BY SEANNA ADCOX
Of The Post and Courier Staff

Local business leaders will get a first-hand look Tuesday at what it's like to run a public school in Charleston County.

Twenty-three volunteers, including military officers, CEOs and school district office administrators, are participating in Charleston County's first "principal for a day" initiative.

Organizers want the experience to give business leaders a better understanding of school operations and challenges, as well as the opportunity to share business perspectives with the schools' real principals. Organizers hope the program will forge long-term relationships between schools and businesses.

"This is a wonderful way for us to share work experiences and exchange valuable information," said Nancy McGinley, the district's chief academic officer, who launched a similar program in her former school district of Philadelphia.

The Charleston County program was coordinated by McGinley, The Education Foundation of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, and the Charleston Education Network. Organizers matched volunteers to schools whose principals agreed to be hosts.

Dave Echols, general manager of Charleston RiverDogs Baseball, said he signed up to further the team's tie to the community and because he "thought it would be kind of fun." He will spend Tuesday at James Simons Elementary, a high-poverty school in downtown Charleston.

Principal Martha Hodges said she can't wait to put Echols to work.

"He's going to take care of discipline problems and read to classrooms ... I think he will be shocked," she said. "People hear about schools, especially (downtown Charleston) schools, in such a negative manner, I wanted someone to walk in my shoes for a day and see some of the things we go through on a daily basis. Wonderful things are going on here, and the world needs to know about it."

Capt. Russ Keller said he volunteered because he wanted to "see what's going on" in local public schools. As commanding officer of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Keller oversees about 2,500 military students, most just out of high school.

Organizers placed him at St. John's High on Johns Island, one of eight schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson selected to undergo a safety audit because of student discipline problems.

School board Chairwoman Nancy Cook will act as principal at Brentwood Middle in North Charleston, also picked for a safety audit.

Cook, a licensed counselor, said she asked to be placed at "the most problem school on the list."

"I want to talk to the kids and teachers and really see what's going on and get some impressions," she said.

Sean Bennett, chairman of the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce, got involved in "principal for a day" because he's a big proponent of mentoring programs.

"Any contact we can make with kids is helpful," said Bennett, a graduate of North Charleston's R.B. Stall High and president and CEO of Asset Integration in Summerville. "It gives them something to strive for ... and let's them know there are people in the community who care about them."

Bennett will act as principal at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary in North Charleston. He believes school administrators can get so bogged down in paperwork and regulations, they lose focus on "the product, which is to give a great education to a kid and make sure we don't lose them at some point in time."

"They're working in an environment that's much different than the one we work in," he said.

Vashti Washington, associate superintendent of most North Charleston elementary schools, said she hopes the "principals for a day" can help struggling schools attract and keep excellent teachers.

"I'm hoping that when the business partners come in and see what's going on and the great challenges the principals and teachers face, yet survive, they'll be willing to lend a hand and offer incentives," she said.

Participants will share their experiences and observations Dec. 7 over breakfast at the district office.



PRINCIPALS FOR A DAY

These area business leaders volunteered to participate in Charleston County School District's "principal for a day" program on Tuesday. The district paired them with schools throughout the county.

District 1 (McClellanville)

-- Stacey Lindbergh, Lindbergh & Associates -- St. James-Santee Elementary

District 2 (Mount Pleasant)

-- Dot Brinson, McKellar & Associates, Inc. -- Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary

-- Brent Jonas, Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Co. -- Thomas C. Cario Middle

District 3 (James Island)

-- Mandy Denaux, Advertising Service Agency -- Septima P. Clark Academy

-- Anita Zucker, The InterTech Group -- James Island Middle

District 4 (North Charleston)

-- Kevin Baltimore, Baltimore Asset Management -- Mary Ford Elementary

-- Sean Bennett, Asset Integration Consultants -- Matilda F. Dunston Elementary

-- Nancy Cook, Charleston County School Board chairwoman -- Brentwood Middle

-- Samuel Cox, US Air Force -- Charles-towne Academy

-- Jane Locke, MUSC -- Academic Magnet High

-- Jerry Zucker, The InterTech Group -- Chicora Elementary

-- Allen Wutzdorff, The Education Foundation of the Chamber of Commerce -- W.B. Goodwin Elementary

District 9 (Johns Island)

-- Hector Figueroa, CCSD chief of staff -- Haut Gap Middle

-- Russ Keller, Naval Nuclear Power Training Command -- St. John's High

District 10 (West Ashley)

-- Tom Clymer, Wachovia Wealth Management -- West Ashley Intermediate

-- Brad Davis, Rick Hendrick Imports -- C.E. Williams Middle

-- Chris Fraser, barkleyfraser.com -- Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary

District 20 (downtown Charleston)

-- Dave Echols, Charleston RiverDogs Baseball -- James Simons Elementary

-- Wilbur Johnson, Young Clement Rivers -- Rivers Middle

-- David Murk, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office -- Julian Mitchell Elementary

District 23 (Hollywood area/Edisto Island)

-- Joan Ustin, Joan K. Ustin & Associates -- Baptist Hill High

-- Wannetta Mallette, City of North Charleston -- C.C. Blaney Elementary

-- Don Kennedy, CCSD chief financial officer -- Jane Edwards Elementary