New principal named at Richland County high school to replace retiring educator
A new principal has been named at a Columbia-area high school.
Starting in July, Robert S. Jackson will take over as principal of Westwood High School in Richland County School District Two.
Currently the principal at Longleaf Middle School, Jackson will replace Dr. Cheryl Guy as principal at Westwood. Guy has been in education for more than 30 years, 25 of them with Richland Two.
“On behalf of the entire Richland Two family, I want to thank Dr. Guy for her years of service in Richland Two, especially for the invaluable leadership she provided during the opening of Westwood High School and during her years as principal,” Richland Two Superintendent Dr. Baron R. Davis said in a press release announcing the personnel news.
Guy, who is retiring, was an assistant principal when the Blythewood high school opened in August 2012, and has served as principal since July 2015.
Affectionately known throughout Westwood as “The Queen,” Guy made headlines in 2017 when she was a contestant and one-time champion on the popular TV game show “Jeopardy.”
“It was my goal to get on the show, so it was a dream come true, and then to win a night was icing on the cake,” the University of South Carolina graduate told The State at the time.
While Jackson’s resume does not list any appearances on quiz shows, it does include several highlights in a distinguished career in education.
“During Mr. Jackson’s time as principal at Longleaf Middle, he has inspired and developed others, led innovation and positive change, and achieved premier results,” Davis said. “His breadth of experience as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal provides him with a solid foundation for his next leadership role as the principal of Westwood High School.”
Jackson began his educational career in 1993 as a health, physical education and science teacher in Florence School District Three.
According to the news release, he joined Richland Two in 2002 and served as a health and physical education teacher and head basketball coach. He left Richland Two in 2004 to become an assistant principal at Barnwell High School and served as assistant principal for Instruction at Dutch Fork High School and principal of Irmo Middle School, International Academic Magnet.
“I am honored to be joining the Westwood High School family,” Jackson said in the press release announcing his hire at Richland Two. “It is a premier school steeped in tradition and innovation. I am looking forward to hitting the ground running and partnering with the school and community in pursuit of excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, and social-emotional development.”
After graduating from South Carolina State University, Jackson earned a Master of Science degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. He later returned to Orangeburg to receive an educational specialist degree in Educational Leadership.
He is married to Kaseena Jackson, the principal of Langford Elementary School, and they have an 11 year old daughter, according to the news release.
A search is underway to find Jackson’s replacement at Longleaf Middle.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 1:38 PM.
