From Coach To Superintendent

A lot of people imagine superintendents as “career administrators” who climbed a neat ladder. Bernard McDaniel’s story is messier, more human, and far more useful. From teacher and football coach to principal, district leader, and now Superintendent of Lee County Schools, he breaks down the real moves that shaped his leadership and the hard moments that tested it.

We talk about how athletics and education leadership overlap in ways most people miss. Bernard shares why being named South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Superintendent of the Year matters to him, and how coaches can become mentors, disciplinarians, and steady guides for kids who need a strong example. He also makes the case that small rural school districts deserve the same respect and fair opportunities as larger systems, especially when it comes to student athletics, resources, and visibility.

Then we get practical about one of the biggest K-12 challenges right now: teacher recruitment and retention. Bernard explains Lee County’s Grow Your Own program, including alternate certification pathways, Praxis and Principles of Learning and Teaching support, and why “building from within” creates continuity and commitment that outside hiring often can’t match. If you care about rural education, building a teacher pipeline, or preparing for roles like principal or superintendent, this conversation lays out what “being ready” actually looks like.

If this resonated, subscribe to Native Drums, share the episode with an educator or coach who leads with heart, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Hello everyone, this is Joselia Williams, and welcome to Native Drums. Uh, this evening I have with me Superintendent Bernard McDaniel. He is superintendent of Lee County Schools, and he is a member of our church family. Yes. Matter of fact, he was our uh chairman of our trustee board at one time.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

That is correct.

A 46-Year Career Journey

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Welcome to Native Drums. Well, thank you. I'm honored to be here to share this platform with you. Oh, thank you so much. Now, and we are proud of you too uh being superintendent. We have a superintendent in our church family. That is because you know, um, Savannah Grove has always been a great advocator of education. And um uh we have several educators in uh here in the church, and your your wife, Pam McDaniel, is um public information specialist for District 1 here in Florence. Yes, yes, so uh we are ever so proud of you, Bernard. Uh now so let's talk about your journey, your journey to the superintendent's office.

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Okay, it has indeed been a journey. 46 years journey. Wow. Uh I actually started out as a uh teacher and a football coach down in Charleston. I spent two years in Charleston as a, as I said, a teacher and a coach. Yes, Charleston is my hometown. Actually, uh I say Charleston, and Pam reminds me that boy, you're from James Island. So I proudly say I am from James Island. James Island was at one time very rural, but due to the urban sprawl that exists in Charleston, it is growing tremendously. Uh but I spent two years in the school system there, Charleston County School System, then later moved to Holly Hill to become the head football coach at Holly Hill Roberts High School, which is in uh Orangeburg County, was Orangeburg 3 at the time. And then I left there um seeking a uh larger school and applied for the position as the football coach at Lake City High School. And that's what brought me to the PD. Okay. Uh and I became the football coach there and later, football coach assistant athletic director, then later becoming the um athletic director and head football coach. Uh after maybe four years, I believe it was, the opportunity came for me to uh be an elementary school principal. So I had prepared myself by completing some graduate work at the Citadel prior to moving to Lake City. So I was certified and uh available and ready for the position. So I indeed moved over in that middle of the year. There was a principal that was about to retire, and uh the superintendent offered me the opportunity to go over there, spend the rest of that year with him the second semester, and then I actually became the principal the following year. So spent two years there, or actually, let me back up, a year and a half there at Ryan McNair, I'm sorry, J. Paul Trullock Elementary School. Uh then the Wednesday before, Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I was told that uh we'd like for you to move to Ryan McNair. They're having some issues, and we need you to move over there.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

