COASTAL OBSERVER

The Georgetown County School Board named deputy superintendent Bethany Giles as the district’s interim superintendent this week.

“The board is confident in Dr. Giles’ ability to serve as interim superintendent,” School Board Chairman Bill Gaskins said in a statement. “She is very familiar with GCSD, and we look forward to working with her as we move through this transition period and work to identify the next permanent superintendent.” 

Giles will take over for Keith Price on July 1, which is the first day of the 2024-25 school year. Price is leaving to become the superintendent-elect of the Richland 1 School District.

The board also approved a contract with the S.C. School Boards Association to find and identify candidates as Price’s successor – both within the district and outside the district – for the board to consider.

Scott Price of the school boards association, who is no relation to the current superintendent, told the board he expects the work to cost $15,000, plus up to another $7,000 for administrative costs.

The district plans to seek input from employees, families, students and the community about the next superintendent.

The board hopes to name the next superintendent by the end of October.

Giles is a graduate of Andrews High School who joined the district as a teacher at Rosemary Middle. She was then assistant principal of Rosemary, and principal of Brown’s Ferry Elementary and Carvers Bay High before moving to the district office as executive director of secondary schools and athletics.

Giles was promoted to assistant superintendent for academic and student services before the 2021-22 school year and then named deputy superintendent in October of 2023.

Gaskins said at this week’s meeting that hiring a superintendent was one of the most important jobs of a school board.

“We take this job very seriously,” he added.