In the weeks leading up to the first day of school, Berkeley County School District hosted a series of meet and greet events to welcome new administrators to their respective schools.
In April, BCSD shared several district and school leadership updates for the 2026-2027 school year. A few additional appointments of school administrators have taken place since then. To help connect students and parents to their new principals, schools organized different types of events for families to come out and meet their principals and assistant principals.
Events varied from mingling over popsicles and ice cream to munching on popcorn or pastries – and more. District cabinet members and officers also came out to meet families and support administrators in their new roles.
Among the celebrations, BCSD has three principals who are brand new to the district this year: Dr. Amber Sainz at Whitesville Elementary, Dr. Martin Wright at Carolyn Lewis School and Dr. Toshawnka Mahone at Cross High.
Dr. Wright kicked off BCSD's series of principal meet and greets with a cookout at Carolyn Lewis School on July 14. Dr. Wright said the informal cookout signaled a shift from traditional administrative distance toward authentic partnership, building trust, and setting a dynamic trajectory for Carolyn Lewis School. The theme of "Making Waves and Leading Forward" reflected his strategic intent of modeling accessibility and transparency.
"Setting a tone of open communication demonstrates that authentic leadership begins with personal presence and relatable interaction," he said.
Dr. Sainz said she enjoyed having the opportunity to meet her Whitesville students and their parents at her Popsicles with the Principal event.
"It was such a wonderful way to connect with families on a more personal level, begin building meaningful relationships, and create a strong foundation for the school year ahead," she said.
Dr. Mahone said she believes it is important to greet students by name, and her Pastries with the Principal event was the first step in making that happen for her at her school. She added that it meant a lot to her to be able to recognize and welcome students as they walked entered the building on the first day of school on Aug. 12.
"The Meet and Greet also gave me the opportunity to connect with families, parents, and community members in a relaxed setting so I can begin building relationships and learning the traditions that make the Cross community so special," she said.
Links to additional photos from the principal meet and greet events can be found below.
Berkeley Middle – Lyndi Valicek
Carolyn Lewis School – Dr. Martin Wright
Cross Elementary – Christal Stevens
Cross High – Dr. Toshawnka Mahone
H.E. Bonner Elementary – Mike Shaw
Hanahan High – Dr. Taylor Bradley
Hanahan Middle – Dr. Leslie Howder
Moncks Corner Elementary – Tara Baker
Mount Holly Elementary – Dr. Susan Gehlmann
Nexton Elementary – Aimee Fulmer
Philip Simmons Elementary – Dr. Creighton Eddings
Sangaree Elementary – Michael Huff
Sedgefield Middle – Dr. Ezra Cowan
St. Stephen Middle – Christopher Thurman