Latta School District names new superintendent

LATTA, S.C. (WBTW) — A former Latta Elementary School administrator has been named the district’s superintendent.

Stephanie Johnson Ard took over the role July 1 following the retirement of George Liebenrood. She’ll oversee roughly 1,500 students across three schools in the Dillon County town.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Latta community in this capacity. This community and this school district have given me so much, and I am proud to give back,” Ard said in a news release.

A 2003 Latta High School graduate, Ard holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Clemson University. She began her teaching career in 2007 at Latta Elementary School was named its teacher of the year in 2009.

Ard was named the school’s assistant principal in 2013, before moving to Latta Middle School the following year. In 2020, she took over as that school’s principal.

Ard also guided the Latta Lady Vikings to a pair of state softball championships during her tenure as coach from 2014 through 2019.

Ard and her husband Brooks have two children.

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12 . See more of his work here .

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