Salute to retiring educators

Lexington 2: Principal leaves his markin special education

By DEVON COPELAND - dcopeland@thestate.com

Tracy Glantz/tglantz@thestate.com

Ted Keister is retiring this year as the principal of the Grandby Education Center, a job he's held for 11 years. Here, Keister checks Michael Areheart's behavior chart while students wait for a bus.

Name: Ted Keister

Age: 55

Family: Wife, Becky; three adult children

Total number years in education: 33

Subject taught: Started career as physical education teacher, has worked as assistant principal; district director for health and physical education, and district hearing officer

What every teacher needs in his/her survival kit: The ability to have fun

For Ted Keister, a stint as a summer camp counselor during his college days set him on the path to becoming an educator.

He was working at Camp Burnt Gin, a summer camp in Wedgefield, for children who have physical disabilities and chronic illnesses.

He met a young man who was a triple amputee. That summer he taught him to swim.

“That kind of spurred me on,” he said. “Every kid can succeed.”

Keister, principal at Granby Education Center, will retire at the end of this school year and return to his hometown of Beaufort.

During his time in Lexington 2 he’s worn a number of different hats:

• He came to Lexington 2 as an adaptive physical education teacher.

• He served has assistant principal at Brookland-Cayce Grammar School No. 1 and at Brookland-Cayce High School.

• He was the district director for health and physical education and has served as district hearing officer.

But colleagues said it’s been his work with special education students and those struggling in school that has set him apart.

“I think his crown and glory was his work at the alternative school,” said retired administrator Paul Risinger.

He’s known Keister for decades and worked with him during his stint as Brookland-Cayce’s interim principal. Keister was an assistant principal.

“He has a real interest in helping young people,” Risinger said.

Keister laughed when he admitted that he’s “done a little bit of everything.”

But as he’s worked with students, helping them find their way and reach their potential, Keister said he’s figured out some things about himself as well as the students with whom he worked.

“I’ve learned to be more tolerant and more patient,” he said.

“I’ve learned that you can reach kids. Every kid is unique and we work hard to figure out what makes them click.”

Reach Copeland at (803) 771-8485.