DUNCAN — It was hard to miss Tyger River Elementary School Principal Shayne Daugherty who wore a bright-yellow tuxedo and top hat on the first day of school as he greeted students returning from summer break. Students across Spartanburg County returned to classes on Aug. 12.
It's an exciting time with some nervous jitters included, especially for new students. In some cases, students were welcomed at new schools. There's been a push to build new schools in several districts, especially where enrollment growth is expected to rise over the next decade.
Students returned to classes on Aug. 12, 2024, in Spartanburg County. Tyger River Elementary School was among several new schools that opened in Spartanburg School District 5.
Tyger River Elementary School was among several new schools that opened in Spartanburg County School District 5 , which serves the Duncan, Lyman and Wellford communities. District 5 has nearly 11,000 students enrolled. It's experienced significant growth in recent years, with new housing construction not expected to slow anytime soon.
About 300-400 new students have enrolled in the school district in the past five years. In November 2021, voters in District 5 approved a bond referendum to allow the district to borrow $295 million to build a new elementary school and middle school and fund expansions at other schools. These projects were all completed by the opening of the 2024-25 school year.
At 120,000 square feet and located on 40 acres, Tyger River Ele.