News 12 at 11, March 22, 2009

AIKEN, S.C.---Aiken County's schools will see some big shifts, as 11 schools will have new principals next year.

Doug Melton doesn't mind helping his seventh-grader, Richard, with his homework. Something he does mind, though, is some changes to the school system.

"You're cutting back on a kid, your cutting back on our future," said Melton.

Richard goes to Paul Knox Middle School, one of the eleven schools to get a new principal next year. The new move itself doesn't upset Doug; It's the reason behind it that does.

"It's not the people coming in necessarily that is disappointing. It's the fact that you're having to move people because you've taken away the experience," said Doug.

The experience he's talking about is retired principals who've gone back to work, but now the school board is not re-hiring them in order to save money. In the district there are five total, causing all the shifts.

"When you find somebody that's new to a job a lot of times they have a learning curve they have to go through," says Doug.

The same is happening to retired teachers, leaving this father to worry Aiken County will end up with lots of "new" people and surrounding counties will scoop up the experienced ones.

Now with Governor Sanford not taking stimulus money, Doug says it's time to re-focus on what's happening to education.

"I think our legislature owes it to the citizens of this state to put the priority on the school system and I don't think they're doing it right now," he says.

School Board Member Keith Liner says the shuffling will help develop the employees for leadership roles in the future. All changes take effect in July.

New principals include:

-Allison Churm, Belvedere Elementary
-Stephanie Hammond, Mossy Creek Elementary
-Laurie Reese, North Augusta Elementary
-John Murphy, Paul Knox Middle
-Michelle Padgett, Gloverville Elementary
-Brenda DeLoache at LBC Middle School
-Mason Cummings, Ridge Spring-Monetta High
-Julie Revelle, Redcliffe Elementary
-Russell Gunter (from LBC), Byrd Elementary
-Brenda Smith (from Paul Knox), Warrenville Elementary
-Rose Marshall (from Mossy Creek), Busbee Elementary School.