Rock Hill middle school assistant principal named best in state

As a veteran middle school assistant principal, Carie Lowdermilk knows there are no typical days.

“You can make plans and in 15 minutes they are skewed to Nebraska,” Lowdermilk said.

So Wednesday’s schedule of greeting the children at Castle Heights Middle School in the morning, a trip to the district office for crisis training before noon and then back to the school for another afternoon meeting seemed as normal as normal can be.

Until her boss, Castle Heights principal Kelly Kane, told her the afternoon meeting was with Rock Hill schools Superintendent Kelly Pew and that Lowdermilk could lose her job next year.

Instead of a pink slip, Pew greeted Lowdermilk with a bouquet of flowers – moments after the announcement that Lowdermilk is the South Carolina middle school assistant principal of the year, as chosen by the S.C Association of School Administrators.

“I can’t voice the way I feel, I’m blown away,” said an emotional Lowdermilk, a few seconds after asking Pew if she actually did have a job next year.

Kane admitted to “shamelessly lying” to keep the honor a secret.

Those who know Lowdermilk were not surprised by the honor.

“She is part craftsman, part magician,” Kane said. “She is the most creative person I know and she is grounded in reality. She finds solutions.”

The combination means Lowdermilk will do what is needed to make things happen, bringing out the best in students and her colleagues.

She has dressed as a bumblebee, Santa Claus and the Grinch. When someone was needed to hang snowflakes for a faculty party, Lowdermilk volunteered. When someone was needed to help the band get ready for a concert, Lowdermilk was backstage, lending a hand and a smile of encouragement.

A small school band celebrated Lowdermilk’s honor with a fanfare, before Lowdermilk and Kane perfected their parade wave together.

Band director Jermaine Evans nominated Lowdermilk as middle school assistant principal of the year. She has been an assistant principal at Castle Heights for eight years and at the school for 17 years. She currently is the sixth-grade principal.

Kane hired Lowdermilk as a sixth-grade language arts teacher with one year of teaching experience. Even then, Kane said she saw Lowdermilk’s genuine enthusiasm and confidence.

Lowdermilk can clearly articulate why she chose to become a middle school principal. She said she was among the shy students at her middle school and didn’t blossom until late in high school and college, when she attended Winthrop University.

“She finds the kids that need the extra attention,” said Becky Strickland, the instructional coach at Castle Heights.

Lowdermilk uses a variety of ways to reach children. She sponsors several school clubs including the “Puppy Love” school dance where children bring donations for the Humane Society. “I try to help them grow, grow their hearts, teach them to be positive and be kind,” she said.

She said she is perhaps most effective when she listens, getting the children to talk to her first.

“You find their moments of joy and happiness and celebrate with them,” she said. “You ask them to share something good, something big for them and let them talk about themselves. When they feel good, they do better.”

This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 10:33 PM with the headline "Rock Hill middle school assistant principal named best in state."