District Five Secondary Education Director Receives SCASA Lifetime Achievement Award

IRMO, SC – The items lining the shelves of Reggie Dean’s office are telling of his long career in secondary education. State awards, high school sports memorabilia and dozens of books on leadership and education both fill the space and point to some of the reasons he’s received this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

“It’s a tremendous honor because I have such great respect for previous award winners, and it has special meaning growing up in a family of educators,” Dean said. “Education has been a very rewarding career for me. I’m not sure if I chose education or if it chose me, but I’m glad to have been able to have a career that allows me to make a difference.”

Dean started his career in education in 1973 as a teacher and coach at Hartsville High School. He currently serves as director of secondary education for Lexington-Richland School District Five; where he’s responsible for supporting, promoting and assessing academic progress at the secondary school level. At District Five, Dean has aided in the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems and in the expansion of school choice options for families. Prior to joining the district in 2010, Dean was the principal at Camden High, a role he served in for 16 years.

District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner said Dean’s career is one of service to South Carolina.

“As superintendent in a neighboring district, I watched Reggie consistently produce superior results,” Hefner said in a recommendation letter to SCASA. “As a middle school and high school principal, he set the standard for other school leaders to follow. He led his schools with professionalism, compassion and honor … Reggie has an innate ability to pull together people and ideas for the good of children.”

For Dean there have been many highlights of his career. As a principal, Dean’s schools received multiple Palmetto Gold and Silver awards, Red Carpet School awards and a finalist title for the Palmetto’s Finest award. He was named Kershaw County Schools Principal of the Year in 1993 and 2002 and SCASA Secondary Principal of the Year for 2003-2004. Dean also has served on the executive board of the South Carolina High School League from 2002 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2010.

“One of the most rewarding things about my career has been seeing students grow into young adults and productive citizens such as city policemen, teachers, coaches, doctors or lawyers,” Dean said. “It gives you a good feeling just to know how successful they’ve become and that you’ve played a small part in their success.”

Looking at black and white pictures from his early days in education, Dean reflected on the students and educators that have helped shaped his career and his life.

“It’s all been good memories …I’m grateful for every opportunity,” Dean said. “If I had to name my most significant achievement, I’d have to say it’s been making a positive difference for kids. If I have done that, I feel like I’ve been a success.”