Edisto principal to remain at helm; Rivelon leader joining OCSD office post-merger

Dr. Steven Preast will remain principal of Edisto Primary School next year, while Rivelon Elementary Principal Dr. Rena Bowman will join the Orangeburg County School District’s Department of Federal Programs.

The schools are being combined under the district’s wider, $190 million school construction and upgrade plan.

The district announced in a release that Preast, a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran with international military experience, has served the district as a principal for the past four years.

Bowman, a lauded educator who has served the students, parents and community of Rivelon for the past seven years, has served the district as a principal for more than a decade.

Bowman will transition into her new role at the end of the 2022-2023 school year in August, when Rivelon Elementary School will officially close.

OCSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster praised Preast and Bowman for their service to the district in the release.

The district said Bowman’s expertise in school leadership will make “immediate positive impacts on the district’s federal program department.”

“Dr. Bowman is a one-of-a-kind servant leader who gives her all while educating our children. I am excited about Dr. Bowman joining our federal programs, as I know she will positively impact our program of work,” Foster said.

The district further said that Bowman believes in family, community and cooperation and successfully “nurtured the school culture at Rivelon” with perseverance, determination and positivity.

“Dr. Bowman is a selfless child advocate. … She wants all students to learn to read and be healthy, happy and safe, all while learning as much as possible,” the district said.

Regarding Preast, Foster said, “I am proud to have such a caring, well-trained and dedicated academician at the helm of Edisto Primary School.

“It has been said there are no good schools without good principals, and where you have good principals, great teachers come, they stay and they work hard.”

Voters approved the $190 million plan during the Nov. 8 general election.

As part of that, the district plans to make minor renovations at Edisto Primary as it seeks to combine smaller schools and close the ones that need the most work.

Roof work and flooring, painting and lighting are among the work that needs to be done at EPS, which has a full wing not being used.

Rivelon Elementary and EPS exclusively serve early learning in pre-kindergarten through second grade. The underutilized schools have bordering attendance lines.