Friday, May 20, 2022

Following a unanimous vote by the Kershaw County School District Board of Trustees, J. Harrison Goodwin, Ed.D. was named the next superintendent of Kershaw County School District (KCSD) during a special called board meeting on Friday, May 20. Dr. Goodwin comes to KCSD from Chesterfield County Schools, where he has served as superintendent for 10 years. 

Dr. Goodwin began his educational career in Kershaw County at Camden High School as an Industrial Technology Teacher from 1987 to 1992. Prior to being appointed superintendent of Chesterfield County Schools in 2012, Dr. Goodwin served as an assistant superintendent and principal in Spartanburg One, as well as an assistant principal and teacher in Greenwood School District 52.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Goodwin home to Kershaw County. With 30-plus years of success as a teacher, technology specialist, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent – all in South Carolina – we are confident that he is the best choice to lead Kershaw County Schools. His focus on student achievement and academic success for all students aligns with our district’s top priority,” says KCSD Board Chair James Smith. 

Under Goodwin’s leadership, Chesterfield County Schools received its first ever “Excellent” rating on their South Carolina Report Card and have consistently exceeded the state’s graduation rate since 2014.  Many of the schools and educators in Chesterfield County have received state and national awards and recognition during his time in the district, including a State Distinguished Title One School recognition.

In 2019, the South Carolina Association of School Administrators named Dr. Goodwin the South Carolina Superintendent of the Year. In 2016, he was honored by the South Carolina Athletic Administrator Association as Superintendent of the Year, as well as Outstanding Superintendent by the Career and Technology Administrators Association. Prior to that, in 2012 he was named the South Carolina Music Educators Association’s Honor Administrator of the Year.  

Dr. Goodwin serves on many educational boards and participates in many associations including: South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA), The School Superintendents’ Association Governing Board (AASA), South Carolina School Boards Insurance Trust, South Carolina Association of Governmental Organizations, Northeastern Technical College Board of Commissioners and Chesterfield County First Steps. He served as the president of the SCASA’s Superintendent Division during the 2019-2020 school year and as the president of SCASA in 2020-2021.

Dr. Goodwin holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Clemson University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is a 1983 Camden High School graduate.

Dr. Goodwin’s wife Amy is an English and journalism teacher at Camden High School, with more than 30 years experience in education.  The Goodwins have two children; their son Tyler is a doctoral candidate in French Horn Performance at Indiana University and their daughter Megan is a middle school science teacher in Darlington County.

“I’m honored to be chosen as the next leader of Kershaw County Schools. To return to the community that raised me and laid my educational foundation is very special. I look forward to working with the talented educators in our district to build on the tradition of educational excellence in Kershaw County, as we serve the students and families of the county together,” Dr. Harrison Goodwin says.

Dr. Goodwin will begin his work in Kershaw County on July 1, 2022.