Corey McDonald selected to lead Clark Academy

June 3, 2024

Charleston County School District (CCSD) announces and welcomes Corey McDonald as principal at Septima P. Clark Academy. McDonald has served as an assistant principal at Burke High School for the last five years.

McDonald began his career in education as a classroom English teacher in High Point, NC. In addition to teaching English, McDonald also taught print journalism and served as the school’s newspaper advisor during his two years at T.W. Andrews High School. In 2004, McDonald relocated to South Carolina and joined the teaching staff at North Myrtle Beach High School. In addition to teaching honors and Advanced Placement (AP) English, McDonald taught broadcast journalism and ACT/SAT prep.

In 2010, McDonald moved to Charleston and was hired as an English teacher at Burke High School. A skilled instructor, McDonald not only taught all levels of English but was also selected to serve as department chair for three years and literacy liaison. An athlete by training, having played high school, college, and professional baseball and high school basketball, McDonald also coached the Burke Bulldogs’ baseball and basketball teams from 2012 to 2018.

Looking to further his impact beyond the classroom, McDonald joined Laing Middle School’s administrative team accepting an assistant principal position in 2018. In this role, McDonald primarily supported eighth grade, as well as led the Literacy Focus team and served as textbook coordinator and technology and instructional software coordinator.

The following year, McDonald returned to Burke to serve as an assistant principal, where he has been instrumental in supporting the school’s AVID program, National Equity Lab Dual Credit Program, AP Academy and Scholars Academy, curriculum
and instruction, and athletics.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. McDonald to Clark Academy,” said Dr. Sherry Eppelsheimer, Associate Superintendent of the High School Learning Community. “His extensive experience in the classroom and at the administrative level in high school will be an asset to his leadership of Clark for both staff and scholars. We look forward to continuing the great things in progress at Clark under Mr. McDonald’s leadership.”

McDonald earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and a Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism from North Carolina A&T State University. He also holds a Master of Education in Literacy Education and a Master of Education in Leadership and Secondary Administration from The Citadel.