Beaufort County School District Announces Four New Principals for The Upcoming School Year

Four veteran administrators from within the Beaufort County School District will be moving into leadership roles as principals at four different schools in the county for the upcoming academic year starting August 7, Superintendent Frank Rodriguez announced recently.

“Every exceptional district has strong school leaders, and I’m excited to see these superb educators be successful in their new roles,” Rodriguez said. “They’re experienced, they understand the importance of creating a school culture of moving academic achievement and ensuring our students succeed.”

The New Principals And Their Previous Roles

Jamie Allen, a University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) alum and veteran educator with 18 years in the district, will be moving to Broad River Elementary School after serving as the principal at Whale Branch Middle School. She replaces Constance Goodwine-Lewis, who will take over as principal of St. Helena Elementary School.

Allen’s successor at Whale Branch Middle School will be Brantley Wilson, who previously served in various certified and leadership roles at Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence in Ridgeland, dating back to 2006. He also served as a rescue diver/swimmer for Beaufort Water Search and Rescue and as a reserve firefighter.

Whale Branch Early College High School will welcome Sonji Leach as principal. Leach, who recently served as assistant principal at Beaufort High School, will replace Davina Coleman, who has accepted a corporate position outside of the district. Leach holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in Atlanta and has held multiple leadership roles in Georgia and South Carolina schools.

The final leadership change will occur at Bluffton Middle School where Keith Stewart, the school’s former assistant principal, will step up as the new principal. He replaces Matt Hall, who accepted the principal position at Bluffton High School. Stewart began his career as a physical education teacher and has served in various roles in Beaufort County schools.

Selection Process for the New Principals

The principals’ selection process was thorough and involved several stages of interviewing by committees made up of teacher leaders, feeder/cluster principals, School Improvement Council members, the Chief Human Resources Officer, a Human Resources representative, an Executive Director, and a representative of the district’s Instructional Services division. High school interview committees also included student leaders. Ratings from each round of interviews were then sent to Superintendent Rodriguez, who presented the final recommendations to the Board of Education.

In summary, these changes are expected to usher in a new era of leadership in the Beaufort County School District, featuring administrators with a vast wealth of experience in the education sector. The district is optimistic these new leaders will continue to push the bounds of academic excellence among students while fostering a conducive learning environment.