Cave chosen as new superintendent

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By HEATHER WALTERS

Dr. Vallerie Cave is the new superintendent of Colleton County schools.
Cave was selected by the Colleton County School Board during a special school board meeting on May 26th. She was chosen by the school board from a final candidate pool of three people.
Her selection as the new superintendent is conditional, pending ongoing contractual negotiations, according to Colleton County School District Spokesman Sean Gruber.
Colleton County School Board Chairwoman Sharon Witkin said on Monday night that the board hopes to have a signed contract with Cave by the end of this week. Once the contract is completed, Cave’s new role as superintendent is expected to begin by July 1st, which is the official start of the upcoming 2021-2022 fiscal school year. The Colleton County School District has been led by interim Superintendent John Tindal since February of 2020, when the former superintendent left the district.
“The board is excited to have Dr. Vallerie Cave selected as our new superintendent for the Colleton County School District,” said Witkin. “Expectations are high, as is optimist for the successful direction provided by Dr. Cave.”
According to information provided by Gruber, Cave has more than 30 years of education experience. She carries degrees from Baptist College, currently Charleston Southern University, the University of South Carolina and Walden University. Cave is also a former teacher, principal and served in several director-level positions in school districts across South Carolina and Georgia.
Most recently, she is serving as the associate superintendent for K-12 School Transformation and Innovation for Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools.
“During her tenure as associate superintendent, over 80 percent of her schools have been removed from the state underperforming list as a result of increasing student achievement,” said Gruber.
According to Witkin, the board’s decision to hire Cave was based on her resume and her successes in the Savannah Chatham County Public School system.
“It is important to truly know the unique demographic and challenge of Colleton County,” said Witkin. “Dr. Cave is a Lowcountry native, an educator of schools here as well as schools in other states and specializes in school transformation. 
“She understands where Colleton is, where we need to go and how to get us there.”