St. David’s School Staff & Leadership
Jimmy Carol Avent - School Director
Get to know Ms. Jimmy Carol
Home – Bennettsville.
Graduated - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St Andrews Presbyterian College.
Married - Mark Avent.
Children – Three children, Twin sons, Hammond and Kirkham and Slade Avent.
Grandchildren – Four , three boys ,one girl and another little girl arriving July 16!? (very Soon)
Enjoy – Spending time with family, especially the grands!! Get aways to the beach , Lake Keowee, Gardening, reading children’s books and attending Clemson games.
Experience – A Four Pre-K teacher at St. Davids from 2009-2021.
Director/Principal – Jan. 2023 to present.
I love working as well as playing with children of all ages. I am dedicated ,enthusiastic and committed to fostering a warm, nurturing and encouraging home for all children while they are in our care, their “home away from home”. I work closely with each individual family to ensure that all of their child’s needs are met to the best of my ability while attending St. David’s school.
My motto is to live by the Golden Rule.
“So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12
Contact us:
Email: stdavids1970@gmail.com
Phone: 843.253.5296
Sally Powell
Sally has two degrees from Winthrop University, a Bachelor of Science Degree (BS) in Health and Physical Education and a Master’s Degree in Education (M. Ed.) in Elementary Supervision and Administration. I taught Physical Education for 39 years; teaching in Cheraw, SC. from 1975-2010. I served on the St. David’s School board as the representative for the Women of St. David’s Episcopal Church during the 1980’s and early 1990’s.
I am a member of the Old Cheraws/PeeDee Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as Regent from 2020-2023. I am also a member of the Four Seasons Garden Club. A member of the St. David’s Episcopal Church choir from 1976-2010, I am presently a member of the Cheraw Community Choir. I enjoy singing, playing guitar and mandolin, reading, crocheting, and baking.
My husband, Phil and I have 2 grown children both of whom graduated from St. David’s School kindergarten. They are both married and each have 2 children.
Tom Rountree
Tom is retired from a career in sales and marketing, working with companies including Mercury Marine, Homelite (Textron / John Deere), and Velvac Corporation, before coming to Cheraw to join Riverside Pump Manufacturing. He then served in Distance Learning Support for Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw.
Tom and his wife Dianne live in Cheraw, and Tom serves as Parish Administrator at St. David’s Episcopal Church.
Marlowe Hyduke Harrington
Marlowe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Francis Marion University and a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of South Carolina. She began her career by teaching third grade with the Marlboro County School District. She then taught in several different capacities at Marlboro Academy for twenty-nine years before moving into higher education at Northeastern Technical College. She is the full time Early Care and Education instructor. She began as an adjunct instructor in 2018 and then became full time in 2024.
She resides in Bennettsville with her two children. Pressly is a junior at Francis Marion University. He is majoring in mechanical engineering. Anniston will be a sophomore at Marlboro Academy. Marlowe is a member of the Alpha Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, shopping and going to the beach.
St. David’s Episcopal School Board
The St. David’s Episcopal School Board directs the operations and ministry of the School and Daycare. Made up of individuals who care deeply about the ministry of St. David’s Episcopal School & Daycare, they meet regularly, along with the School Director, to resolve issues and plan improvements and development for the School.
Dr. Ron Stafford
Ron brings more than a decade of experience in higher education, library leadership, and helping students discover that learning can be both challenging and joyful. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wingate University, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Brenau University.
He sees education as more than a profession, it is a calling rooted in faith, encouragement, and care for others. For Ron, serving on the St. David’s School Board is a meaningful way to support children, families, and teachers while helping nurture young minds, faithful hearts, and a community grounded in love, learning, and God’s grace.
Outside of his professional work, Ron is active in the parish life of St. David’s. He is grateful to serve the school community and values strong faith, learning, good books, good manners and the occasional well-timed bit of humor.
Tom Welch
Tom is back! After completing a 12-week internship with us last summer, Tom graduated in May with his M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary and accepted a call to serve as Parish Life Minister for St. David’s. He began on June 21. God willing and the people consenting, Tom is on track to be ordained to the diaconate this fall and to the priesthood in early 2027. He is making Cheraw his home.
Tom will continue to do part-time work as Executive Director for the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. He has just completed his 9th year with them in that position. Bi-vocational ministry in the church has become very common in recent years, particularly with 1,750 Episcopal parishes in the USA with an average Sunday attendance less than 35.
Prior to working with the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Tom built his business career in Mississippi in the field of insurance and investments. He was quite active in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. He served on over two dozen Cursillo retreats, leading one in both the Episcopal Diocese as well as the Methodist Conference in that state.
In addition to his Masters of Divinity, Tom graduated from Ole Miss with a BBA and also has an AA with Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Wesson, MS). He walked his only child, Anna Gail, down in isle in April, 2026. Anna Gail and Zach Dick live in Knoxville, TN. Anna Gail teaches high school children with special needs. Tom’s mother, brother and sister-in-law all live in the Jackson, Mississippi area..