friday, April 25 and reopen Monday, April 28.

Join us as we celebrate our school level teachers of the year and unveil the 2026 HCS Teacher of the Year!

The Horry County Board of Education named Megan Acre the new principal at Ocean Bay Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year. Megan Acre is currently the interim principal at Ocean Bay Elementary School and will begin her new position on July 1, 2025.

HCS congratulates our Director of Nutrition Services, Kim Johnson, who was named the 2025 Director of the Year by the School Nutrition Association of South Carolina!

Elementary, middle, and high schools across our district are busy rehearsing their spring productions and want you to know about it!

Visit our 2025 Spring Theatre page for information on shows in your community. Check back often as our list of productions is growing.

2025 Spring Theatre Productions

We need your input!

The South Carolina Department of Education is asking parents of students in grades 3-12 to participate in a School Climate Survey for their child/children’s school. The survey is managed and completed entirely in the PowerSchool site or app. Visit our instructional page for more information.

Thanks for your help!

HCS is proud to recognize the unique strengths and talents of individuals with autism. We are committed to fostering a supportive environment where every student can thrive. Through awareness and acceptance, we can build a more understanding and compassionate community for all.

Horry County Schools is hosting a job fair for bus driver, custodian, Food Services, and maintenance positions on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the District Office from 4 - 6 PM. Click below for registration and application information!

We need your input!

The South Carolina Department of Education is asking parents of students in grades 3-12 to participate in a School Climate Survey for their child/children’s school. The survey is managed and completed entirely in the PowerSchool site or app. Visit our instructional page for more information.

Thanks for your help!

The HCS Summer Scholars program is a special experience that provides academic enrichment opportunities for gifted and talented students in grades 3-11.

Join the livestream of our event at 5 pm today as we name the 2026 Support Staff Employee of the Year!

HCS formally celebrates the contributions of exemplary Support Staff members through its Support Staff Employee of the Year program. 

School and departmental winners were nominated by their peers and eligible to be considered one of five finalists. The 2026 Support Staff Employee of the Year will be named on the evening of March 27, 2025. 

Congratulations to Brooklyn Hill, Chelsea Giddings, Diana Browder, and Jaydan Cheri of Conway High! These members of the Conway High FFA are the state champions in the Floriculture Career Development Event, and Jaydan Cheri was also the highest-scoring individual in the entire event.

Congratulations, Holly McMillan of Myrtle Beach High, our 2026 Support Staff Employee of the Year!

The Horry County Board of Education named Derrick Boyd the new principal at Pee Dee Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year. Derrick Boyd is currently the assistant principal at Loris Elementary School and will begin his new position on July 1, 2025. 

This past weekend, 11 talented students from across our school district represented us proudly in the American Choral Directors Association's (ACDA) National Honor Choirs in Dallas, TX!

Are you the parent/guardian of a 4 year-old (or a child who will be 4 on or before Sept. 1, 2025)?

HCS will be accepting applications for the Child Development Program for the 2025-2026 school year beginning Monday, March 24, 2025.

This FREE, full-day program gives children the educational experiences they need to be successful in kindergarten.

Kindergarten and 1st Grade Registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open Monday, March 24 for students new to Horry County Schools!

Click below to learn more and begin the registration process.

Registration for returning students (including those kindergarten students who are currently in the Child Development program will open later this Spring.

More than 800,000 students worldwide, including tens of thousands in South Carolina, participated in this year's READBowl, a global reading competition held between the College Football National Championship and the Super Bowl.

HCS is home to two conference-winning teams this year, marking the third consecutive year the district has fielded winning teams. Team KIDD, taught by April Kidd at Myrtle Beach Early Childhood School, won the Primary (PreK-2) Conference. Wendy Nixon’s “Nixon A4” team at Ten Oaks Middle won the Middle (6-8) Conference.

Congratulations to Dee’on Bellamy, the cafeteria manager at Loris High! He has been elected to the executive board of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) as the National Employee/Manager Representative.

Horry County Schools is hosting a job fair for bus driver, custodian, Food Services, and maintenance positions on Tuesday, March 25 at the District Office from 4 - 6 PM. Click below for registration and application information!

Congratulations to North Myrtle Beach High School’s Varsity Theater Team! They participated in the Palmetto Dramatic Association’s High School Festival and brought home several awards and recognitions!

