Richland Two Announces Personnel Changes

COLUMBIA, SC — At the Tuesday, May 27, 2014 board meeting, Superintendent Debbie Hamm recommended and the Richland School District Two Board of Trustees approved the promotion of Baron Davis and Keith Price to assistant superintendents, the transfer of Brenda Hafner to the position of principal of Blythewood High School, and the transfer of Jeff Temoney to the position of principal of Spring Valley High School, all effective July 1, 2014.

Baron R. Davis, Ph.D., promoted to assistant superintendent, currently serves as principal of Spring Valley High School. He also serves as an adjunct professor for the University of Phoenix. Davis’s 17 years in education include four years serving as principal at Alcorn Middle School in Richland School District One and two years serving as principal of Edisto High School in Cordova, S.C. During his time at Alcorn Middle School, he helped move the school off the South Carolina Priority Schools list. Davis worked at SVHS as an assistant administrator from 1999-2002 and as an assistant principal from 2002-2006.

Davis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Francis Marion University. From the University of South Carolina, he earned Master of Education degrees in school counseling and education administration, and an Educational Specialist degree and doctorate in counseling education. His professional affiliations include membership in the National Association of Secondary School Principals, S.C. Association of School Administrators, S.C. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and Spring Valley Rotary. For three years, he has served on SCASA’s Summer Leadership Planning Committee.

G. Keith Price, promoted to assistant superintendent, currently serves as principal of Blythewood High School. An educator for 18 years, Price took on his first administrative role after teaching mathematics for four years. He served as assistant administrator at Ridge View High School before working as an assistant principal at E.L. Wright Middle School. In 2003, he was named the principal of E.L. Wright and held that position until 2007 when he became principal at Blythewood High School.

Price earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary mathematics education from Clemson University and a Master of Education degree in educational leadership from the University of South Carolina. Price currently serves on the Clemson University Board of Visitors and is the S.C. Association of School Librarians’ Administrator of the Year for 2014–2015. He also received the 2013–2014 South Carolina Art Education Association’s Outstanding Secondary Principal Award. An Education Policy Fellow, Price is a member of the S.C. Association of School Administrators, Rotary Club of Blythewood and Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce.

“With a combined 35 years of experience in education and both having served as mentors for the S. C. Department of Education’s Principal Induction Program, Baron Davis and Keith Price make a very skilled and knowledgeable team to support school administrators and the district’s effort to continuously improve teaching and learning for all students.” said Superintendent Debbie Hamm.

Additionally, Chief Human Resource Officer Roosevelt Garrick’s title will change to Chief Administrative Officer to reflect additional duties he will assume including policy oversight and advising and assisting the superintendent with district-wide administrative responsibilities.

The reorganization of district staff to include two assistant superintendents did not require any new positions. One position came from the retirement of Deputy Superintendent Cheryl Caution-Parker and one position was never filled when Hamm took the position of superintendent. During Caution-Parker’s tenure as deputy superintendent, the district has grown to 40 schools and centers serving 27,000 students. The new organizational structure will help increase flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of Richland Two schools, students and staff.

Brenda B. Hafner, Ed.D., transferred to principal of Blythewood High School, currently serves as principal of Blythewood Middle, a position she has held since 2009. Prior to this, she served as lead teacher for Richland Two’s Center for Accelerated Preparation and assistant principal at E.L. Wright Middle School. Hafner’s 16 years in education also includes six years teaching social studies and a number of years assisting with curriculum development at the state level.

Hafner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Arts in Teaching from The Citadel. She received a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Hafner is a member of the S.C. Middle School Association, S.C. Association of School Administrators, S.C. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Blythewood Chamber of Commerce and Blythewood Rotary.

Jeff E. Temoney, transferred to principal of Spring Valley High School, currently serves as principal of Kelly Mill Middle. During his 13 years of educational experience, Temoney spent six years as the assistant principal for Blythewood By Design, a smaller learning community at Blythewood High School. Prior to joining the Blythewood family, Temoney served as an assistant administrator and a school counselor at Irmo Middle School in School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties.

Temoney received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina. He received his master’s degree and educational specialist degree in counselor education from the University of South Carolina. He also received a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. Temoney is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and S.C. Association of School Administrators. He participated in the S.C. State Department of Education’s Developing Aspiring Principals Program and the SCASA Instructional Leadership Academy.

“Brenda Hafner and Jeff Temoney are proven leaders who have demonstrated their ability to initiate and maintain successful programs that benefit students. Blythewood Middle school was named a School to Watch during this current school year, the third time the school has earned this designation. Kelly Mill Middle is an AVID National Demonstration School,” said Superintendent Debbie Hamm.

The district is accepting applications for the principal vacancies at Blythewood Middle School and Kelly Mill Middle School.