By a unanimous vote on Thursday, June 7, the Beaufort County Board of Education selected an award-winning veteran school administrator to serve as the district’s interim superintendent.
Herbert M. Berg, who has held superintendent positions at school districts in three states, was the board’s choice to guide the district during the search for a permanent superintendent.
“I’m very excited to work with the board, with school faculty and administrators, with district staff and with the Beaufort County community as a whole,” Berg said. “We’ll all work together to make sure that the district’s 22,000 students get a rigorous world-class education during the upcoming academic year.”
Berg has spent a total of 46 years in education, including 37 years in superintendent positions at six school districts in Washington, Virginia and South Carolina. In South Carolina, Berg served as superintendent in Kershaw County and Lexington/Richland District 5. Berg also worked for 10 years with the U.S. Department of State to improve American schools in China.
His professional recognitions include being honored as National Tech-Savvy Superintendent by eSchool News and having twice been named to the “Top 100” list of American superintendents by the American Association of School Administrators. He also served as state president of the Washington Association of School Administrators.
Berg has a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific University, a master’s degree from Seattle University and a Ph.D from Washington State University.
“I think we chose the best-qualified candidate and someone who is capable of moving us forward,” said Board Chair Earl Campbell.
The process of selecting a permanent superintendent is expected to take from six to 12 months. Seven board members were named to a committee that will evaluate search firms with experience in conducting nationwide superintendent searches. The committee will then choose one search firm to recommend to the full board for its approval.
Campbell said the search for a permanent superintendent will include opportunities for parents, district employees and the public to participate and give their feedback.
“Our parents, our employees and our taxpayers obviously have a stake in this very important decision, and we definitely want to hear from them before we make a decision,” Campbell said.
Berg was one of seven candidates interviewed by the Board on May 29. The other six candidates were:
- Don Doggett – Superintendent of the McCormick County School District superintendent from 2016-2018; also 15 years of experience in various teaching and administrative positions in South Carolina districts.
- Donna Hargens – Superintendent of Jefferson County (Ky.) Public Schools from 2011-17; also 24 years of experience in various administrative positions in North Carolina districts.
- Gary McCulloch – Principal of River Ridge Academy from 2015-2018 and principal of Beaufort Elementary from 2013-15; also principal of a middle school in Maryland from 2011-13.
- Gene Moore – Superintendent in the Lancaster County (S.C.) School District from 2006-17; also 12 years of experience as a superintendent in two North Carolina districts.
- Vernon Prosser – Superintendent in York District 1 from 2009-present; also 26 years of experience in various teaching and administrative positions in South Carolina districts.
- Jesse Washington – Superintendent of Orangeburg Consolidated District 5 from 2015-18; also experience in various teaching and administrative positions in South Carolina districts and in the private sector.
