Rhonda Rhodes

A National Distinguished Principal, Rhonda Rhodes had led Taylors Elementary School for the last five years and has been a school principal for fifteen years. Rhodes says she aims to foster a climate where success is measured by students’ ability to claim their learning and identify the gifts they want to share with the community and world. To get there, Rhodes has fostered a foundation with a strong social emotional learning environment, led the implementation as a Leader in Me school and created a comprehensive, student-centered counseling program which earned national recognition from the American School Counselor Association as a RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) School. Taylors Elementary has also received the Palmetto Silver Award for academics.  She has also committed herself to developing leadership among her students, staff and teachers, calling it “the greatest legacy” she could contribute as principal. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Educational Leadership and Supervision from Clemson University, and has completed coursework for doctoral study in Educational Leadership at the University of South Carolina. She has served as the President of the Elementary Division of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA), Chair of the Innovative Ideas Institute (annual conference) and currently serves on the Executive Board of SCASA. Additionally, she is on the University of South Carolina Education Leadership Advisory and the South Carolina State Department of Education Read to Succeed Impact Committee. As an avid lover of quotes, Stephen Covey’s quote best sums up her leadership style and goal: “Leadership is affirming people’s worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.”