Mayo principal retiring at the end of school year after 38 years in DCSD
Dr. Arlene Wallace, principal of Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Darlington County Board of Education recently accepted the resignation of Dr. Arlene Wallace, principal of Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology. Wallace will retire as principal at the end of the school year.
Wallace spent most of her 38 years in the Darlington County School District (DCSD) at Mayo.
She began her career as a science teacher at Mullins High School. She also worked at Dillon High School before moving to Mayo as an administrative assistant. In 1997, she joined the school’s leadership team as assistant principal, and in 2000 she became the school’s principal.
“Dr. Wallace is the epitome of professionalism,” said Dr. Tim Newman, DCSD superintendent. “She has built an incredible culture at Mayo that students, staff, and parents want to continuously be a part of. It has been a privilege to work alongside Dr. Wallace for the past four years and she will be greatly missed. “
During her career at Mayo, Wallace earned the following commendations: the Iota Omicron Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Lady of Distinction award, the Alpha Beta Beta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen of the Year, the Darlington County Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year, the Darlington County Principal of the Year, the S.C. Competitive Spirit Squads Official of the Year, and, most recently, South Carolina Principal of the Year finalist.
Under her leadership, Mayo won several Palmetto Gold Awards from the S.C. Department of Education, achieved a 100 percent graduation rate, became a National Blue Ribbon School twice (2013 and 2021), and earned the Palmetto’s Finest Award from the S.C. Association of School Administrators.
The school has been included in Newsweek’s “America’s Top High Schools” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best High School,” where it was most recently ranked No. 4 in South Carolina.