Superintendent
Dr. Vashti K. Washington, Superintendent
Dr. Vashti K. Washington is the superintendent of the Jasper County School District.
Washington previously served as an associate superintendent in the Charleston County School District, a position she has held since 2004.
The 1978 graduate of Charleston Southern University has a master’s degree in early childhood education and earned her doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Nova Southeastern University. She also has completed studies at The Citadel and at Harvard University.
Beginning with 16 years of teaching experience in a multitude of venues, ranging from kindergarten to adult education, Washington then moved into school administration as an assistant principal and principal at the elementary level in several rural schools.
She became the associate superintendent in the Charleston County Schools in 2004 and had primary operational, managerial and administrative responsibility for 20 schools with an enrollment of 9,000 students and a staff of 900.
Dr. Washington knows the importance of developing teachers. She said the district will celebrate teachers with end-of-the-year gatherings as well as numerous achievement awards given out during the course of the school year.
"Many times we do not celebrate teachers enough," she said..
Washington said that she believes that achieving better scores will start with a community that is willing to embrace change, and the district will implement a plan to work strategically between parents, students, teachers and administrators.
A component to this is the positive behavior support system has introduced to JCSD teachers.. Washington described it as a management plan that is successful due to proper training.
"Through this, we also develop parent clubs that promote the participation of parents in their children’s schoolwork," she said. "And it’s up to us as a team to make the people of the community feel welcomed in our schools because that’s a critical part of the success of our schools."
