Superintendent candidate Dr. Ronnie Tarchichi met with community and Marlboro County Board of Education members during a Meet and Greet on April 28.
Superintendent candidate Dr. Martin Wright met with educators and community members during a Meet and Greet on April 20.
The community and Marlboro County Board of Education members had a chance to meet the second superintendent candidate Dr. Ronnie Tarchichi on Sunday (April 30).
Board members had a second interview with Tarchichi on Zoom on April 26.
Tarchichi, superintendent for Pennauken Schools in Camden County, N.J., said he is a turnaround superintendent.
“I believe education is extremely important,” he said. “And not just when you are educating students but for yourself.”
He explained a few years ago that, the high school in the district had 1,143 students was called the dilapidation of Camden County.
Seven years later and millions of dollars, there are now over 1,600 students in high school and over 1,000 students back in the district.
The test scores have increased by 15%, and the district has a full-day pre-K program, which is the only one in the state and free to the community.
“Superintendent work is not just about education, although it’s the biggest part, a lot of work is about facilities, and your facilities have to invite students and parents in,” Tarchichi said. “
He noted it would take time to change the school district.
“But you are not changing the school district,” he added. “You’re changing the culture of a place and bringing some of the traditions that once people knew about the place back.”
Tarchichi said if he couldn’t have all students benefit from something, he would rather not do it.
“And that’s just something I’ll bring to the school district I come to,” he said.
Dr. Wright
The meet and greet for Dr. Martin Wright was held on April 20.
It was a chance for district employees and the community to meet Wright.
Wright, a native of South Carolina, was appreciative to be able to come and talk to the people and employees of Marlboro County School District.
He said as a leader that he had a firm philosophy of the power of people.
“As a believer and as a Christian, I know how to treat my fellow brothers and fellow man. We have to make tough decisions, but it does not mean people walk away from the table with their dignity out of their hands,” he said. “They walk away from your table, understanding where you’re going.”
And the reason why even if you disagree, you get it, I’ll bring you many years of experience.
His most recent service as superintendent was as superintendent of Hampton County School District 2. They went through mandatory consolidation some years ago, and Wright was instrumental in handling and maneuvering the school district through.
“There were some tough times, but it was a necessary step to bring the resources of Hampton County together,” he said. “Instead of them having two-second school districts, we have one combined school district and while maneuvering people through that process, some feelings were involved.”
Wright said he sees the district as a diamond.
“I want to be a part of this diamond, and I want to add luster to this diamond,” Wright said. “I want to make sure that this diamond continues to shine in South Carolina. I took the challenge. You guys have an awesome system here in your hands. And the only way that we can do or go from here is to continue the climb up.”
After Wright met with everyone, he had his second interview with the board of education.