CCSD announces six new leaders for the 2017-18 school year
June 21, 2017
Charleston County School District (CCSD) is proud to welcome the following individuals to their new positions within the District:
Jeff Beckwith, Interim Principal* , North Charleston Elementary
Beckwith joins the District from Williams Memorial Elementary in St. George, SC, where he has served as Principal since July 2007. Prior to his time at Williams Memorial, Beckwith served as Assistant Principal at Woodland High School in Dorchester County and as an assistant principal and interim principal in Cairo, New York. Beckwith holds a Bachelor of Science in K-12 Physical Education from Chowan College in Murfreesboro, NC and a Master of Education in Elementary School Administration and Supervision from Charleston Southern University.
John Cobb, Executive Director on Special Assignment, Burns Elementary
Cobb has served as Executive Director of Elementary Learning since May 2016. Recently, Cobb requested to serve as the leader of Burns Elementary School in order to provide concentrated support for the school’s faculty and staff as they continue to move forward. Cobb’s career as a school administrator includes serving as Assistant Principal at Colleton County’s Forest Circle Middle School and CCSD’s Springfield Elementary School, and as Principal at Northside Elementary School and Drayton Hall Elementary School.
Mary Reynolds, Principal, Chicora School of Communications
Reynolds has served as Principal of North Charleston Elementary for the past two years. She also previously served as Principal of Chicora from 2001-2005. Under her leadership, Chicora transformed from a failing school to an award winning school. During Reynolds’ tenure, Chicora received the State Department of Education (SDE) Palmetto Silver Awards in 2002, 2004, and 2005, a SDE Sustained School Improvement Award in 2003, and was the first school in South Carolina, and only one of six in the nation, to receive the Fordham University National Change Award in early 2006.
Lee Runyon, Principal on Special Assignment, CAS Development
The District and Lee Runyon are excited to announce his selection to serve as a principal on special assignment to lead the development of both the North Charleston and West Ashley Centers for Advanced Studies. Runyon will continue to serve as principal at West Ashley High to ensure a smooth transition through the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. Runyon will begin his new role on July 1, 2017.
Chris Ryan, Interim Principal* , James Simons Elementary
Ryan has been the Assistant Principal of James Simons since 2012, but has served within CCSD in various capacities since 2005. Prior to joining the District, Ryan taught as a resource teacher, as well as instructed reading, math, and ELA in school districts in South Carolina, Kansas, Florida, and Illinois. She has served as both a teacher coach and learning specialist in CCSD prior to her time at James Simons.
Quenetta White, Principal, A.C. Corcoran Elementary
White has served as Principal of James Simons Elementary since 2012. White joined CCSD as the Assistant Principal at Sanders-Clyde Elementary in 2009. During her time at James Simons, White facilitated the implementation of a full Montessori program for students age three to eighth grade, planned and opened a new state-of-the-art school facility, and worked to ensure that the needs of her students and families were met through planning and programs with valuable partners such as Charleston Promise Neighborhood (CPN), Trident United Way, and Parent Advocates.
*The term interim principal refers to current CCSD employees who have been placed in a vacancy for a temporary period of time, OR individuals who were newly hired to serve as a principal in an unspecified location on an open contract.
About the Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District (CCSD) is the second largest school system in South Carolina representing a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools that span 1,000 square miles along the coast. CCSD serves more than 50,000 students in 86 schools and several specialized programs. With approximately 6,100 employees district-wide, CCSD is the fourth largest employer in the region.
CCSD offers a diverse, expanding portfolio of options and specialized programs, delivered through neighborhood, charter, magnet, IB (international baccalaureate), and Montessori schools, and is divided into three Learning Communities led by associate superintendents. Options include specialized programs in science, engineering and mathematics; liberal arts; music and other creative and performing arts; career and technical preparation programs; and military and other public service enterprises.
