Clover High School will get a new principal, as previous one takes job in district

Clover High School will have a new principal, as Rod Ruth moves to a new role in the growing Clover School District.

Ruth will become the new chief student services and secondary education officer. According to a district release, Ruth will finish the year at Clover High and take on the new role this summer.

Superintendent Sheila Quinn said Ruth will aid district leadership in planning for a second high school and third middle school.

“His strengths as a former middle and high school principal will make him an excellent mentor and leader of academic programs at the secondary level,” Quinn said.

Ruth’s time at Clover High includes both personal and school accolades. Ruth began in 2015 and last year was named 2023 South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year. Earlier this year Clover High was named a finalist for the Palmetto’s Finest designation, a top state award no tri-county school has won in two decades. The school also has one of five statewide teacher of the year finalists, in engineering instructor Wayne Williams.

The school board in Clover approved the change earlier this week, and Ruth informed school staff Wednesday. The hiring of a new high school principal will include stakeholder meetings with students, staff and parents, according to the district release.

The district would like to name the new principal in May.