Former Williamsburg County School District superintendent Dr. Rose Wilder dies, district said
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Former Williamsburg County School District Superintendent Dr. Rose Wilder has passed away, the district said in an announcement Tuesday morning.
Calling her a “legend in education,” the district, along with State Superintendent of Education, Molly Spearman, announced Dr. Wilder died early Tuesday morning but did not offer further details.
“At this time our only wishes are to honor her legacy and family. Please be prayerful for the WCSD faculty, staff, and students,” the district said.
According to the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDOE), Dr. Wilder was appointed as superintendent in Clarendon School District Two in 1994, becoming the first Black woman superintendent in the state since Reconstruction.
She served as superintendent there for two decades and earned numerous awards including an Outstanding Superintendent award by the South Carolina School Boards Association in 1999 and Superintendent of the Year for the State of South Carolina during the 2013-2014 school year.
State Superintendent of Education, Molly Spearman, later appointed Dr. Wilder as state designee of Williamsburg County School District in April 2018, where under her leadership, she oversaw the successful transformation of Williamsburg County School District finances, special education services and academic improvements after the district was declared a state of emergency by the South Carolina Department of Education.
“This is a great loss, not only for the Williamsburg community but also for the state and for me personally,” Spearman said. “Rose was a dear friend, pioneer, mentor and legend in South Carolina. We are saddened by her passing, but know that her legacy will continue through the students, staff and communities she impacted.”
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Dr. Wilder was honored by the state legislature through a senate resolution in March 2020, and in May 2020, the Clarendon School District One Board of Trustees voted to rename St. Paul Elementary School in her honor, according to SCDOE.
It was announced earlier this year that Dr. Wilder would move into an education consulting role. Dr. Kelvin Wymbs was named interim superintendent for the Williamsburg County School District.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
