Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
A map of the new district lines for the Barnwell County School District.
The consolidation of Barnwell County school districts is final after the April 25 signature of Governor Henry McMaster.
Barnwell County School District 45 (BSD45), Barnwell County Consolidated School District (BCCSD), and the Barnwell County Career Center (BCCC) or District 80, will all be abolished by July 1, 2024 and formed into the Barnwell County School District.
“While our Board of Trustees has repeatedly expressed concerns with the negative impact this legislation could have and there are concerns as to possible long-term impacts, we will work together to put a strong plan in place for moving forward. Nothing matters more than the children of Barnwell County and their families being able to experience a smooth transition,” said BSD45 Superintendent Dr. Crissie Stapleton.
According to Senator Brad Hutto, children attending the 2023-24 school year will not experience major change right away.
“When your children go to school tomorrow, when your children go to school next year, they’ll be in the same classrooms, they’ll have the same teacher they were scheduled to have, they’ll be taking the same curriculum they were slated to take,” said Sen. Hutto at the April 4 Legislative Delegation meeting. “You’re not going to see a change right away.”
Change will be brought by an appointed five-member school board which will guide the consolidation until the final Barnwell County School Board can be elected. The appointed board will be made up of Barnwell County residents selected by the Barnwell County Legislative Delegation - Sen. Hutto and Rep. Lonnie Hosey.
"We don't have concrete information yet," said Rep. Hosey. However, he and Sen. Hutto are in conversations with potential board members. An announcement could be made before the end of this week.
“The first steps will be having a new transitional board in place. We are fortunate to have dedicated leaders and an absolutely amazing staff here in Barnwell School District 45, and I have no doubt they will work together to ensure a smooth transition. We are grateful to have the next year to make strong and sound decisions in forming a new school district,” said Dr. Stapleton.
Barnwell County is the last to be consolidated in District 40 – Sen. Hutto’s district made up of Allendale, Barnwell, Bamberg, Colleton, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties.
The bill for county-wide consolidation was first introduced to the Senate on March 22 and to the House of Representatives on March 29. While awaiting ratification, a legislative delegation meeting was held on Tuesday, April 4 at 6 p.m. to share some of the insights.
At this meeting, Sen. Hutto told Barnwell County Council and those in attendance what to expect prior to the bill being signed stating, “the plan is to move forward with consolidation to take effect in July of 2024.”
BCCSD was created after the consolidation of the former Williston-Elko School District 29 and Blackville-Hilda District 19 in July 2022. Many of its leaders have already undergone one consolidation effort and are prepared to undergo another.
“We applaud the passage of Senate Bill 654 that consolidates the county into one school district. This is an exciting time for the children of Barnwell County. We pledge to work closely and cooperatively with the transition board and the leadership of Barnwell District 45 to ensure a smooth consolidation of the two districts,” said David Corder, interim director of operations for BCCSD. Effective July 1, he will become interim superintendent once Dr. Marcella Shaw retires.
Corder is no stranger to consolidation as he was interim superintendent of Barnwell District 19 during the first phase of consolidation. He knows consolidation evokes many emotions and questions, including fear about change and the unknown. That’s why he seeks to work with leaders of District 45 to ensure a smooth transition.
“The top priorities I see as this process begins with building relationships and establishing trust between the faculties, staffs, and leadership of the two districts; passing the necessary board policies for the county district to legally operate; ensuring that salary scales are equalized; ensuring the merging of the accounting software and student data systems,” said Corder, who has 36 years of experience in education.
The BCCC is already serving all schools in the county, and plans to continue doing so regardless of the district they fall under.
“At the Barnwell County Career Center, we are already serving students from the three high schools in our county. We will continue to serve in that capacity to continue giving our students the skills necessary to be successful, whether they attend college or go straight to work,” said BCCC Director David Augustine.
BCCSD, BSD45, and BCCC all plan to keep the students at the forefront during consolidation and remain focused on providing them with the best educational opportunities possible.
Read the full bill at www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/654.htm.
At the end of the day, leaders on all sides agree that their priority is ensuring every student in Barnwell County receives a quality education.
