Five Forks & Simpsonville, SC Schools: What To Know Before You Move
The house has the kitchen you love, space for everyone, and a backyard you’re already planning. Then comes the question that can change the whole search: “But what about the schools?”
For many families moving to the area, the schools are what put Five Forks and Simpsonville on their short list in the first place. And once you look beyond the school names and ratings, you start to understand why. There are opportunities for the child who's always building something, the teenager ready for advanced coursework, and the kid who can't wait to get on the stage or the field!
As a mom and someone who moved our family from New York to Simpsonville in 2021, I understand how much is wrapped up in this decision. You want your kids to find their people, discover what they’re good at, and have opportunities to grow. So let’s put some actual schools, programs, and numbers behind the conversation.
Updated September 2026. Academic results below refer to the 2024–25 school year or 2025 results, as identified.
Oakview and Monarch: strong elementary-school options
Oakview Elementary and Monarch Elementary both earned “Excellent” overall ratings on South Carolina’s 2024–25 school report cards.
Monarch’s report card showed 85.3% of tested students meeting or exceeding expectations in English language arts, compared with 60.3% statewide. That’s a meaningful academic result for parents considering their elementary-school options.
There’s more behind those ratings, too. In Greenville County Schools’ academic achievement awards recognizing 2024–25 performance, Oakview appeared in the district’s top-performing 10% lists for elementary English language arts and science. Monarch appeared on the science list.
If you’re moving with younger children, these are two schools worth understanding early in your search—while you’re still deciding which locations and homes make sense for your family.
Bell’s Crossing and Mauldin Elementary belong in the conversation, too
Bell’s Crossing Elementary earned a “Good” overall rating for 2024–25, with 86.9% of tested students meeting or exceeding expectations in English language arts.
That’s a helpful example of why I like looking beyond a single rating. An overall school rating combines several measures; it doesn’t tell you everything about performance in a particular subject.
Mauldin Elementary also earned an “Excellent” overall rating. And here’s a detail that can surprise people relocating: despite its name, Mauldin Elementary is located on Holland Road in Simpsonville. School names and mailing addresses don’t always line up the way you might expect.
Rudolph Gordon: a standout for hands-on learning
Rudolph Gordon deserves more than a quick mention.
It’s a K–8 school with a STEAM focus—science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Its school narrative describes a dedicated STEAM lab, a makerspace, and learning built around designing, researching, solving problems, and working together. Students also have opportunities in robotics, fine arts, clubs, and middle-school athletics.
For the child who wants to build something, figure out how it works, or test an idea, those details can matter a lot.
The academic recognition is worth knowing, too: Greenville County Schools recognized Rudolph Gordon for the highest overall middle-school performance in its academic awards covering spring 2024 to spring 2025. It also appeared in the district’s top-performing 10% lists for middle-school English language arts, math, and science. Its 2024–25 middle-school report card earned an “Excellent” rating.
The K–8 structure may also appeal to parents who like the possibility of their children staying on the same campus through elementary and middle school.
Hillcrest Middle: academics with room to explore
Hillcrest Middle earned an “Excellent” overall rating for 2024–25. Its district profile also lists Palmetto Gold recognition in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
What I like about looking deeper is seeing the range of opportunities behind the rating. Hillcrest Middle lists high-school-credit offerings that include Honors English I, Honors Geometry, Spanish I, and several advanced arts and technology courses. Its programs also include robotics, theatre, band, strings, chorus, and athletics. Course eligibility and availability still matter, but there’s a lot for a student to explore.
Middle school is such a big season of figuring out who you are. Having opportunities to discover an interest—or find a group of kids who share it—can be an important part of settling into a new community.
Mauldin Middle is another school to include when comparing homes in the area. It earned a “Good” overall rating for 2024–25.
J.L. Mann: advanced academics, STEM, and plenty of ways to get involved
If you’re moving with a teenager, J.L. Mann High Academy deserves a closer look.
Its offerings include a mathematics, science, and technology magnet program, Advanced Placement courses, AP Capstone, Project Lead the Way, robotics, and more than 50 clubs and organizations. Its school profile reports 220 AP Scholars and 30 AP Capstone Diploma recipients in 2025.
The district reported a 92.5% graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1067 in 2025. J.L. Mann also had 615 students take AP exams—the largest number of AP test-taking students among district high schools that year.
For parents, that gives the conversation some substance: advanced coursework, opportunities to explore technical interests, and a broad range of activities.
One location detail matters here: J.L. Mann is physically in Greenville, so it shouldn’t be described as the automatic high school for Five Forks or Simpsonville. Attendance zoning and magnet admission are separate considerations.
Hillcrest High: more than one path to what comes next
Hillcrest High earned an “Excellent” overall rating for 2024–25, and the district reported a 94.5% graduation rate in 2025.
Its offerings include AP classes, an Early College program, dual credit, and career pathways in agricultural science, business, family and consumer science, and health science. The school also lists fine arts, speech and debate, robotics, and more than 25 student clubs.
I think that variety deserves attention. Some teenagers have their college plans mapped out. Others are discovering they love healthcare, agriculture, business, or working with their hands.
When you’re choosing where to move, it helps to know what opportunities exist for the child you have—and the person they’re becoming.
Mauldin High: results worth putting on your radar
Mauldin High earned an “Excellent” overall rating for 2024–25. Its 2025 graduation rate was 96.2%, the highest among the high schools listed in the district’s graduation report. It also led the district with an 87.8% AP exam passage rate, meaning scores of 3 or higher.
Those are strong outcomes to include when considering schools around Simpsonville and Five Forks.
They also show why narrowing your search by a town name alone can leave out useful options. The school assignment attached to a particular home is what matters.
Fountain Inn High: another school to know as you explore nearby options
Fountain Inn High is worth including if your search extends toward Fountain Inn.
Its first graduating class had a 94.5% graduation rate in 2025. The school’s Institute of Automation and Engineering offers pathways including mechatronics, machine tool, engineering, and computer science, alongside AP courses and dual-enrollment opportunities through Greenville Technical College and USC Union.
For a student interested in technical fields or hands-on problem-solving, those programs add another dimension to the school conversation.
What this means for your home search
There’s a lot here for families to be excited about: strong academic results, advanced coursework, creative outlets, and opportunities to explore a future career.
But I also want the rest of your life to work.
The school run. Your commute. Getting to practice. Having enough room in the budget to enjoy your weekends. Finding a home where you can settle in and start building community.
That’s why I lead with lifestyle.
If schools are driving your move, we can make them part of the conversation from the beginning and connect those priorities to your home search. We’ll confirm the elementary, middle, and high school assignments for each property with Greenville County Schools; a Five Forks or Simpsonville address doesn’t guarantee a particular school, and specialty programs may have separate admission requirements.
If you’re considering a move to Five Forks or Simpsonville, I’d love to hear about your family and what you’re hoping to find here. We can start there and build a plan around what matters most to you. Fill out my "Connect With Me Form" HERE.
Krista Juliana
Greenville Real Estate Advisor & Relocation Specialist
Krista Juliana Homes, LLC & Real Broker, LLC
Categories
Recent Posts
