Former Horry County Schools superintendent takes top spot in Charleston County School District

Former Horry County Schools Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait was named superintendent of the Charleston County School District Thursday morning.

Charleston’s school board voted 5-4 in favor of Postlewait’s appointment, according to Charleston’s board of trustees Chair Cindy Bohn Coats.

Postlewait was superintendent of Horry County Schools from 1996 to 2006. She joined the district in 1992 and also served as chief academic officer and interim superintendent. She was most recently assistant vice president of ACT in Iowa City, IA, from 2013-15, and was chief K-12 officer for the Stupski Foundation, San Francisco, from 2006-13.

“I don’t think Charleston could’ve found a better candidate,” said Will Garland, who joined the HCS school board in 2000 and was board chairman from 2002-12. “She had a thorough understanding of instruction and curriculum, and a unique ability to tell other people her vision, and get them to buy into it and implement it.”

Postlewait was instrumental in moving the district forward, Garland said. During her tenure, the district added the Early College high school program at Horry-Georgetown Technical College and the Scholars Academy at Coastal Carolina University, and saw gains in testing and achievement, Garland said.

“She was all about giving students options and opportunities,” Garland said, “and she firmly believed that all students could learn.”

Former HCS teacher Sarah Hadden praised Postlewait’s leadership in a Facebook post.

“She was excellent in Horry and will be excellent in Charleston,” Hadden said. “I worked as a teacher during her tenure as superintendent and can honestly say she cared about kids and believed in the teachers and administrators. Many of us flourished under her leadership. She’s one of a kind.”

The new superintendent is joining the second-largest school district in the state, behind the Greenville district. HCS is the state’s third-largest school district.

This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 8:01 AM with the headline "Former Horry County Schools superintendent takes top spot in Charleston County School District."