Bill Evans of Beaufort, Sherri R. Horton of Clifton, and Allison Batten Jacques of Columbia have recently joined the SC School Improvement Council Board of Trustees, Board Chair Michael Guarino has announced.

Dr. Jacques, Assistant Dean for External Partnerships at the University of South Carolina’s College of Education, was named as the College’s representative to the SC-SIC Board. Ms. Horton, Coordinator of Public Information for Spartanburg School District 3, was elected to a full three-year term representing the Upstate. Mr. Evans, Chair of the Beaufort County Board of Education, was appointed to fill an unexpired term representing the Lowcountry.

“These three individuals have tremendous commitment to and understanding of public education and its importance to the health and future of South Carolina,” said Mr. Guarino. “Our Board is truly fortunate to have their shared experience and insight, and we look forward to their contributions in assisting the SC School Improvement Council as it provides vital services to our schools, our children, and our communities.”

The SC-SIC Board of Trustees is composed of 21 members from all corners of South Carolina and acts in an advisory capacity to the SC School Improvement Council (SC-SIC), which serves nearly 15,000 members of local School Improvement Councils in the state’s 1,100-plus K-12 public schools.

Mr. Evans has served on the Beaufort County Board of Education since 2011 and as Chair since 2013. A retired educator, he was an elementary and middle school teacher in Pennsylvania early in his career and later served as a middle school assistant principal and principal in California. He retired from the Beaufort County School District following 24 years as a high school principal and district administrator, including service as that district’s SIC District Contact, Athletic Director, Ombudsman, Science Coordinator, and Director of Secondary Programs.

In the community, Mr. Evans is a past president of the Rotary Club of the Lowcountry, Community Investment Committee Chair for United Way of the Lowcountry, and a member of the North Regional Planning Board.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree In Biological Sciences/History from Rutgers University (NJ), a Masters of Education in Teaching and Curriculum from Penn State University, a Masters of Education in Educational Administration and Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California.

Ms. Horton has served Spartanburg School District 3 in various capacities for the last 15 years, most recently as Coordinator of Public Information since 2007. She also serves as that district’s SIC District Contact. Before joining the district, she served as Dean of Admissions for Spartanburg Methodist College, and as Alumni Director, Director of Admissions, and later Vice President for Student Services at Limestone College. She previously worked as a recruiter for Spartanburg Methodist College and North Greenville College.

She currently serves as president of the SC Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (SC/NSPRA), is a member of United Way of the Piedmont, and has served as a local board member of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Ms. Horton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion/Theatre Arts from Limestone College and a Master’s degree in Education focusing on Student Personnel Services Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Jacques has served as an Assistant Dean at the USC College of Education since 2013, and also serves as co-director of the College’s Center for Educational Partnerships. An elected parent member of the Irmo Elementary School Improvement Council, she previously served as director of the SC Department of Education’s Office of Educator Certification, Preparation and Recruitment, and the Office of Educator Preparation, Support and Assessment. Earlier in her career, Dr. Jacques was a department chair and teacher at Pine Ridge Middle School (Lexington School District 2), assistant principal for Irmo and Crossroads Middle Schools (Lexington-Richland District 5), assistant principal at Brookland-Cayce High School (Lexington District 2), and principal of Brookland-Cayce High. In 2005, she was named the South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year by the SC Association of School Administrators.

She holds four degrees from the University of South Carolina: a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Arts Education, the Master’s degree in Educational Administration, the Education Specialist degree, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.

Located within the Center for Educational Partnerships at the University of South Carolina’s College of Education, the SC School Improvement Council was established in state law over 35 years ago to provide the member training, technical assistance, statutory accountability, and operational resources vital to the continued success of the community-based School Improvement Councils in each of the state’s K-12 public schools.

Learn more about the SC School Improvement Council and its services.