BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – At the Tuesday, March 8, Berkeley County Board of Education meeting, board members unanimously approved the promotion of four BCSD leaders from roles as interim principal to principal.
They are as follows:
Tiffany Brown – Cane Bay High
Tiffany Brown was named interim principal at Cane Bay High ahead of the 2021-2022 school year. She assumed the position following the promotion of Tim McDowell to a chief administrative role at the BCSD central office.
Brown is no stranger to the hallways of Cane Bay High. She was hired as a science teacher at the school in 2008 and later served as an assistant principal at the school for seven years. Prior to being moved to the interim principal role, she was the director of BCSD’s adult education program.
Among her immediate goals is the desire to support students, teachers and staff members in building a culture that is unique to Cane Bay and supportive of BCSD’s vision of making a positive difference. She said she will rely heavily on her ability to develop strong, positive relationships with teachers, staff members, students and community members.
“I am both honored and humbled by their support, and I am dedicated to serving as we support students in their pursuits of success in ways that are meaningful for them,” she said. “It is important to me that we all work together to meet the challenges of academic excellence in a positive, nurturing, and fun environment, and that all students and their families feel welcome.”
Jayma Diaz – Stratford High
Jayma Diaz was named interim principal of Stratford High following the promotion of Heather Taylor to Administrative Officer for Secondary Schools. She finds herself in the interim role after being named BCSD Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2020-2021 school year and after serving as an assistant principal at the school for eight years.
Diaz has been at Stratford High long enough to know that culture and traditions at the school are important. Among her immediate goals is establishing a shared vision of learning that stakeholders support. She said that shared vision will be rooted in the culture and traditions of the school.
She believes being authentic, modeling core values and humility and establishing positive relationships are the key components to being an effective leader.
“I am truly honored to be selected as Stratford High School’s principal,” she said. “Having the opportunity to serve our students, teachers, staff, and community in my new leadership role is a dream come true.”
Mike Huff – Philip Simmons Elementary
Mike Huff assumed the role of interim principal at Philip Simmons Elementary in the summer of 2021. Prior to his role as interim principal, he served in BCSD’s central office as the K-12 science coordinator. He was the assistant principal at PSE for the 2019-2020 school year and previously taught science and Algebra I at Philip Simmons Middle.
He said his immediate goal is to do everything he can to ensure students at PSE finish the year strong and prepared to transition to the next grade level. He realizes PSE is a school that has experienced many changes since opening in 2016. Huff will be the fourth principal at the school in its first five years. He believes a long-term focus must be on consistency and culture.
”Though the changes that occurred were of no fault to anyone, this has made it difficult to build upon the culture that was established and continues to be fostered,” he said. “By providing stability and consistency in the principal role this will allow the school, staff, students, parents, and community to grow and improve.”
Huff is a true believer in transparency, open communication and collaboration. He looks forward to working with community members to address the school’s needs.
“It is more important than ever for us to unite towards a common vision. One that through our collaboration will allow us to establish and foster a culture of reflective, self-driven learners who are empowered to achieve their full potential,” he said.
Katherine Butcher – Berkeley High
Katherine (Katie) Butcher assumes the role of principal at Berkeley High after being named interim principal in October 2021. Prior to her role as interim principal, Mrs. Butcher was an assistant principal of athletics at BHS from 2018-2022.
Mrs. Butcher joined Berkeley County School District in 2012 as an English teacher at Berkeley High. Her investment in Berkeley High and its investment in her are what she believes will be key elements in her leadership at the school. She said success in achieving immediate goals will be dependent on listening, learning and developing strategic plans with insight from all stakeholders.
“It is imperative that I not only know where we are as a school, but also where we want to be,” she said.
Mrs. Butcher wants every employee, student and stakeholders to know she is available to listen. She also wants them to know they have a voice.
“Empathy, or my ability to see the world as others see it, will be my strongest asset moving forward,” she said. “It is important that I be able to see Berkeley High School from the viewpoint of all stakeholders involved.”
Content provided by the Berkeley County School District
If you enjoy what you’re reading, please consider liking us on: Facebook, subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Twitter and Instagram. Feel free to also join our Facebook groups: Berkeley County, SC Residents: What’s On Your Mind?, Berkeley County Real Estate: Lots & Homes for Sale/Rent and Berkeley County, SC Jobs: Find a Job or Post a Job.
Psst!!! Got something to say and want to reach your neighbors? Not everyone is on social media. Check out our neighbor forum today and start a conversation. It’s easy! No registration/logging in is required to post. We’ll even amplify your forum post on Facebook to reach more people, too. [CLICK HERE TO START THE CONVO]
Recent Comments