ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP —Typically, the exodus of students flows one way: From public school to private.

Recently Rock Hill officials encountered the opposite, a private school student who wanted to join the public school district.

Now the district has a new academic policy in place in case others want to follow suit.

Superintendent Wes Hairston said a freshman from Sugar Creek Christian Academy wanted to enroll at Rock Hill High School.

“He wanted to take part in athletics and for the social aspect,” Hairston said.

While transfers from one public district to another poses little problem, Sugar Creek does not use the same kind of curriculum the public schools do and their students are not subject to the same state standardized tests that public school students do. Although the SCCA staff said the student scored well on tests there.

“Quite frankly, we’ve never had this happen before,” Hairston told the school board at Tuesday evening’s meeting.

Hairston said he called other superintendents to see how they handled such situations, consulted with the child’s parents, worked with other Rock Hill educators and formulated a policy not only for private school students but also for homeschoolers who opt at some point for a public education.

The student will take a mid-term test and then an end of the year test in core classes (math, science, English, etc.,) to determine his academic standing.

The board Tuesday evening accepted the resignation of high school assistant principal Darrell Humphries, who has accepted the high school principal’s job at Symmes Valley High School.

“He’s a very classy gentleman who will do Symmes Valley a commendable job, I’m sure,” Board President Dennie Hankins said.