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The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) provides equal educational opportunities for all individuals. Therefore, SDPC prohibits all discrimination and harassment on the basis of ethnic or racial background, religious beliefs, sex, disability, immigrant or English-speaking status, or economic or social conditions. This policy extends to all aspects of the district's educational program as well as to the use of all district and school facilities and participation in all district- and school-sponsored activities.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), a federal law, requires that the School District of Pickens County (SDPC), with certain exceptions explained below, obtain your written consent prior to any disclosure to an outside organization of personally identifiable information from your child's education records. However, unless you have advised SDPC not to release such information, SDPC may disclose to an outside organization without written consent appropriately designated "directory information."

Examples of outside organizations that may request the disclosure of directory information include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. SDPC also receives requests for directory information from various media outlets. Students participate in a variety of school-related events and activities that are subject to some form of publicity—from honor rolls to media coverage of special events. Information about and pictures of your child may appear in newspaper articles, on television, in radio broadcasts, on displays, on the school and district websites, or in school and district promotional pieces, including but not limited to honor roll lists, yearbooks, newsletters, brochures, or fliers.

In addition, federal law requires SDPC to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories regarding students – names, addresses, and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the district that they do not want their student's information disclosed without their prior written consent, as explained below.

SDPC has designated the following information as being directory information related to a student: the student's name, address, telephone number, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of enrollment, awards received, and the most recent school attended.

If you do not want SDPC to disclose directory information from your child's education records to any outside organization without your prior written consent, you must state that you do not wish for your child’d information to be shared on the Privacy and Security screen during the FinalForms online registration process. You can access FinalForms on the SDPC website by clicking on the Enroll/Registration.

The Directory and Media Opt Out option can be found on the Privacy and Security screen in FinalForms. On this screen, you will be asked to agree and allow your student’s directory information to be shared or you can choose for your child’s information not to be shared.

This could include Information and pictures of your child that may appear in newspaper articles, on television, in radio broadcasts, on displays, on the school and district websites, or in school and district promotional pieces, including but not limited to honor roll lists, yearbooks, newsletters, brochures, or fliers. 

Parents/Guardians will be required to answer this question when new students are enrolled and each year when they update information for the upcoming school year. Additionally, you will be required to sign the Privacy and Security form.

If you do not want SDPC to disclose directory information from your child's education records to any outside organization without your prior written consent, you must complete the Opt-out for Media & Directory Information Form (also known as "Media Denial Form") and return that completed form to your student's principal no later than fifteen (15) days after registration. An Opt-out for Media & Directory Information Form is required to be completed and returned each year for students to retain opt-out status.

Please be advised that if you do not submit a completed Opt-Out for Media & Directory Information form by the specified date, SDPC will be free to release or use directory information regarding your child as appropriate.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires certain designated components within the School District of Pickens County to maintain the privacy of protected health information and to provide individuals with notice of the district’s legal duties and privacy practices with respect to this health information. HIPAA and its regulations specifically exclude any education records covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), treatment records of a student over 18 years of age that are made or maintained by a health care professional and disclosed to no other persons, and employment records held by the district in its role as an employer. Therefore, the district acknowledges that the business activities of only some of its components may be considered subject to the privacy regulations of HIPAA.

A copy of the school calendar is provided to each student at registration.

Click here to view the current and future calendars website - www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/spdc-calendars

Primary students attend school daily from 7:50 a.m. until 2:20 p.m.  Elementary students attend school daily from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Middle school students attend school from 8:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m.. High school students attend from 8:40 a.m. until 3:25 p.m.  Starting times may be adjusted at some schools because of bus schedules.

Please check with your school for specific information and for any changes in opening and closing times. Times may be adjusted at each school to accommodate traffic flow and other issues. Changes are posted on school and district websites.

Students should not be on school property prior to the established time for adult supervision to begin in the morning or after the time for adult supervision to end in the afternoon. Consult the school handbook for these specific times at each school as well as for the locations where the adult supervision is provided. The SDPC assumes no responsibility for the supervision of or protection for students who either arrive at school prior to the time when adult supervision is provided in the morning or who remain on campus in the afternoon after the time when adult supervision ends.

On half days, Primary schools will dismiss at 11:00 a.m. Elementary schools will dismiss at 11:10 a.m. Middle schools will dismiss at 11:45 a.m., and High schools will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. Breakfast will be served on half days; lunch will not be served. 

Parents can view information about their child’s grades, assignments and attendance through and online system called Schoology.

Schoology will allow students and parents/guardians to check attendance, assignments and grades as well as see messages that have been sent from the school and district. 

Schoology access codes are distributed during the first week of school. If you do not have your login information for your Schoology account, please contact your child’s school.

During the winter months, inclement weather can result in unexpected changes in school schedules. If school is canceled due to inclement weather, SDPC will communicate the closure through phone calls, text messages (for parents who opt in), email, our website, social media posts, and news media. Our goal is always to announce a closure as early as possible and never later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of the cancellation. In the event that snow, ice or other adverse weather conditions materialize during the school day, district and local school officials will monitor conditions closely. If dismissing schools early becomes necessary, notice of the decision will be sent by phone, email, and all other available communication platforms. 

Please remember that we are a county-wide district serving areas with varied terrain. The weather and road conditions may seem fine in one area, while other areas are becoming hazardous. However, due to school choice and calendar considerations, it is not practical to close schools in one area of the district while leaving others open. Our top priority in making a decision to close schools will always be student safety. 

The SC Department of Education has approved SDPC South Carolina to hold eLearning Days when school is canceled during inclement weather. eLearning Days allow students to complete assignments electronically or from information provided by their teachers within 5 days instead of holding a school-wide make-up day later in the year. Students who do not complete the assignments are counted as absent for the day.