Press Release
Sarah Shad Johnson, a former chair of the Moultrie District 2 Constituent Board, today announced that she is running for the District 2 seat on the Charleston County School Board. The newly-created, single-member district includes Awendaw, McClellanville, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, and parts of Mt. Pleasant from Park West and Carolina Park across to the Old Village. The nonpartisan race will be on the November 8th ballot, and everyone in District Two can vote.
In 2016, Johnson was elected to the District 2 Constituent Board and served as chair for the majority of her four-year term. Under her leadership, the constituent board advocated for and saved the threatened magnet programs at Laing Middle, James B. Edwards Elementary, Jennie Moore Elementary, and Sullivan's Island Elementary. Johnson has also advocated for the expansion of Carolina Park Elementary and has been very involved in the planning of the proposed middle/high school in Awendaw.
For more than ten years, she has led Charleston Area Community Voice for Education, an education advocacy Facebook group with over 7,100 members. Through her group, she has successfully advocated for students, teachers, and families not only in the East Cooper area, but across the county. Her efforts have also resulted in additional transparency from the school district and board.
Her campaign goals center around directing the majority of funding towards the classroom. “We need to ensure that taxpayer dollars actually reach the classroom so that our students and teachers are well-supported. Smaller class size is a good first step towards more individualized learning, fewer discipline referrals, and less stress for teachers,” Johnson said. Her other goals include more comprehensive planning for facilities, authentic communication, and increased transparency.
Johnson, a Mt. Pleasant native, and her husband were married at St. Andrew's Church in the Old Village and now live in Mt. Pleasant near Wando High School. Their two children attended CCSD schools – Belle Hall Elementary, Cairo Middle, East Cooper Montessori, and Wando High.
Johnson's background is in law, finance, and policy. She was an Honors College student at the University of South Carolina, and after receiving her bachelor's degree there, she went on to earn a paralegal certificate from an American Bar Association-approved program in Columbia. She worked as a bankruptcy paralegal for the US Department of Justice and reviewed hundreds of financial records on a weekly basis.
Over the years, Johnson has served on the boards of several civic groups including the League of Women Voters, the Charleston County District 9 PTA, and the MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club. She was a Girl Scouts troop leader and the Assistant Director for Children's Ministry at Seacoast Church – Columbia. She has been a member of several PTO, PTA, and SIC school organizations, and, more recently, served on the principal interview committee for Moultrie Middle School.
This November, all nine seats on the county school board are up for election. “To help our students and school district move forward in a positive direction, it is imperative that we elect board members who have the experience, knowledge, skill, and time to govern a school district with nearly 50,000 students, 87 schools, and a massive budget,” Johnson emphasized.
For more information, you can visit sarahshadjohnson.com or follow Johnson's campaign on Facebook at Sarah Shad Johnson for School Board.
