The Lancaster County School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously (7-0) to select Dr. Raashad Fitzpatrick as the next Superintendent for the Lancaster County School District in their board meeting on Tuesday, October 17, 2023.
Raashad Lamont Fitzpatrick currently serves as the Assistant to the Superintendent and District Ombudsman for Greenville County Schools. Prior to this he served as a Principal at Gaffney High School and Carver Middle School. He served as an Assistant Principal at Spartanburg High School and Whitlock Jr. High School. He was a Social Studies Teacher and Assistant Coach at Chesnee High School.
Fitzpatrick earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from West Virginia State University, a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from Marshall University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from South Carolina State University.
Brad Small, Board Chair, said, “The board had a difficult decision with five strong finalists. I am confident that Dr. Fitzpatrick will serve Lancaster County School District well. We are excited to move forward to do what is best for the education of our students.”
Dr. Raashad Fitzpatrick said, “I am excited to serve as superintendent in the Lancaster County School District. I look forward to helping build on the current success in Lancaster County Schools while creating new opportunities for greater student achievement. We will fulfill the vision of “putting students first” by providing excellent experiences in academics, athletics, activities, and the arts. I invite all stakeholders to join me as we prepare our students for the future. I want to thank the school board for giving me the chance to lead in such a wonderful district.”
More about Dr. Fitzpatrick -
Dr. Fitzpatrick has an educational career that spans 25 years, 22 as an administrator. The focus of his dissertation was the impact of early literacy and behavior sanctions on the graduation rate of black males. Dr. Fitzpatrick has presented at numerous conferences, including the National Blue Ribbon Conference, the National Dropout Prevention Conference, the National High Schools That Work Conference, the Annual Center for Excellence Conference, the College Board Dream Deferred Conference, and at the South Carolina Association of School Administrator’s Conference. He is certified as a Dropout Prevention Specialist by the National Dropout Prevention Center and trained in the Trauma-Skilled School Model. Dr. Fitzpatrick served on the NASSP Board of Directors. He has also served on three AdvancEd/Cognia teams for school district accreditation. Under his leadership, he has helped schools and students in Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Greenville Counties be successful. Dr. Fitzpatrick has not lost his passion for the classroom and is also an adjunct professor at Converse University. His faith and his family ground, motivate, and inspire him daily. He is married to his soulmate Crystal and has four children: Shaira, John, Raashad Jr. and Caris.