National hunt planned for new Lexington 1 school chief

Lexington 1 school officials will look nationwide for a new superintendent.

The hunt for a replacement for retiring Superintendent Karen Woodward will be a national search with the goal of “a smooth transition,” school spokeswoman Mary Beth Hill said.

It’s unclear whether Lexington 1 officials prefer a candidate with ties to the Midlands or South Carolina.

The goal is to settle on a choice by spring, School Board Chairwoman Debra Knight said.

Woodward is staying on until a successor is named to oversee operation of 30 schools with 24,000 students.

Board members know students’ families “want someone they can relate to and someone that will maintain the caring culture, level of academic excellence and community partnerships for which the district is known,” Hill said.

Consultants hired by the board to find candidates are gathering those views to guide the search, she said.

It’s uncertain whether finalists will be brought in to meet with community leaders and school staff prior to the selection, Hill said.

Officials in Lexington 2 and Lexington 3 did that recently before settling on their choices.

Woodward is stepping down after 15 years overseeing schools rated among the best in the state.

Lexington 1’s enrollment is the second-largest among seven districts in the Columbia area. Its leaders expect growth requiring more schools to continue indefinitely.

Lexington 1 spans nearly half of the 758-square-mile county, with classrooms in Gilbert, Lexington, Oak Grove, Pelion and Red Bank.

This story was originally published July 19, 2015 at 10:34 PM.