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The Island News formerly Lady’s Island News
YOUR Local Newspaper
Bringing our community together
June 4- June 10, 2009
Covering Lady’s Island, St. Helena Island, Dataw Island, Fripp Island, Port Royal, Beaufort
Habitat Grayco house keys to be presented Sunday see page 2
Randy Wall named next headmaster at Beaufort Academy by John C. Williams
Dr. Randy Wall, a leading longtime educator in Beaufort County and Tennessee, will be Beaufort Academy’s headmaster starting in July, the BA Board of Trustees announced this week. Wall’s background includes being principal at Lady’s Island Middle from 1990-2001 as well as principal at Beaufort Middle and Whale Branch Middle. He helped organize and found the Humanities School of Beaufort. He is known for innovative leadership, inspiring his faculty and for working closely with the community to expand the walls of the classroom into the rich, local community. Wall succeeds Timothy Johnston, who earlier this spring announced his resignation as BA’s headmaster to pursue other opportunities. “We are very excited to make this announcement,” said Herb Gray, who took over the position as Chairman of the BA Board of Directors in February. “The opportunity to have someone so highly respected in the community to guide the learning of our children is more than we ever anticipated when the search began. His (Wall’s) vision fits closely with the ideals of the Board as a group, and with the aspirations of each board member individually. Beaufort is going to witness a new focus at the school and a new presence in the community.” Wall’s strengths include curriculum development and strategic planning, both critical functions as BA looks to the future. During the past three years with the Beaufort County School District, Wall has also been involved at the highest levels with matters of personnel, public relations and governance. Wall, who received his Doctorate of Education in School Leadership from Vanderbilt University, began his career in the Chattanooga, TN, public schools before coming to Beaufort County in 1990. He has served as high school English teacher, junior high assistant principal, middle school principal, assistant superintendent of schools, and academic improvement officer. “I think the Board of Trustees, parents, and staff members
want to see renewed focus on academics and want the school to make a stronger overall contribution to the community,” Wall said. “We want to work together with the Beaufort Academy community to take our place in the continuum of educational opportunities and choices available in Beaufort County. We cannot serve best by offering everything found in other areas of the educational arena. Rather, we will best serve the community by providing excellence in academics as our first and foremost priority. Such is the hallmark of BA,” he said. Wall and his wife, Naomi, live on Cat Island. Prior to moving to Beaufort County in the 1980s, Wall worked in schools in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was Teacher of the Year in 1978 at Kirkman Technical High School in Chattanooga where he was chairman of the English Department. “During all my work in helping to place headmasters, I am not sure I have seen a better fit than this,” said Jim Marks, member of the Beaufort Academy executive board and facilitator of the headmaster search. “We asked Dr. Wall to meet with a wide variety of stakeholders in a variety of venues in recent weeks. In each case his knowledge, focus, and commitment to empowering adults and educating children has resonated with the audience. We are sincerely confident his transition from public to private education will be easy and that the former will complement the latter,” Marks said.
Ken Dickman
Coosa Elem staff battles fifth graders in annual softball game It’s a rite of spring – just before fifth grade “graduation,” the kids take on the Coosa Elementary staff in a game of good-spirited softball. Ken Dickman, who will teach fifth grade at Lady’s Island Intermediate School next year, took the mound for the staff. Team teachers Ann Lentz and Amy Trask showed their teamwork on the field as well, with Mrs. Trask running for Mrs. Lentz.
Wall holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and American Language and Literature from the University of Tennessee; a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership, also from UT; and earned his doctorate in School Leadership from the George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. First established in 1965, Beaufort Academy serves students ranging from three-year-old pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school is still located on its original campus on Sams Point Road on Lady’s Island.
In This Issue FISHING TALES
PROFILE
NEWS
Women catch fish
Feronica Williams
Young musicians
SEE PAGE 19
SEE PAGE 14
SEE PAGE 15