Fifteen years ago, Roxanne Hyer was a newlywed and an aspiring teacher. She and her husband, Jason, were renting a small apartment near Highway 421 and dreaming big.

More than once on most days they would pass by a little elementary school down the road, so they would just dream out loud – wouldn’t it be something if she could be there someday – even though the chances of it happening seemed beyond remote at the time.

That little school fueled Hyer’s dreams of being an educator, and Gloverville Elementary has held a special place in her heart ever since. On Tuesday, April 17, during their regularly scheduled meeting at Wagener-Salley High School, Aiken County Board of Education members approved Hyer as the new principal at Gloverville Elementary School for the 2018-19 school year.

“I drove by the school just the other day, and my husband and I just really feel this is the right time to take that next step,” Hyer stated Tuesday. “When I first moved here from Greenville and after Jason and I got married, I was still in school and that was one of the first schools we drove by every day. He would say you never know – you might end up there one day. And so when I saw this opportunity, it was like God was bringing things back around, and it just spoke to me.”

Hyer currently serves as an assistant principal at J.D. Lever Elementary School.

“I just really want to dive into that community and bring that sense of partnership,” Hyer commented.

“I know they have a really good sense of community and a great school culture there now, but that’s definitely something I put a lot of stock in – the partnerships between parents, teachers and businesses. Through research, we know student achievement ties in directly to that involvement, so that’s something I want to focus on,” Hyer added.

Hyer’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina Aiken, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Phoenix, and a Specialist in Education Degree from Georgia College and State University. Additionally, she holds numerous professional certifications, including certifications for Special Education, Elementary and Secondary Principal, Early Childhood and Gifted and Talented endorsement.

She says the 2017-18 school year has served as a tremendous opportunity for her to learn and develop as a building leader alongside J.D. Lever Principal Michael Truitt.

“I have been blessed to work with him and we have been a great team,” Hyer stated. “He has allowed me to be a real part of the leadership process and express my own ideas and really test the waters in regard to that level of leadership. After working previously in a much larger school environment, being here and working with the community at J.D. Lever has allowed me to see what working in a smaller school can be like and also all the things that can be accomplished.”

Before taking a position as an assistant principal at J.D. Lever Elementary, Hyer served as an assistant principal at Cedar Ridge Elementary in Grovetown, Georgia, and as an instructional specialist and classroom teacher.

Hyer says she eagerly anticipates meeting with the faculty and staff at Gloverville Elementary in the months ahead as they chart the school’s path toward the 2018-19 school year.

“I have really enjoyed my time here in Aiken County Public Schools, and I really look forward to being a more integral part of this county moving forward,” Hyer commented.

Hyer will begin her duties as Gloverville Elementary principal in July.

LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2018 PR GLOVERVILLE ELEM PRINCIPAL