Rodney Zimmerman sits back in his office, reflecting on the four years that he’s been the principal at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School. For a man who has been responsible for 2,000 students, he has not had too much time to take a moment and process it.

Zimmerman sits in his office chair, thinking about all the fun that he has had running the large school. He savors the progress and strides the school has made under his watch, but most of all what he will truly take away from this experience is the memory of the students whose lives he has touched.

The culmination of touching those students’ lives is watching them walk on graduation night every year and receive their diplomas. Since becoming principal in 2003, Zimmerman has watched no fewer than 325 students graduate each year.

On June 30, Zimmerman will leave Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School to become the principal at Eau Claire High School in Richland County.

Zimmerman says he will bring the same dedication at Eau Claire that he brought to O-W.

“I expect to offer the kids there the same opportunity that’s here at O-W. Eau Claire is going to be a school that is on the move,” he said.

Zimmerman says he has mixed emotions about leaving a school that has become so dear to him over the years.

“I love the school, I love the students, I love at O-W, I love the faculty and staff. I’m going to miss the community’s support,” he said.

He will also miss the special memories that made his time at O-W so memorable. Zimmerman mentions the school’s annual bonfire during homecoming week, the step shows and the pep rallies as some of the good times.

“The kids have been very involved,” he said.

Mr. Z, as the students affectionately call him, has been very involved as well. For the last 22 years, Zimmerman has been member the District 5 team.

Zimmerman grew up in Bowman and attended college at South Carolina State University. He received a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina. This fall he will receive a Education Specialist degree from USC.

Zimmerman started his tenure at District 5 as a teaching assistant at Marshall Elementary. It was there that his first student called him Mr. Z. He recalls that a fifth grade student approached him and said that he couldn’t pronounce his name. The student asked him if could call him Mr. Z. The name stuck.

From Marshall Elementary, Zimmerman was tapped to be band director at Howard Middle School. He served in the same capacity at O-W, and later he was called on be the assistant principal at Howard Middle School. Mr. Z’s carousel between Howard and O-W continued when he became the assistant principal at O-W.

His career continued to advance and he was later named the director of the District 5 Technology Center, holding that job until he was named principal of O-W.

O-W was recently awarded the Palmetto Gold award for excellence and next fall it will be a showcase school for the state. Most importantly, in the four years that he has been principal, more than 1,300 students have received high school diplomas.

“I believe I’ve had an impact, along with the support of the parents and teachers, with the programs we’ve had in place. The kids have really advanced in preparing them for future endeavors,” he said.

Zimmerman says that the faculty and staff have wished him well and that they have enjoyed working with him.

“They’ve said they hope I’m successful in what I do. Some of them mention jokingly that I’ll be back, and that they’ll see me when I get back,” he said.

While a new principal has yet to be named for O-W, Zimmerman offered a little advice to his successor: “Always put the children first, do what’s best for the students, faculty and staff, also seek support from the district and community.”

Zimmerman, despite his busy schedule, does have time for hobbies outside the school. He is a choir director, and also loves to read and travel.

Zimmerman and his wife have made a pledge to travel to all 50 states before they reach the age of 50. They only have one more state to visit, New Mexico.

Zimmerman’s travels may now lead him to another destination, but he will never forget his experience at O-W. He said he walked through the O-W’s halls one night recently just thinking about how much he will miss it. However, that is not what he will miss most about O-W.

“Mostly I’ll miss the kids,” Mr. Z said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by office phone at 516-6114. Discuss this and other stories online at TheT&D.com.

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