That was a middle school.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

That was a junior high school, yes, seventh and eighth graders. And I said, Oh, I'm you know, I'm honored that you think that high limited. Just got married, um, new job, new staff, things are going good. And I said, let me think about it. And I trained to be politically correct. Let me talk with the wife and let's see. Well, the next day they said, uh, I said, look, I thought about it, and I want to continue to grow what we've started here at this elementary school. And they said, um, a gentleman who uh was speaking with me was a former principal. He said, Well, you're gonna have we had an interim superintendent. He said, Well, you'll have to tell him that you're not gonna do it. And of course, they changed from, we would like for you to do it, now we're gonna tell you to do it. So that didn't go real well. So I did indeed meet with the interim superintendent and uh shared with him that uh I'd much prefer to stay where I am. And he said, uh, well, I know what's best for you. And he shouldn't have said that. And uh I probably would have fired myself had I a teacher told me what I said. I just said, you don't even know me, so how do you know what's best for me? And he said, Well, that's where you're gonna go. So Monday after Thanksgiving, that's where you will report. So there was no time to meet the staff, just a meet and greet, but nothing to the magnitude of taking over a new school. There you go. Myself and another assistant. But at any rate, you know, it was those challenges helped, as you said, prepared. Uh, but at the end of that year, uh at that time I didn't have options. But at the end of that year, I did have options, and so I left the district and uh went to Pamplico for eight years as a middle school principal, eight years as a high school principal, then subsequently went to uh Clarendon County and stayed here for like five years, and uh then I got an opportunity to go to Lee County to be a quote principal leader working with the high school principal, and then subsequently moved to the district office where I was uh Student Services Director, then Federal Programs Director, then uh director of Executive Director of Instruction and Federal Programs, and then my uh predecessor announced her retirement and uh recommended me to replace her. And so I brought I was brought on as the interim initially. Okay, and then the June, June of that year, of that next year, I was off at the full-time position, and I've been serving that capacity uh this I'm about to complete my fifth year.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

So it's been a journey, but um all of those moves at the various levels certainly prepared me because uh had an opportunity to touch a little bit of everything that a superintendent needs to be knowledgeable. Not that I know it all, but I've been exposed to the various levels of uh instruction and the grade spans and special ed and transportation, athletics. It just helps, you know, to be well-rounded.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

You know, that's right. I as I listened to you, I was like, wow, he had his hands in every single entity seemingly that was needed. You know, um, you know, I'm always talking about my father. Yes. And he lays the plan for our lives. And your life is an example of the plan that he has laid.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

And I will say this um it came along the opportunity to be a superintendent, meaning would say late in my career. But as I look back, actually, the Lee County position I applied for at that position about three years prior to coming to the county, and I thought, thank God I didn't get because I was not ready for that at the time. But uh, you know, there there were some challenges, and and of course, as you said, he he will take care of you. And I certainly had some mountaintop experiences, but I've had some valley experience also, and through it all, you know, he blessed me to be here. And, you know, if I wanted to retire at Ken, hopefully uh we'll be able to hang in there for a few more years. But if they decide that we want to go a different direction, uh we'll say farewell, Godspeed. You'll be satisfied. Yes, yes. Yes, yes.

Superintendent Of The Year Honor

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Oh wow, that's a wonderful story. Wonderful story, and that leads me to this recent honor that you've received, and it's um superintendent, it's a it says you were named S-CAA, Class 3A, 2A, 1A, Superintendent of the Year for 2025 and 26. So that is so awesome. Oh my goodness. So tell us about this honor, because I see it has a lot to do with athletics.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Right. It is the Athletic South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

Annually, they uh we have like five different classes of schools in South Carolina. It's based upon the size of the school, your enrollment. Uh so our athletic director actually nominated, the process was he had to be nominated. He nominated me for uh the superintendent of the year for class A, 2A, and 3A. And he also nominated our high school principal for principal of the year for Class A.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

And ironically, and who would have thought, uh, we both were selected after submitting some um an application, submitting some document, our resumes, and we both were selected in the various in those two capacities. And uh I guess about three weeks ago we were recognized at a uh breakfast banquet uh in Charleston. And so it is indeed an honor um to to receive that recognition because uh, as I said earlier, athletics have been near and dear to my heart, and as I shared with the folks in the audience that, you know, I certainly appreciate and understand the job that they do because I once sat where they're sitting and serve in that capacity and understand that uh it was coaches, it was a coach, several coaches who motivated me, inspired me, and helped provide some directions for me, and uh certainly paid honor to them during that ceremony. And so it I try to give back because I know athletics is so important to so many children, and it can open the doors to an education if it pays for my education. So I just feel like I always need to give back, and so try to support the students in in our district and across the state, having uh served on various committees, trying to support and make certain that uh a lot of our students' um rights aren't stepped on and they have the opportunity to do just as other students have in Greenville and larger districts. Uh don't forget the small rural districts. Of course. So we have to remind them of that quite a bit. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

And I'm sure you do remind them of that. Yes, yes. Well, that's um that's wonderful that that has been a uh one has been you focused on that, um, especially something you just said about coaches um that have influenced your life. Um we find that uh coaches influence and they sort of lead in God, and and they're fathers for those who may not have that father figure in the home.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Yours truly. Amen. Amen. Um I had some very influential uh actually from Little League football gentleman by the name of Walter Mitchell who played uh the Philadelphia Bells. It was like a World Football League team, and uh, you know, he coached us and we all looked up to him and and then it moved through the school system. And so I had some really, really strong leaders, good coaches who uh really were very supportive. And uh course they when you when you didn't do things the right way, they will let you know that as well. But certainly provided the guidance uh that that was needed at the time. And you know, um a lot of folks, a lot of friends didn't what did not want that type of discipline.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

But uh, you know, my picture was a big picture. I knew where I wanted to go, and I knew I wanted to go to college, and I saw football as a vehicle for me to get there. You had some goals. I did. I I did, and thankfully I was able to realize a lot of those goals.

