Charleston County School District is a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools spanning 1,000 square miles of coastal SC. With over 43,000 students, 79 schools including elementary, middle, high schools, and four charter schools and 5,000 employees, Charleston is the second largest school system in SC and one of the area's top employers. In 2004, a new plan, "The Charleston Plan for Excellence", was adopted for the Charleston County School District. This plan will be the road map for the Charleston County School District as it moves into the future to become a School District where 'excellence' becomes a word associated with every school. The plan is based on research, experience and data that provide the foundation for success. Charleston County School District is nearing completion on a 5-year, $429 million building program, which is seeing dramatic facility improvements in schools across the county. When complete, the plan will include four new high schools, two new elementary schools, and numerous school renovations and additions touching every community the District serves. The first of these new schools, West Ashley High School, opened in August 2001 and Wando High School opened at the beginning of 2004-2005 school year. Historic Charleston, the cultural center of the South, has preserved three and a half centuries of 18th century homes, plantations, public buildings and spectacular gardens. The old "Peninsula City" is a mecca of architectural style, museums, fine arts and performing arts festivals, antique shops, and churches. The Charleston area offers an abundance of year-round activities such as the Cooper River Bridge Run, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition and the Spoleto Festival USA. Island beach resorts and public beaches are playgrounds for swimming, boating, diving, sailing, shrimping, fishing, sunbathing, water skiing, surfing and shelling. There are several professional sports teams that call Charleston home: the Riverdogs (baseball), the Stingrays (hockey), and the Battery (soccer). Visit our website at www.ccsdschools.com for additional information. We would love to have you join our team of success.