Congratulations to the St. James High School Sharkies for an incredible performance at the South Carolina Dance Association State Championship at USC-Aiken!

HCS has been keeping an eye on the weather conditions expected to affect our county tomorrow due to a storm system where the higher winds are projected to impact Horry County in the early afternoon. HCS will maintain a normal school schedule...

This month, we'll be celebrating our student musicians by showcasing our All-County concert series. Each week we'll release concerts featuring performances from all three grade levels across our county.

This month, we celebrate the hard work, dedication, and expertise of our incredible athletic trainers who keep our student-athletes safe, strong, and ready to perform. From injury prevention to rehabilitation, their impact goes beyond the game!

Mr. Clifford Jones, the new Superintendent of Horry County Schools, has scheduled  “Coffee with Cliff” events for the remainder of the school year!

We need your input!

The South Carolina Department of Education is asking parents of students in grades 3-12 to participate in a School Climate Survey for their child/children’s school. The survey is managed and completed entirely in the PowerSchool site or app. Visit our instructional page for more information.

Thanks for your help!

We are proud to recognize our middle and high school students who auditioned and were selected for the SCMEA All-State Orchestra. This prestigious honor reflects their dedication, talent, and commitment to musical excellence.

Earning a place in this ensemble is a significant achievement, and we commend these students for their hard work!

Download the 2025-2026 Student Calendar.

Congratulations to the 44 outstanding elementary students from our district who auditioned for and were selected to perform in the SCMEA Elementary Honors Choir in Columbia, SC, on February 7-8.

Congratulations, Dillon Miles of Aynor High, and Noah Justice and Javon Johnson from Loris High: State Wrestling Champions in their brackets!

Congratulations to Tyler Zehfuss and Siena Trentini! These two students were selected to represent the South Carolina Wing of the Civil Air Patrol at National Legislative Day in Washington, D.C.

:::Reminder:::
Schools will be closed for students on Monday and Tuesday, February 17 and 18.
February 18 is a district staff development day.

The SC Choral Directors Association Honor Choir weekend was held January 24 and 25 – at Francis Marion University. 

Congratulations to the Carolina Forest High School Wrestling team: Class AAAAA D1 State Champions!

Register today for our Educator Job Fair on February 8, 2025!

Congratulations to Connor Norton! For the second year in a row, this Socastee Middle School student won the Pee Dee Regional Spelling Bee.

February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week. This week highlights the tremendous contributions school counselors can make to helping students achieve academic success and plan for their next steps in education and careers. 

Thank you to our dedicated counselors for making a difference in the lives of students, families, and schools across Horry County!

HCS is excited to welcome Clifford Jones as our new Superintendent! He’s recorded a short video sharing his message to parents, students, HCS employees, and the Horry County community.

This month, HCS will celebrate Black History Month by honoring the culture and community of African Americans and the contributions they have made to our nation. 

Due to temperatures remaining well below freezing and the likelihood of roadways refreezing, causing unsafe travel conditions, Horry County Schools will have another eLearning day on Friday, January 24, 2025. All extracurricular activities (athletic and other extracurricular events) scheduled for Friday, January 24, 2025, will be rescheduled. 

Due to temperatures remaining well below freezing and the likelihood of icy roadways causing unsafe travel conditions, Horry County Schools will have an eLearning day on Thursday, January 23, 2025. All extracurricular activities (athletic and other extracurricular events) scheduled for Thursday, January 23, 2025, will be rescheduled.

Due to potential unsafe travel conditions resulting from incoming inclement weather, Horry County Schools will have an eLearning day on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. All extracurricular activities (athletic and other extracurricular events) scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, and Wednesday, January 22, 2025, will be rescheduled. Also, all schools and offices will close at 3 p.m. today.

ACCESS for ELLs testing will occur from January 21 to March 7, 2025 at all schools.

Horry County Schools (HCS) was recently informed about an international cybersecurity data breach involving our student information system provider, PowerSchool.

After an internal district investigation by the HCS Information Technology Department, no data from the district was affected or compromised by the cybersecurity breach.

Thanks to the Horry County Board of Education for their continued work and leadership in our district!

Board Retreat

9:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Families and staff should read this announcement for important information about our policy, which aligns with a new state law.

Mr. Jones will begin his three-year contract as superintendent on or shortly after February 3, 2025

Candice is one of only 29 teachers selected by Curriculum Associates as an Extraordinary Teacher this year, and she was the only one chosen from South Carolina!

