News Summary
Greenville County Schools announces new makeup days for school closures due to Hurricane Helene, and appoints ten new principals for upcoming school years.
Greenville, South Carolina – Greenville County Schools has announced significant updates to its academic calendar for the upcoming 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, primarily involving the addition of makeup days to address unexpected school closures. The district will implement three makeup days for each of the two years to compensate for lost instructional time, specifically referencing the substantial impact of Hurricane Helene, which resulted in eight days of missed school across the district due to power outages and other severe weather-related issues.
The South Carolina Department of Education has mandated that districts must find ways to make up three days lost to such emergencies, presenting challenges for school systems like Greenville County. The newly established makeup days will only be activated if eLearning is deemed unfeasible under similar adverse conditions. This decision came after thorough consultations by the Calendar Committee, which gathered input from parents and school personnel to determine the most viable options available.
In scheduling the makeup days, school officials took into account crucial factors such as state testing timelines, existing holiday schedules for students and teachers, and designated professional development days. As Greenville County Schools continues to prioritize the educational experience of its students, the district has affirmed its commitment to utilizing eLearning as an alternative for instructional delivery when traditional schooling is disrupted by weather events.
Alongside the calendar changes, the district has also appointed ten new principals, set to take charge in the 2025-2026 school year. This new leadership includes individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Jacqueline Harris-Solomon, previously of Juliette Gordon Low Elementary in Savannah, Georgia, will lead the newly established school. Hunter McLure, an assistant principal with over 14 years in education, will assume a principal role that emphasizes his extensive knowledge of the community.
Furthermore, Dana Swarzel, who has over 20 years of various educational roles including teaching and administration at League Academy, will step into a principal position. Morgan Warner, currently at the Riley Child Development Center and recognized for participating in leadership development initiatives, is among the new appointments as well.
Brandon Addy, with a rich background of more than two decades in education, and formerly a principal at Hickory Tavern School, is also confirmed for a principal role. Additionally, Towers Rice will serve as interim principal at Lakeview, bringing nearly 20 years of educational experience. Ludley, who has been actively managing responsibilities in Greenville County since 2006, will continue in a principal capacity at a high school. Meanwhile, Andrew Baker, a Greer High School alumnus, will hold several critical administrative roles within the district.
April Reece, transitioning from assistant principal at Hillcrest High, will take on the interim principal role, backed by her experience in teaching and instructional coaching.
As Greenville County Schools navigates these developments, the changes reflect a proactive approach to ensure that learning remains uninterrupted and high-quality leadership is in place as the district looks forward to the future. The combination of updated calendar provisions and the introduction of experienced principals highlights the school district’s commitment to fostering a resilient and adaptive educational environment for its students and the broader community.
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Additional Resources
- Fox Carolina: New Makeup Days Added for Greenville County Schools
- Greenville Online: New Greenville County Schools Principals for 2025-26
- WSPA: Greenville County Schools Set Makeup Days for 2025-26 and 2026-27
- Post and Courier: Conservatives Push Back on Greenville Schools Budget
- SC Daily Gazette: More SC Schools Offering Free Meals Due to New Law
- Wikipedia: Government Budget
- Google Search: Greenville County Schools Makeup Days
- Google Scholar: Greenville County Schools 2025
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- Google News: Greenville County Schools
Author: STAFF HERE GREENVILLE
The HERE Greenville Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Greenville community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Greenville Our team includes lifelong Greenville residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sales in the Heritage Historic District 17 , Greenville’s textile and railroad heritage 2 , and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Greenville Technical College programs) 27 . Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
