Lexington County School District Two’s Chief Academic and Innovation Officer David McDonald gave a recent presentation on summer program updates, showcasing student participation and outcomes.

One of the programs discussed was Read to Succeed, a third-grade summer reading camp that requires each district to identify students who are not reading proficiently. The program provides students the opportunity to receive extra support on their reading, writing, listening and researching skills.

McDonald said 130 students joined the camp and 51 students earned perfect attendance.

Act 114 states that students who are not reading proficiently and score “Does Not Meet Expectations” on the S.C. Ready Reading exam must be retained in the third grade.

Thirty students in Lexington County School District Two were held back. “Those students received a great deal of support,” McDonald said. “We had many other kids who were able to take advantage of that extra opportunity and not have to repeat a grade.”

The district held a multilingual learner camp where students who needed extra support in learning English were able to improve on their oral language, reading and writing. Riverbanks Elementary School held one camp and hosted a total of 40 students from all six elementary schools. Four teachers and one interventionist participated.

Saluda River Academy for the Arts served nine middle school students from all four middle schools alongside two teachers leading the camp.

Students at the camp worked on developing foundational language and literacy skills, developing language needed to navigate school, opportunities for interaction to extend language skills and work on prerequisite skills and language development for success in science, math, social studies and language arts.

Attendees were also able to read and check out books with their library card at the Lexington County mobile library and receive one free book through the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program if they participated.

Camp GG, an initiative that allows the district to support students with learning disabilities and special needs, had 72 students participate. Twelve of these students received extended school year services in accordance with their IEPs.

The camp was held at Cayce Elementary, where a total of eight teachers, 17 support staff, two ABA interventionists, two custodians, seven bus drivers, one speech language pathologist, one physical therapist, one nurse and one director helped.

Summer school had 118 high school students attend, where 84 credits were earned. Sixty-seven middle school students also attended, along with 30 of the district’s teachers and aides.

The Performing Arts Center hosted its Fine Arts program, where 60 students participated and worked on music, acting and visual arts.

The next regular monthly school board meeting is Aug. 21, beginning at 6 p.m. at the District Education Center located at 3205 Platt Springs Rd. in West Columbia.