Community meets four Marlboro County Schools superintendent finalists

MARLBORO COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – The Marlboro County School Board invited the community to meet its four superintendent candidates before its meeting on Monday.

“It’s important for me to be here so I can just kind of pray about all candidates and see which one’s the best fit for us,” said Substitute Teacher, Amanda Britt. “I would like to see someone that’s really student and teacher oriented.”

Dr. Shawn Johnson, Dr. Gregory McCord, Dr. William Stone, and Dr. Freddie Williamson all spoke to the public about what they want to bring to the district.

“First of all being from the Pee Dee, working in Dillon, Marlboro County is a special place, and Marlboro County can do special things,” Dr. Shawn Johnson said. “All of us are the same, and we’re all together.”

All of the candidates agreed students come first.

“We will focus on curriculum and achievement,” Dr. Johnson said. “I will fight tooth and nail for the betterment of the schools.”

Dr. Johnson said it’s important to support teachers in addition to the students.

“Not only do we focus on our curriculum, but we also focus on the people who take care of our students,” Dr. Johnson told the room. “Number one, we have to make sure that we’re providing our teachers with professional development that they need, and we’ve got to also try and look at competitive salaries for our teachers.”

Dr. McCord said he would be active in the community and schools if he were chosen as superintendent.

“I believe in being visible, I believe in being communicative, and I believe in being true about who I am,” said Dr. McCord.

Dr. McCord said he doesn’t expect the job in Marlboro County to be easy.

“Success is not something that’s going to come overnight here in Marlboro County,” he said. “That’s going to come over a period of time. Hard work is hard,” Dr. McCord continued. “Hard work is hard, but hard work is good work if we achieve the outcomes that we know that we can together.”

Dr. McCord told the audience that he is a listener.

“I am a student first, advocate always everyday,” he said. “I am in the present moment.”

Dr. Stone stressed the importance of success for the students.

“Your kids deserve every opportunity that every kid in the state of South Carolina, the state of North Carolina, and in this nation deserve,” said Dr. Stone. “They deserve a quality education, they deserve quality teachers, and they deserve opportunities.”

Dr. Stone said it’s important for high school graduates to have a purpose before they walk across the stage.

“It’s all about the children,” he said. “It’s all about making sure that we have quality programs, and quality people in place to make sure that our kids are successful.”

Dr. Freddie Williamson said it’s more important invest in people than it is to invest in programs.

“We have to build relationships around trust,” Dr. Williamson said. “We have to trust each other.”

Dr. Williamson said it’s important for the superintendent to have a good relationship with the school board.

“I understand the role of the board, I’ve never had an issue in all my years with the Board of Education,” he said. “I understand their responsibility from policies, procedures. I’ve always practiced, what I tell one board member, I tell them all.”

Dr. Williamson told the Marlboro community the key to education is literacy, and said working together is important.