Sheriff honors district leader

Karen Woodward knows the value of a strong relationship between law enforcement and the school system.

For years, the Lexington 1 superintendent has worked to build partnerships between law enforcement and school administrators. Recently, her efforts were recognized for increasing school safety in the district.

Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts presented Woodward with the Sheriff’s Award — the highest civilian honor the sheriff can bestow. The presentation came last week during Lexington 1’s regular school board meeting.

In her eight-year tenure as superintendent, Woodward has worked with the Sheriff’s Department to encourage school administrators to work closely and communicate effectively with sheriff’s deputies about criminal activity and public safety issues on school grounds.

“Dr. Woodward ensures that School District 1 and the Sheriff’s Department make decisions together concerning public safety issues,” said Metts, adding Woodward also has maintained an open-door policy for communicating with his department.

Woodward worked with the Sheriff’s Department to get money to hire additional school resource officers at the schools.

She also is credited with creating a telephone hot line for students, parents and school employees to provide information concerning criminal activity on school grounds.

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Sistercare received a boost to its efforts to make its clients feel more at home recently when KB Home’s S.C. division donated new furniture to the shelter for abused women.

The furniture came from a model home in the Spears Creek Village community in Elgin. The donations included two full bedrooms, a dining room, a couch and two living room chairs and coffee and end tables.

“We’re pleased to be able to strengthen our partnership with Sistercare,” said Jeff Meyer, president of the KB’s S.C. division. “This is the beginning of our support for the abused women served by Sistercare.”

Sistercare provides services for battered women and their children in Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland counties.

In South Carolina, KB builds homes in Columbia, North Charleston and Bluffton.