Grow Your Own Teacher Pipeline

SPEAKER_00 12:46

Mm-hmm. That's that's great, that's great. Now, earlier when we were talking, you spoke of um something that I thought was so unique, uh Grow Your Own. Yes. Let's talk about that.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Okay. Uh Grow Your Own is is an initiative that many rural districts are are implementing, and and basically it's because we aren't able to recruit, particularly in small rural districts, uh, to recruit the limited number of teachers. You know, a lot of young folks aren't going into the teaching profession. And those that are, they're looking to the big cities. Uh they're looking together Greenville, Charleston, Ory County, uh, the nightlife and the big lights that attracts them. So when you're in a small district, small rural with some challenges, and we can't match the starting salary of some of those districts, then we have to really take a look at who do we have currently in the district, maybe serving as a teacher assistant, maybe working in some other capacity. So we partnered with uh Vohees University and a couple other organizations to uh provide what's called alternate certification. Uh if you did not go through student teaching, which was which is a requirement to get your certification in South Carolina, uh, there are a lot of folks uh around who just have a bachelor's degree, but they did not go through student teaching, and so we have to find another route.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

Right.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

So that's what we've been doing. Our HR director, uh Ms. Shantae McKenzie, who does an excellent job of that. We've been very um successful in getting a lot of our staff members to pass the practice exam, which is a biggie. Yeah. You have to pass the practice. Yeah. And there are two parts. Uh one is the your your area, and the other is uh what's called the PLT, Principles of Learning and Teaching. Um folks have a very uh difficult time with that, as I shared with you, and I'd be quite candid, I'm very transparent because I use it as a motivate, try to motivate some of our teachers. Back in 79, when I took what was then, you probably remember, National Teachers Exam referred to as the NTE. And there are two parts. There was the Commons, which is your area, and then uh the oh gosh, your area is your major, and the Commons included science and physics and you know all that other stuff, and a lot of math, which was my challenge. So uh in November, late November, I took it and I did not meet the required score. Well, fortunately, uh I decided, well, I need to get a job because I finished my degree in December of 79. And so I was in offered an opportunity with Milican Textiles and um got a job offer there, making a lot of money back then. Uh 15,000 was a lot of money. Uh, but I did not like working in that uh working in a plant was not. I got a college degree, I'm in a plant, and I always knew I wanted to be a coach. Uh so I signed up to take the NTE again, and then they changed the rules and stated that you only need to pass your area. Okay. So I took it then the first time and knocked it out of the water, passed it, and and moved on and uh got my license and certification and began working in Charleston.

SPEAKER_02 16:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

So that that was a a good thing. So that's what I share that story with a lot of our teachers because it you can't act like, you know, and I say this too, don't act like you've always been at the level you are now.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

That's right, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

You know, because you're able to live the life you live, drive the vehicles you live, they need to know that there were struggles.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

And I think that's how people see that if he can do it and he struggled, I can do it as well. So that's what we try to do with that program. Try to identify people who have the potential and the discipline because it does require discipline or some online work with the praxis and things they have to do if they're serious about getting the certification. And in some cases, they have to take some additional hours. Uh, but we provide uh financial assistance with that as well.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Okay, great, great. That was a that's a fabulous idea, grow your own. Um, and you can um execute grow your own in several other um situations because uh when you said grow your own, I thought about myself here at Savannah Grove. And I can remember um the late Miss Aladiz Johnson. Um, prior to my becoming Minister of Music, she was saying, I don't know why you're going outside and trying to find somebody. Well, we got them right here in the church. Right here. So grow your own in order to um so that you will definitely have someone who is uh uh vested and have that continuity as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:03

You know, they're not going anywhere, they're gonna be here. Right. So let's capitalize on that and let's you know give them the skill set that they need to be successful.

