<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Cover-Truesdale__Valerie_07-2_web.standalone.prod_affiliate.9.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-439" title="Cover-Truesdale__Valerie_07-2_web.standalone.prod_affiliate.9" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Cover-Truesdale__Valerie_07-2_web.standalone.prod_affiliate.9-300x239.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="239" /></a>Dr. Valerie Truesdale is completing her fourth year as superintendent of Beaufort County School District.  Before coming to Beaufort, she was the superintendent for Oconee County School District. Prior to that, she was the Chief Instructional Services Officer for Lexington and Richland counties and served as senior executive assistant for the South Carolina Department of Education. She is a former high school principal, assistant principal, personnel administrator and teacher.<!--more-->

Dr. Truesdale earned a PhD from the University of South Carolina in educational leadership, an MBA from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Clemson University.

She has been requested to include in her discussion with our members:

• How big of a challenge is race and poverty to improving Beaufort County public schools?

• Why is the No. 1 priority of the school district improvement of the achievement gap of black male students?

• In your time as superintendent which major initiatives have worked and which have not?

• How big a problem, if any, exists as a result of having excess classroom space?

• Are charter schools a help or a burden to public schools in general?

• How many additional budget cuts can be absorbed without significantly reducing the overall quality of public school education in Beaufort County?

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<strong>Meeting: Tuesday, May 10, 8 AM</strong>

<strong>Beaufort Realtor’s Association Headquarters</strong>

<strong>Palmetto Business Park, Lady’s Island Drive</strong>

<strong>(22 Kemmerlin Lane)</strong>

<strong>Invite your friends and neighbors.</strong>

<strong>Open to the public</strong>

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