Lexington One Hires New Coordinator for Gifted and Talented

Lexington County School District One has a new coordinator for the academically and artistically gifted and talented for the 2013-2014 school year. 

The school board approved the hire of Erin Darby FitzGerald in Instructional Services at their May 21 meeting. 

FitzGerald is replacing Jeannine Purdy, who retires June 30.

FitzGerald has 17 years of educational experience and currently serves as assistant principal for instruction at Brookland-Cayce High School in Lexington School District Two.

She began her education career in 1996 as an English teacher at Airport High School. She moved to Brookland-Cayce High School in 1997 as an English teacher.

FitzGerald joined the district’s Curriculum Development Committee in 1998 and served there through 2003. In 2003, she became a curriculum effectiveness specialist at Blythewood Middle School in Richland School District Two. In 2005, she became an administrator and director of magnet programs at Richland Northeast High School. In 2006, she began serving as an education practicum instructor for the University of South Carolina and transferred to Brookland-Cayce High School in her current position. While at Brookland-Cayce, she led the design and implementation of QUEST, a school within a school for gifted students.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. She is certified in cognitive coaching, by the South Carolina Department of Education to provide gifted instruction, by the College Board for designing and implementing vertical teams, as a secondary principal and in secondary English.

She is a member of ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), Phi Delta Kappa International and serves as a board member on the Brookland-Cayce High School Education Foundation.

Submitted by Lexington School District One.