Beaufort County School District Appoints New Principals for Upcoming School Year

Beaufort County School District Appoints New Principals for Upcoming School Year

The Beaufort County School District recently confirmed four new principals for their schools as they gear up for the coming academic year, which starts on Aug. 7. These veterans in education administration have been selected by Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.

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

New Principals Announced

Broad River Elementary School will be led by new principal, Jamie Allen. A loyal servant of the Beaufort County School District, she has dedicated 18 impactful years to the district. Allen transitions from her principalship at Whale Branch Middle School, taking over the reins from Constance Goodwine-Lewis who will now lead St. Helena Elementary School. Allen previously served from 1998 to 2005 in the United States Army and is a distinguished alum of the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

Replacing Allen as the new principal at Whale Branch Middle School is Brantley Wilson. Starting his educational journey at the Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence, Wilson has held a plethora of roles that have equipped him for his new leadership position. Notably, he has functioned in assistant principal roles at both Hilton Head Island Middle School and Lady’s Island Middle School. A master’s degree holder in educational leadership, Wilson also holds the experience of serving as a reserve firefighter and a volunteer rescue diver/swimmer.

Sonji Leach has been appointed the principal of Whale Branch Early College High School, replacing Davina Coleman who is venturing into a corporate role. Prior to this, Leach was the assistant principal at Beaufort High School. Bringing extensive experience to her new role, Leach has served as principal in multiple schools in Georgia and held various administrative positions in Columbia. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in Atlanta.

Keith Stewart steps into his new role as the principal of Bluffton Middle School from his erstwhile position as the school’s assistant principal. He fills the position left vacant by Matt Hall who has moved to Bluffton High School. Stewart began his educational journey as a physical education teacher and subsequently served as assistant principal at May River High School. He holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Carolina.

Selection Process

The process of selecting these accomplished leaders involved interview committees consisting of teacher leaders, School Improvement Council members, representatives from the district’s Human Resources, Instructional Services division, and cluster principals. The high school interview committee also included student leaders. Following each round of interviews, members graded the candidates and the compiled ratings were submitted to Superintendent Rodriguez, who made the final recommendations to the Board of Education.