Allendale County Schools recruits for teaching, counseling and admin jobs

Allendale County Schools is trying to fill teaching, counseling and administrative openings at a time when even a few vacancies can affect classroom coverage, student services and daily school operations in a district serving 855 students across three schools.

The district says it serves more than 900 students in rural Allendale County and offers high school students STEM courses, dual enrollment through the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie and Denmark Technical College, and career training in health occupations, welding and automotive technology. That makes staffing a public service issue as much as a personnel issue, because each open role can shape how consistently students get instruction, counseling and help at school.

On its employment page, Allendale County Schools says it has opportunities for people who are starting or continuing a career in education. Recent hiring notices show the district has been looking for elementary teachers, middle school English and science teachers, high school business education teachers and instructional coach positions. A separate job fair notice promoted openings for early childhood and elementary teachers and middle school science teachers at Allendale-Fairfax Middle/High School.

For teaching jobs, the district said applicants need a bachelor’s degree in the subject area or in education, or an equivalent, along with a valid South Carolina teaching license and the proper endorsement. The district’s human resources page says its work includes recruitment, staffing, compensation and classification, certification and renewal, employee relations and performance management, all of which shape how quickly schools can respond when needs surface.

The hiring push lands in a district that is still defined by turnaround work. On June 19, 2017, then-State Superintendent Molly Spearman declared a state of emergency in the district, and the state said that move gave the superintendent direct control of district management. District materials say state education officials and staff have worked to make needed changes and restore confidence in the system.

Current Superintendent Dr. Vallerie Coath Cave, a native of Allendale County and a 1978 graduate of Allendale-Fairfax High School, has led the district for 35 years in education, according to district materials. Those same materials say 80% of the schools were removed from the state underperforming list under her leadership and two schools received National Green Ribbon recognition.

The district’s staff listings also show the range of jobs that keep a small system moving, including a social worker, parent liaison, PowerSchool coordinator, food service supervisor and front desk receptionist. In a county where schools carry outsized weight for families, filling those posts can determine how smoothly classrooms run and how much support students receive each day.