Dr. Shawn Foster, selected on Tuesday as the Aiken County School District's deputy superintendent, will bring a range of experiences when he begins work.
Currently, he is the director of Student and Administrative Services for Spartanburg District 7. He will succeed David Caver, who will retire with more than 30 years experience in the Aiken District.
In a phone interview, Foster said: "What appealed to me is looking at a district that prioritizes students and doing what is best for them."
Foster started his career in education as an intervention specialist for troubled students. He currently coordinates administrative services, such as guidance counseling and the school-based nursing program. Foster also serves as a liaison to principals.
In a press release, Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt said, "We are pleased to welcome Dr. Foster to Aiken County Public Schools. He comes to us with a wide variety of experiences and expertise. He will be a great addition to our team."
Foster has state certification in the areas of superintendent, secondary supervisor, and guidance and counselor. He has a doctorate in education and a master's degree in the arts and education.
Everitt, who will retire on July 31, interviewed the candidates and then recommended Foster to the Board of Education. Its members voted to hire him following a closed session on Tuesday. Board members will select a new superintendent following an extensive search process.
Foster "seems be a very smart young man," Board member Levi Green said by phone on Wednesday. "He is well-thought-of in the Spartanburg District and appears to have the credentials we're looking for."
Green and Board member Tad Barber are pleased to learn of Foster's work in the area of facilities - one of Caver's key duties.
"I'm excited that he is coming from Spartanburg 7," Barber said. "They've gone through some of the growth issues we've got in building new schools. It's a great opportunity for the District."
Green also appreciates that Foster is willing to take the position before the School Board appoints a new superintendent.
"There will still be a lot of restructuring going on," he said. "There are a lot of unknowns, and (Foster) and the new superintendent can look at what changes might be needed."
King Laurence, Aiken's associate superintendent for instruction, also appreciates Foster's extensive range of duties.
Foster "really does have a broad background, one of the things the Board may have been looking for," Laurence said.
Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter and has been with the newspaper since September 2001. He is a native of Walterboro and majored in journalism at the University of Georgia.