Rhoads named to replace Alford

Bluffton Middle School principal Dereck Rhoads was chosen Tuesday to be the county school district's new instructional services chief. He replaces Sean Alford, who is leaving to become assistant superintendent of instruction in Dorchester County School District 2.

Superintendent Valerie Truesdale said in a news release that Rhoads was picked by an interview team that included four principals.

Rhoads received the unanimous approval of the school board Tuesday and will start his new job July 1.

The position entails guiding academic instruction by working with the leadership teams at all of the district's 31 schools, the release said. Among other things, he will be responsible for professional development of teachers, student testing and school accountability.

Rhoads came to Beaufort County to become the first principal at Bluffton Middle School, which opened two years ago.

He has been a teacher and administrator at schools in Monterrey, Mexico, and Brasilia, Brazil, and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese.

This story was originally published June 5, 2012 at 8:39 PM with the headline "Rhoads named to replace Alford."