Angel Malone Named Superintendent Of New Limestone Charter Association

Angel H. Malone, who currently serves as the Director of the Office of Career and Technical Education with the South Carolina Department of Education, was recently named as Superintendent of the Limestone Charter Association.

Limestone University officially announced the creation of the Limestone Charter Association in July. The new Limestone Charter Association will sponsor independent, innovative charter schools across South Carolina.

Malone started her journey in education over 21 years ago, having served as a science teacher, science instructional coach, assistant principal, and the founding principal of the Orangeburg High School for Health Professions. While serving as principal, Malone worked to connect the importance of education, economic development, and building the labor market pipeline with a skilled workforce.

As the Director of Career and Technical Education with the South Carolina Department of Education since 2018, Malone oversees all secondary and post-secondary Career and Technical Education programs and manages a federal and state budget of over $60 million. In that role, she also establishes and manages innovative partnerships between education, business, and industry, while providing guidance to local school districts and technical colleges on the management of federal and state funds. She also develops legislative provisions for the enactment of laws that benefit Career and Technical Education.

“I am passionate about my work with students all across South Carolina, and I am excited to be taking this next step with the Limestone Charter Association,” Malone said. “I firmly believe that a great education should be the expectation, not the exception. That will be our daily goal at the Limestone Charter Association. I am looking forward to working with an amazing team that will work tirelessly to support our member schools and, most importantly, our students.”

Malone holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from South Carolina State University, a Master of Science degree in Educational Studies from Claflin University, and a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education Administration from Charleston Southern University. She is currently pursuing her Education Specialist degree in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. She will continue her education by pursing her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. She has also completed additional leadership coursework at Harvard University.

“To say that we are thrilled that Angel is coming on board as the Superintendent of the Limestone Charter Association would be a huge understatement,” said Limestone University President Dr. Darrell Parker. “There is no doubt that she will enable the Limestone Charter Association to fulfill its mission to serve as the cornerstone of charter school authorizing in South Carolina and to facilitate a positive, educational environment that fosters school autonomy through support and oversight to its member schools.”

Malone has received numerous educational awards, including the Top 40 Under 40 Black Pages Award, the United States Department of Education MLK Drum Major Award, and the South Carolina Order of the Silver Crescent Award, which is the highest honor given by the Governor to a South Carolina Resident for community activism.

“Since 1845, Limestone has had a history of leading the way in education,” Parker said at the time the Limestone Charter Association was announced. “That dedication to learning continues in 2021, with Limestone making this commitment to become a charter school authorizer in South Carolina. With its long history and dedication to learning, Limestone is proud to be taking on this new role as a public charter school authorizer.”

For more information about the Limestone Charter Association, visit its website at www.limestonecharters.org.

Currently, there are 89 charter schools across South Carolina serving nearly 50,000 students. Limestone Charter Association becomes the third statewide authorizer, in addition to the S.C. Public Charter School District and the Charter Institute at Erskine.

The Limestone Charter Association office is based in Columbia at Limestone University’s Student Service Center located on Arbor Lake Drive inside the Fontaine Business Park. To contact the Limestone Charter Association directly, email info@limestonecharters.org.

Todd Helms and Traci Bryant-Riches are now working with the Limestone Charter Association during its start-up phase that will include the acceptance and evaluation of new charter school applications starting in November of this year.

Helms is the Director of New School Development and Athletics at Pinnacle Charter Academies and served as the Executive Director of Gray Collegiate Academy in West Columbia during the school’s first two years. He has been an active participant of the charter school movement in South Carolina and has been a key figure in helping to start four schools in the last 10 years.

Bryant-Riches is owner of AVIA Charters. She previously served as Director of New School Development, Accountability and Compliance, for Pinnacle Charter Academies. She also served previously as the Director of Charter Initiatives for the S.C. Public Charter School District. 

Limestone University is an accredited, independent, coeducational institution, and a non-denominational Christian university. Limestone’s residential campus is in Gaffney, and its innovative Online Program – which reaches across the globe – includes Student Service Centers across the state with locations in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Gaffney, and Greenville. Including its On-Campus, Online, and Graduate Studies Program students, Limestone is among the larger private universities in South Carolina.