Berkeley's Floyd to retire in January
Time feels right, superintendent says
BY ANDY PARAS
MONCKS CORNER — Berkeley County Schools Superintendent Chester Floyd says that for the first time in his 11 years with the district, it feels like the right time to retire.
After meeting with him in executive session Tuesday night, the school board agreed to release Floyd from his contract that runs through June 30, 2010.
While some may say his leaving had to do with repeated battles with some members of the board, Floyd said he's leaving so that he can spend more time with family, especially his six grandchildren.
Chester Floyd
"If there are those who want to blame someone else for my decision, or if there are those who want to take credit, they can do whatever they want to do," Floyd said. "The truth is, I want to do this because I have other things I want to do, namely the family situation and while my health is good."
Floyd, 64, will step down effective Jan. 20 after 31 years as a superintendent with three school districts. He has spent a total of 42 years as an educator in the state.
He was a former supervisor of the year when the school board hired Floyd away from Lexington County in 1997, making him the highest-paid superintendent at the time with a base salary of $122,500.
He promised he'd stay for only three to five years. "I will commit at least three years," Floyd told the board then. "And if you like me and I like you, then maybe five years. But after that I'm out of here."
Floyd said there was just too much to be done after those five years to even think about retiring.
He is credited with taking a run-down district and turning it into one of the most progressive and fastest-growing in the state, and a 5 percent raise in September brought his base pay to $196,980.
He was hailed as a hero in 1999 for persuading a skeptical public to vote for a $192 million bond issue for improvements at 17 school sites.
He recently oversaw another round of construction and improvements, including the massive Cane Bay High School, which opens in August.
His tenure has been met with controversy more recently after some of his most ardent supporters on the school board were defeated in November.
A board that once gave him unwavering support is now typically split 5-4. His critics say the improvements in education haven't increased proportionally to the spending.
The constant battles have led officials to expect this day would come sooner than later.
Floyd said he realized after his sister's recent death and a brother's illness that the time was now. He said he was tired of having to leave his grandchildren to return to work.
"All of those things make you re-evaluate where you are," he said.
Floyd said there's more to be done, including finding funding for a Cane Bay Middle School, but now it's someone else's turn.
"Every year that has passed, I've been even more content that I was where I was supposed to be, doing what I was supposed to be," Floyd said. "But now is the time that I think some other superintendent needs the opportunity to serve in this capacity."
He asked the board to start looking for his replacement immediately. He said he won't have any say in deciding his replacement but that he will be open to extending his term a month or so if the board needs more time.
Board member Jerry Prosser said he hated to do it, but the 17-year board member made the motion to free Floyd from the contract.
Prosser was on the board when Floyd was hired. "It was the best decision we could have possibly made," Prosser said.
Reach Andy Paras at 745-5891 or aparas@postandcourier.com.
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lemonhead (anonymous) says...
hmmmm gets a raise in what sept?? then decides to retire early.... sounds like he knew what he was doing
May 28, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
I hope that before the school board goes looking for his replacement they rethink how much they are planning on paying a new superintendent. The salaries of these superintendents is outrageous. The only thing Mr. Floyd accomplished in his tenure is raising homeowners' taxes. We are constantly throwing good money after bad in public education. A superintendent follows the policies and direction of the school board, period. We don't need to be paying someone a six figure salary to do that.
May 28, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
carolinadude (anonymous) says...
Absolutely he knew. If i remember correctly, i believe that one's retirement benefits are based on the highest salary attained. It's only natural that he'd play the system to his advantage as to retirement pay. Look out though as he might be "lured back" and take advantage of the TERI plan whereby they retire and then work for 5 years as a consultant which maximizes retirement benefits even more. Is he eligible for TERI and what's the advantage to him?
May 28, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Localjoe (anonymous) says...
Thank you Dr Floyd for bringing Berkeley County out of the dark ages to make the schools system one of envy vs. a source of embarrassment. Godspeed in your retirement....
May 28, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
prosperous_hb (anonymous) says...
Thank God he is leaving. He made a mess of the BCSD.
May 28, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestonnative1963 (anonymous) says...
I worked for the BCSD for 19 years. He was by far the best leader the county had in the years I was there.86-05. He added much to the professionalism of the teachers, had a terrific reachability-was really good at creating top facility buildings that match anything in the low-country. Improved curriculim standards and brought BC out of the dust. when I began working in BC right out of the CofC I had many middle school kids that could not read at the second grade level. Dr Floyd brought us to a level equal with the best districts in SC such as Lexington 5, Spartanburg, and Rock Hills system. I left because the pay was low and I needed the higher income due to a divorce but if I could afford to teach I would not hesitate to work for Dr. Floyd. You will be missed-I certainly hope they can find someone 1/2 as good. As for the pay of a SC superintendent-they deserve every penny...I would not have the hastle.
May 28, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
No one can justify making that kind of money when we are still at or near the bottom of the nation. A CEO of a company that got the results he and other superintendents got would be fired.
May 28, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
asdpe (anonymous) says...
No, no, no. I'm sorry, I'm so tired of hearing the "we're last in the nation" crap. As long as NCLB allows each state to set it's own standards at whatever level they choose, then there is absolutely no validity at all in the scores that are produced. Truth be told, SC's standards are much higher than many of the other states, and have been for a while. Therefore, a certain score on a standardized test looks like failing here, while it might not somewhere else. I heard that many of our so-called "failing" districts would be passing with flying colors if they were located in the home state of Mr. NCLB himself (Texas).
I can't claim that our schools are perfect, because they're not, but none are anywhere. But it's just plain wrong to bash the whole state of SC schools on this unfounded belief that we're last or at the bottom. Make the standards the same, make the measurement tools consistent in each state, then we'll talk about who's last.
May 28, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blunt (anonymous) says...
lemondhead and carolinadude: Of course he knew he was retiring. He just wanted his currant raise to increase his retirement amount. He has already used up the TERI program then hired back so he gets full salary plus retirement. Who can beat it and guess who is paying for it?
May 28, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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