Congratulations to April Troglauer, the orchestra teacher at Aynor Middle! Her article “Using Chamber Music and Reflection to Foster Student Engagement in Orchestra” was selected for publication in the Music Educators Journal.

On Monday, Dec. 9, the Horry County Board of Education announced the top three finalists for Horry County Schools' next superintendent. The finalists include Dr. Jonathan Crossley, Mr. Clifford R. Jones, and Dr. Michael Thorsland. Dr. Jonathan Crossley is currently the superintendent of Hope School District in Hope, Arkansas; Mr. Clifford R. Jones is currently the Chief of Staff of Fulton County Schools in Fulton, Georgia; and Dr. Michael Thorsland is currently the superintendent of the School District of Oconee County in Walhalla, South Carolina.

The Horry County Board of Education is in the final phase of its search for a new superintendent to lead Horry County Schools. The Board will announce the top three finalists at its December 9 meeting.

The public is invited to attend a meet and greet opportunity with the three candidates on the evening of December 10, at Ocean Bay Middle School.
Click the link below for more details.

Register today for our Educator Job Fair on February 8, 2025!

Anna Claire is the Class AAAA-AAAAA Girls Tennis Individual State Champion!

The Horry County Board of Education named Andrena Baker the new principal at the new Ten Oaks Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year. Andrena Baker is currently the assistant principal at Myrtle Beach Middle School and will begin her new position in January 2025.

The Horry County Board of Education named Dr. Michael Raymond the new principal at the new Pine Island Elementary School, beginning the 2025-2026 school year. Dr. Michael Raymond is currently the principal at Switlik Elementary School in Jackson, New Jersey. He will begin his new position in January 2025. 

The NMBH Lady Chiefs are the Class AAAAA - Division 2 State Champions!

Explore our options for high school students and plan to attend one or more of our info nights!

This year, 16 Horry County Schools received the Distinguished Arts Program Grant from the South Carolina Department of Education. This grant provides $18,000 to a school for one school year!

Ella Kate is the AAA Girls Golf state champion!

Jenna is the Class AAAAA Division 2 Girls 100 Butterfly State Champion!

Valued at $10,000, this package is SFR’s way of giving back to the state that ignited the organization’s passion for serving delicious, nutritious meals that support student success in the classroom.

In an amazing showing, Scholars Academy High School earned a 99.34 out of 100, making it the highest-scoring school in the state!

Horry County Schools’ performance on the 2024 state report cards, based on overall ratings, shows that 36 out of 50 district schools (72%) were rated as Excellent or Good. Of those,14 HCS schools were rated Excellent, while 22 were rated Good. No HCS schools were rated Below Average or Unsatisfactory.

Twelve HCS students placed or received an honorable mention, and our students swept the 12th Grade Photography category!

Three Horry County schools have received STEM certification from Cognia, a non-profit education accreditation and assessment agency. The Academy for Technology & Academics, Conway High School, and St. James High School met Cognia’s STEM Certification Standards.

Congratulations to Jenna Miller, a Carolina Forest High School science teacher, for being named an Outstanding Teacher by Project Lead The Way (PLTW)!

Congratulations to Scholars Academy High School, which was named to the College Board’s 2024 AP School Honor Roll at the highest level: platinum!

The Sun Belt Conference, Coastal Carolina University (CCU), and the CCU football program announced that CCU has received a $6,000 gift from the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and their Extra Yard for Teachers program.

On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the American Heart Association (AHA) announced that Horry County was the #1 lifesaving district in South Carolina and the #13 lifesaving district nationally.

The HTC Board of Directors approved a 2024 Capital Credit refund of approximately $7.6 million in total to its membership.

Connor is one of only twenty students in the entire state that scored a perfect score on both the English Language Arts and Math SC Ready assessments.

Eleanor is one of only twenty students in the entire state that scored a perfect score on both the English Language Arts and Math SC Ready assessments.

Performance results released by the South Carolina Department of Education for the 2023-2024 school year indicate that Horry County Schools consistently outperformed the state on three major standardized state assessments: SC READY, the End-of-Course Examination Program, and the SC Career Ready Test.

Six Horry County Board of Education members earned recognition from the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA) for achievement in the association’s 2023-2024 Boardmanship Institute.