Dr. Mendel Stewart will be interim superintendent starting Jan. 5 and could remain in the position for up to six months while a permanent replacement for Dr. Lee D’Andrea is found.
“I look forward to being back,” said Stewart, who has been working on his farm in northern Pickens County since retiring from the position in June 2006.
Stewart said he knows the school district well and helped with its budget for many years, a skill he expects will be helpful as officials face even deeper budget cuts in the coming months.
“I will also work hard to improve morale,” he said. “I’m going to get out in the schools and let the teachers and principals know we care about them. We have a good school district.”
Dr. B.J. Skelton, board chairman, agreed that Stewart was quite familiar with the school district and should be able to help the board with budget cuts.
“It won’t take him any time to get up to speed,” Skelton said.
Pickens board member Alex Saitta also said Stewart was the best person for the job, pointing to his experience during the last major budget cuts the district faced from 2002 to 2004.
“Before that, he was the finance director, so he knows the budget and financing technician of the district like the back of his hand,” Saitta said.
Saitta also noted Stewart’s prior knowledge will also be helpful in moving forward with the building program and that his leadership will be good for employee morale.
He was superintendent when the school district did two major facilities studies, so he knows the buildings; and that will make him a quick study on the current plan, Saitta said.
Stewart worked for the School District of Pickens County more than 38 years, serving six of those years as superintendent. He started out as a teacher and also served as a coach, assistant principal, principal, direct and assistant superintendent before taking the top job.
He is a graduate of Clemson University, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the University of South Carolina, where he earned his doctorate.
He and his wife Janice Masters Stewart have four children and 12 grandchildren.
Stewart’s contract and salary still have to be negotiated, according to Skelton.
Stewart said he will stay on the job for six months unless the board finds someone who wants to start earlier than July 2009.
He also said he would not consider taking the job permanently.
“I look forward to spending more time with my grandchildren after this six months is over,” he said.
D’Andrea, who took the superintendent job following Stewart’s retirement, is on paid leave for the next six months until she takes a similar job at Anderson District 4.
She previously asked the school board to release her from her contract early to take that position starting July 1, 2009.
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