Longtime educator, Vice Chairman of the ACPSD Board of Education has resigned

After nearly 40 years working within Aiken County Public School District, Dwight Smith has stepped down from his role as a Board of Education Vice Chairman.

Smith was not present at the Aug. 13 board meeting where the resignation was announced.

“Mr. Smith has spent his entire working career working for this school district in one capacity or another,” said Board Chairman Cam Nuessle. Smith has worked for the district as a teacher, coach and principal.

Smith was elected as an Aiken County Board of Education member in 2022, after his retirement.

Smith, whose term was set to expire in November 2026, resigned effective immediately on Aug. 11. According to Nuessle, this resignation was related to “personal reasons.”

According to Nuessle, the board will elect someone to fill the position at the next school board meeting on Aug. 27. He said that the positions of chairman and vice chairman are elected by members of the board by way of a majority vote and that unexpected vacancies are aimed to be filled on a quick timeline.

Smith represented the district’s Area Three which covers Byrd Elementary, Clearwater Elementary, Gloverville Elementary, Graniteville Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Warrenville Elementary, Highland Springs Middle, Langley Bath Clearwater Middle, Leavelle McCampbell Middle and Midland Valley High School.

Board member Jim Broome said that Smith was once his coach at Jackson High School in the late ’70s. “That’s when I first met him and that’s what I knew him as,” said Broome. “But I will say that he has put an extreme amount of effort into this school district and in this community and I admire him for that.”

“I appreciate him and his tireless support and passion for all of the students of Aiken County, and more specifically of Area Three,” said board member Brian Silas. “I appreciate his friendship, and direction, and the things that I’ve learned from him in my six years on the board.”

Another board member, Dr. John Bradley, said: “since I joined him on the board, I feel like we were friends, and I just am going to miss him a lot.”

"His presence on the board will be greatly missed," said Superintendent Corey Murphy.