District outlines staffing timeline and voluntary-transfer process for three new schools

Miss Salz presented the district’s staffing plan in three phases: finalize staffing needs and standards for each school; solicit voluntary-transfer interest and hold interviews; and complete reassignments and recruit new hires. She said the district expects to name principals this summer for the high school (who will begin planning in July) and to name middle- and elementary-school principals in January 2026 to begin planning for openings.

On transfers and reassignment, Salz said the district will follow existing board policy for voluntary transfers: employees must inform immediate supervisors and register interest via a transfer form that will be shared with principals. She said selection criteria will include years of experience, district teaching experience, leadership credentials, administrative certifications and specific instructional credentials (ESOL, AP, gifted). "One of the really important things that's going to happen this summer is that we are looking to name the 3 principals for each of the schools this summer," Salz said.

Salz also described recruitment efforts and university partnerships (USC Upstate, Clemson) to expand the candidate pool and noted the district’s ongoing "grow your own" programs and assistant-principal professional learning communities designed to build pipelines of future leaders. The board heard that initial high-school hires will likely include a bookkeeper and athletic director once the principal is named.