For the first time, sibling principals lead schools in Richland School District One

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Celebrating a first, Richland School District One will now have a brother and sister leading as principals within the district.

Dr. Tracy Pickett is starting her eighth year as principal at Pine Grove Elementary School.

Her younger brother, Dr. Greg Pickett, is beginning his first year as a principal at Heyward Gibbes Middle School.

“I’m Dr. Pickett number one. This is now Dr. Pickett number two — and I don’t let him forget it,” Tracy laughs.

Both Greg and Tracy say they were inspired by their mother and older sister who are former educators, and their father, who is a retired instructor in the Army National Guard.

And Greg says Tracy’s path in education has been influential starting from a very young age.

When he was three or four-years-old, Greg says Tracy would re-teach her school lessons to him at their kitchen table.

“I was her first student, and so I’m still her student. I still learn from her. But sometimes a student can teach a lesson too,” says Greg.  “No comment,” Tracy adds.

Tracy offered advice to Greg as he begins his first year as a principal.

“I would definitely tell him to take one day at a time. It will get done. It’s not going to get done in a day, but it will get done, and I will tell him to make the most of his experience and try to find some joy in it because if you enjoy what you do you’re going to put your whole heart in it and you don’t want to let anybody down, and I would just tell him to enjoy the ride so he can have some longevity,” she says.

The siblings agree they often have different ideas and visions of education, but the endgame doesn’t change.

“We’re extremely proud of the communities that we serve because we’re a product of this community. We were educated in Richland County School District One from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school, so we have a deeply personal connection and attachment to these communities,” says Greg.

Their support of each other and their students won’t change either, they say.

“We always put our students first. And we focus on student achievement and developing our faculty and staff, and supporting our families and communities,” Greg says.