Beaufort District Announces New Principals for Coming School Year

Beaufort, South Carolina – Fresh Leadership Transition Unveiled

The Beaufort County School District recently announced the appointments of four new principals for its upcoming school year. These transitions, led by Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, involve seasoned administrators taking over at four district schools as the district gears up for a new academic year commencing on Aug. 7.

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

Jamie Allen Announced as Broad River Elementary School Principal

Jamie Allen will serve as the new principal at Broad River Elementary School. Allen was previously the principal at Whale Branch Middle School and replaces Constance Goodwine-Lewis, who will now serve as the principal of St. Helena Elementary School.

Allen, a proud military veteran with two U.S. Army achievement medals under her belt, began her educational career at Broad River Elementary in 2006. She has since proven her mettle in various roles such as a literacy interventionist, TAP mentor/master teacher, and assistant principal.

Brantley Wilson to Helm Whale Branch Middle School

Replacing Allen as the new principal at Whale Branch Middle School will be Brantley Wilson. Wilson brings a wealth of professional experience from his previous roles at the Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence in Ridgeland and as an assistant principal at both Hilton Head Island Middle School and Lady’s Island Middle School.

Sonji Leach Appointed as Principal of Whale Branch Early College High School

Filling the shoes of Davina Coleman as the new principal at Whale Branch Early College High School will be Sonji Leach. Before this role, Leach served as assistant principal at Beaufort High School. Her rich administrative background includes numerous principal roles in Georgia and administrative positions in Columbia, with her most recent role being Director of School Improvement at the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.

Bluffton Middle School Gets New Leadership with Keith Stewart

Keith Stewart will take over the reins as the new principal of Bluffton Middle School, replacing Matt Hall who has accepted the principal position at Bluffton High School. Stewart brings valuable experience from his previous role as Assistant Principal at May River High School and as a physical education teacher across several Beaufort County schools.

The selection of unique appointments was a meticulous, multistage process involving numerous stakeholders, including teacher leaders, feeder/cluster principals, School Improvement Council members, human resources representatives, an executive director, and a representative of the district’s Instructional Services division. High school candidates also involved student leaders in the interview process. Following each round of interviews, the committee ratings were submitted to Superintendent Rodriguez, who then made the final recommendations to the Board of Education.