Berkeley County School District’s new K-8 school under construction in Carnes Crossroads finally has a name.
Board members voted unanimously to name the new school Carolyn Lewis School at Tuesday night’s board meeting.
The school is being named for Carolyn Lewis-Craft (often referred to as “Carolyn Lewis”), who was the first female Berkeley County School District school board member. She served on the board 32 years, which included three consecutive terms as board chair. She passed away in September 2019 after a brief illness. She is survived by her husband, Russell Craft, four children, 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
The announcement was met with applause and a standing ovation as the news was well received by a crowd that included Carolyn Lewis’s children –Nancy Leigh, Duane Lewis, Lori Knight and Darrell Lewis.
Nancy Leigh is the principal of BCSD’s other K-8 school, Daniel Island School, and Duane Lewis is Sheriff of Berkeley County.
Leigh said she and her siblings are grateful for the recognition of their mother.
“She never really sought accolades for her 32 years on the board, but I think it’s a tribute to her success and the relationships that she built,” Leigh said.
Leigh said her mother influenced her decision to enter a career in education; she recalled that while her mom was happy when Leigh became a teacher, she was even more ecstatic when Leigh became an administrator.
“She just thought that was my calling,” she said.
Sheriff Lewis said he knows his mother would be proud.
“Her heart and soul was in the school district,” he said.
At the time when she joined the school board, board positions were not elected ones but instead appointed by the county delegation and approved by the governor. She represented the Goose Creek area (and they did not get paid at the time, Sheriff Lewis said).
Duane Lewis recalled being a student at Goose Creek Elementary and the schools in the county were overcrowded; he and Darrell attended school in what was referred to as “double sessions” because Duane would attend school in the morning while Darrell would attend in the afternoon because the school could not handle the population, and there were not enough teachers.
A mover and a shaker of sorts, she was already very involved in the community as a PTA member for Howe Hall AIMS and a member of the Goose Creek Rural Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. She also had a full-time job as the manager of Berkeley Water and Sanitation Authority.
Duane Lewis said his mom joined the school board because she wanted to see more schools get built and/or renovated, and lower the teacher-student ratio in classrooms. She lobbied for funds to go to the school district, and had a routine of regularly visiting the Goose Creek schools she represented.
When school board positions became elected ones, Carolyn Lewis’s family was heavily involved in knocking on doors and handing out flyers to help keep their mom on the board.
Duane Lewis said she was known as the "peacemaker" on the school board who kept everyone together and worked to sort out differences and get the best results for the students.
As she neared the end of every four-year term, her children would ask if she was ready to retire yet, but Carolyn Lewis always wanted to see all the school construction and renovation projects come to fruition – her children attributed this to her longevity on the school board.
When she retired from the school district in 2008, she was recognized by the House of Representatives for her service to the district.
“That board was her passion and she loved every minute of it,” Duane Lewis said.
School district officials and community leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new K-8 school in late September. The school will be located across the street from Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital along U.S. Highway 176. It is slated to be completed by 2023.
Multiple school board members affectionately referred to Carolyn Lewis as “Ms. Lewis.” Board member Michael Ramsey recalled following Lewis and other board members during his time working in the county tax assessor’s office. He joked that whenever the school district raised the mileage, tax payers would call his office to complain.
When he ran for the school board, Ramsey asked Lewis for her support. Ramsey said she led a life of service.
“That kind of was my thought (as to) why she would represent us well as far as the naming of the school,” Ramsey said.
Board member Frank Wright started on the school board in 1998 and actually got to serve with Lewis, who had already been on the board for many years by the time he joined.
Wright said he has an “affinity” for Lewis, describing her as a person who was very passionate about education. He recalled the night he was elected to the board he received a call from Lewis asking to meet with him, just wanting to know why he wanted to serve on the board. Wright told her he thought he could bring some positive involvement for student achievement, and create a diversified environment for all students.
“She said, ‘I kinda like that answer,’” Wright said.
His first real experience with Lewis was being a part of a $198 million bond referendum that successfully passed in 1998, and Wright said Lewis worked tirelessly to make it happen – “because she wanted to improve schools in Berkeley County.”
“She was very proactive in understanding the growth and development in Berkeley County, and she knew that if we did not build schools, Berkeley County probably wouldn’t be where we are now,” Wright said, adding, “I have a personal relationship with her, so that could possibly be a conflict for me, however, I don’t mind that conflict because I’m telling the truth about a person that I knew very well.”
Board chairman David Barrow said he knew Lewis for as long as she was on the board – and even before then.
“What an outstanding southern lady,” he said. “She was spectacular. Her demeanor and the way she carried herself and the way she spoke and carried a presence that you don’t normally see much anymore … She was absolutely brilliant, a tremendous board member, a tremendous advocate for Berkeley County School District.”