Advice For Future School Leaders

SPEAKER_00 18:13

That is great. That that that's fantastic. That's fantastic. Now, um last but not least, I want you to um, if there were someone, or there may be some or some of our viewers may be watching, and they are educators or they're college students, or could be a high school student, who is who they may be wondering what road do I take in order to become a superintendent, in order to become a principal, in order to do some of those things, many things that you have done.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

I would say uh I see a lot of young folks now and I commend them. Uh trust me, I commend them uh to earning working and earning the doctorate degree. Uh I do not have a doctorate degree. I uh I spent my time as a high school principal. I wanted to be out there where the students were, I wanted to be. Uh I know of some cases where guys shut their doors, locked their doors, worked on their coursework during the day, and I would not do that. Um and I believe it, even at this stage in my career, it's still the thought is still there. And the reason being it is to set a level for my son and grandson. Um getting a doctorate degree at this time is not going to enhance my cur my um salary anymore because I have a doctorate degree. It will be it's just something personal that you I may want to attend before I retire so that my grandson can say, if my papa did it, I can do it. It's that kind of thing. Um but what I would say that those aspiring to reach that level, because trust me, it is a very difficult position. And uh we have monthly what's called round table meeting where 75 of uh the superintendents across the state meet with the South Carolina Association of School Administrators. And whenever I walk in, I always scan the room and it's those seats change and they're changing rapidly. And we are the ones that are being missed, we're shifted, pushed out, kicked out, whatever. Um, and it's sad because uh we're being replaced by someone that doesn't look like us. And I'm real concerned about that moving forward.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

Especially for our children.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

For our children, exactly. And it's it's not that the other folks cannot um teach our kids and and make an impact, but but we there's that passion there. We know. You know, when I see those little boys and girls uh in the schools in Lee County, I see myself. I remember growing up at Kings Highway Elementary School on James Island. And I remember that principal, uh Mr. Lewis, someone that, you know, dressed real sharp. I was like, I want to be like him. Yes. Uh so we want, uh they need to make sure that they're prepared and to get varied experiences because when you get in that seat, you're gonna be asked to do a lot. And it's not just I'm elementary focus only, I'm secondary focus only, or I can only do um special aid. You need to know a little bit about everything. Not that you have to be an expert, but you need to have some idea of what the job entailed in each of your department because the bottom line, the good, bad, and ugly, it falls at the feet of the superintendent. So uh but but I wish uh you know we have some people who are aspiring and and I we a couple of them just got hired. Lake City just hired a young man. Uh he's an alum of Newberry. All right so I've got to reach out to him. Uh and then Williamsburg County just hired uh Dr. Lamont Moore from Sumter, who once was an elementary principal in Lee County. Uh so I had the opportunity to mentor him.

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

So I'm wishing those two young men uh well. Hopefully they'll do well. But they need the support, and uh they need the support of the community and school board members. In in many cases, and and I I'll be quite candid, in many cases. It's us pushing us out. Yeah. We see it a lot, and uh it's unfortunate um because our students need to be able to identify with people who look like them. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

You're right, you're right. It's um it's it's sad that sometimes we um how can I say it, pull each other down.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

That same mentality.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

Yeah, yeah, that crab mentality. Right. Yeah. We have to get, I don't know how we're gonna get out of pray, we pray or pray, but it's still sitting there like a stronghold. Right.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

I think we have to c we have to realize it's not about me or you. It's not about, you know, he's sitting in that seat, he's a superman. It's about these future of our children.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:30

The future, that's what's important. Um, but I think oftentimes we we get lost in where they're what they're driving, where they live, and the salaries they're making, you know. Um we should have to apologize because nothing is given. You have to work for it. Right, you have to work hard for it. And and that's a lesson in itself that we say to our children, you work hard, then good things will happen. That's right. But you have to be prepared, and uh again, we just need all superintendents will tell you they need support. Need that support. Because we don't go to work every day saying, let's see what chaos I can cause. That's not what it is. We don't like problems. Of course not. But it's our job to solve them when they do happen. To put the fires out. Exactly, exactly. And then lead in a right way, in a positive way.

Community Support And Closing

SPEAKER_00 24:21

Amen. Amen. Well, I tell you, it has been a delight sitting here talking with you and to learn more about you. You know, I've known you for some time. Yeah, but I have never um had the chance to sit down talking for you to take us on this road, on this journey. And um, it was quite enlightening.

SPEAKER_01 24:41

Well, thank you. I've enjoyed being a part and honored that I was asked to to share. Oh, sure. So hopefully uh something will spark something in some young person.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

I'm sure it will. I'm sure it will. It's our pleasure to have you here. Thank you. All right, well, we are blessed today. Uh we have been spending time with uh Superintendent Bernard McDaniel. And uh next week, make sure you tune in because we'll have another wonderful guest for you here on Native Drums. See you later. Have a great week.