
Dr. Tim Newman speaks during the Darlington County School District Convocation Aug. 15, 2018 at Hartsville High School. Photo by Melissa Rollins
By Melissa Rollins, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
On August 15, all of Darlington County School District’s employees gathered at Hartsville High School for the 2018-2019 district convocation. This was the first time that the district faculty and staff collectively heard from new superintendent Dr. Tim Newman. In his address, Newman spoke about his goals for the district in the coming year. He also challenged everyone from the top down to get to know their students.
“I started back in March visiting with schools and offices; I tried to get to as many places as I could to learn about Darlington County School District,” Newman said. “What caught my attention is the word focus. I kept hearing people say that we needed to find our focus again. Everything is in place we just need our focus back; if we can all be pointed in the same direction with that focus, we know greatness is here. We’ve already proven that in the past. We already have the banners to show for it. We just need focus.”
Newman said that he is a detail-oriented person and he wants everyone headed in the same direction.
“When we think about focus and success, my definition is that success is not defined by the data but by the culture and processes that are in place that insure success,” Newman said. “If the culture and the processes create success, the data will show success as well.”
Creating a culture of success starts by showing the community that the district, its staff and its teachers care about the work that they are doing.
“There is a unique culture to this school district; that is what is most important to focus on,” Newman said. “We can talk test scores all day long…but that is not the most important thing.
The most important thing is the culture in our district and in our buildings and that our kids, our parents and our community see that and feel that and experience that. We are in charge of the most important things in their lives. It is up to us to help them be successful.”
With such an important role to play, knowing where the district should be headed is vital.
“Success is defined in many different ways,” Newman said. “It can be defined academically…socially…athletically…extracurricular but it is up to us to help our students to be more successful. When we talk about culture, what do we stand for? What is your particular school, or department, or board stand for? What do we want to be known for? We all have expectations of our kids and of ourselves. As faculty and staff and a team, we have expectations of ourselves as well. Expectations drive behaviors. Behaviors drive habits and habits drive our future.”
Newman talked about priorities and making sure that there is a balance kept throughout the year.
“For me, first and foremost, it starts with faith,” Newman said. “I don’t claim any kind of success without first honoring God. I’m not afraid to tell people that I’m not in control of everything and this moment in time is not because of me.
Second priority is family. Thank God for my wife who has brought me through many, many things. She keeps me grounded.
My next priority is work. This is what I do; this is what I am committed to. I am called to what I do. We are called to what we do. This is not about an investment strategy, this is not about a 401K or anything else. This is a calling to help kids and help our communities. This is a calling to give back what’s been given to us.
Then comes everything else. Let’s make sure our priorities are straight. Sometimes everything else gets in the way and we have to regroup.”
Knowing how much is required of teachers in a given school year, Newman encouraged them to find a way to relax more than just on summer break.
“My favorite motto is work hard, play hard,” Newman said. “I am going to give you 150 percent everyday but I also need to recharge my batteries; that can’t just happen in the summertime. You need to take care of yourselves. This can be draining emotionally, mentally, physically. You have to play hard at something other than work. You have to do something that you enjoy that makes you unplug.”
At the end of the day, Newman said, you can’t control what goes on for a student outside of the classroom but you can control the way they are treated inside the four walls of the school.
“The degrees and all that stuff is not who I am, that’s a title,” Newman said. “My title is superintendent and my degrees say I went to school for something but that’s not who I am. We need to be focused on who our kids are. Sometimes labels get in the way, good or bad, but we can’t pre-label our kids. We have to say who is this child in front of me and how can I help them.”