Dacusville Elementary School

🎤✨ 4th & 5th Graders! Love to sing, dance, & act? Join the DES Chorus and perform for our school & community! Applications due Aug. 20. Questions? Contact Mrs. May-Berry. Don’t miss this chance to shine! 🌟 #DESChorus #JoinTheChorus @dacusvilledolphins

💙 Meet Your Support Services Team 💙 (Left to right) 🌟 Mrs. Salinas – Our Multilingual Learners Leader. She supports students whose first language is not English, helping them transition smoothly and excel in their new learning environment. 🧠 Mrs. Sterlachini – Our School Psychologist who ensures students receive the services and accommodations they need to thrive academically and emotionally. 📚 Mrs. Gainey – Our Special Education Leader for 4th and 5th grade. She provides small-group instruction and individualized support so each student can shine. 🗣 Mrs. Freeman – Our Speech Pathologist who works with students of all ages to help them find their voice and communicate with confidence. 🍎 Dr. Hart – Our Special Education Leader for Kindergarten through 3rd grade. With patience, creativity, and a big heart, she meets students right where they are to help them grow and succeed. This dedicated team works behind the scenes and alongside teachers every day — ensuring that every Dacusville Dolphin has the tools and support they need to succeed. 🐬💛

✨ Meet Your Front Office Dream Team! ✨ Left to right: 💛 Mrs. Owens – Our welcoming receptionist and the first smiling face you’ll see when you visit. She answers the door, fields phone calls, and makes sure transportation changes run smoothly. 💙 Mrs. Galloway – Our Student Data Manager who keeps our records, attendance, coding, state reporting, and enrollment in perfect order. She greets families with a warm welcome and ensures every new student starts off on the right foot. 💚 Mrs. Waters – Our School Secretary who manages school payments and sales, coordinates volunteer training, and keeps our field trips running without a hitch. These three are the heartbeat of our front office — keeping things organized, welcoming, and running smoothly every single day! 🌟

Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination! 🎵✨ This week, our halls were filled with 4K wonder, creativity, and play as we welcomed our newest students. What a magical start to their school journey!

It’s not just the students who love a first day photo! 📸 Our amazing Dacusville staff are kids at heart too, and we couldn’t resist capturing our own first day smiles. Here’s to a year full of learning, laughter, and growing together! 💙 #DacusvilleDolphins #KidsAtHeart #FirstDayVibes

The Countdown Is On! In less than 12 hours, our halls will be filled with smiling faces, excitement, and endless possibilities! 🚌✨We are ready to launch into our greatest year yet—full of learning, laughter, and unforgettable memories. 💙 We cannot wait to see YOU tomorrow! 🐬

Help us welcome back a familiar face in a new space. Mrs. Amanda Pittman has been working in our After-School Care program, but this year she is in a new role as our Technology Assistant. Mrs. Pittman has a dental assisting certificate from Greenville Tech, and she spent 15 years in orthodontics, where she served as an assistant and treatment coordinator! She is a hard worker and a self-starter who is going to be fantastic! When asked about this upcoming year, Mrs. Pittman said, " I am excited to continue my journey at DES serving as the new technology assistant! I am looking forward to seeing old faces and meeting new ones! I can't wait to see what new things we can do that will make a big difference!"

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Our After School Care registration is now live! If you are interested in your child joining our afterschool care program you may sign up using the link below.
https://forms.gle/GbUuQkPhciYzTLed9

Welcome Mrs. Sarah Traynum to Dacusville Elementary! Mrs. Traynum brings a **wealth of experience**, with over **25 years of teaching 4K** and most recently **teaching 3rd grade at Ambler**. She earned her **BS in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood add-on** from **Anderson University**, graduating in **December 2024**. Her heart for young learners and her passion for teaching make her a perfect fit for DES! 💙 Outside the classroom, she loves spending time at the lake and **thrift shopping for vintage treasures**. She’s also a proud mom to her son **Tanner**, who’s getting married this October to Bri — and let’s not forget her sweet cat, **Finn**! 🐱💍⛵️ Join us in giving Mrs. Traynum a warm Dacusville welcome! #WelcomeToDacusville #NewTeacherSpotlight #WeAreDES #EarlyChildhoodEducator

We are thrilled to welcome our new Spanish teacher to Dacusville Elementary—please join us in giving a warm DES welcome to Roccio Albarracin Carreno!
From Colombia, she brings with her 22 years of experience in education, having worked with children, teens, and adults alike.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and English from Universidad Pedagógica Nacional and a Master’s in Education from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
💬 In her own words:
"I became a teacher because I believe education is a journey of the heart. I’m excited to share the joy of learning Spanish and celebrate culture with the DES community."

We’re so excited to learn and grow with her this year—bienvenida to DES! 💙💛

Dacusville Elementary will be a Title 1 school this year. We are so pleased to welcome Mrs. Caroline Taphorn as our Title 1 Curriculum Specialist. Caroline is from Clemson, SC. She has a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Furman University, a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education (also from Furman), and she will finish her Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Clemson in August of this year. Caroline has been teaching for 6 years. "I became a teacher because I believe every child deserves someone in their corner cheering them on, and that's the kind of teacher I've always tried to be. " - Caroline

DES welcomes another very familiar face to our staff. Mrs. Kristen Phipps is from Pickens, SC. She has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from North Greenville University. This is her first year teaching in an elementary school, but she has completed several long-term subbing jobs at Dacusville Elementary School, three just last year. "I can remember as a child, teachers giving away old books in their classroom, and I would take them home to 'teach' my nephews and nieces. I really enjoy working with children and watching their faces light up when they achieve a new skill or master making a new friendship. I'm excited to join the DES family and become a part of the Dacusville community." - Kristen

Katie Griffin is not a new face at DES, but a new employee. She is from Easley, SC, and received her BA in Psychology from Clemson University in 2022 and her Master of Education in School Counseling in May 2025 from Liberty University. This will be Katie's first year in education. "During my grad program, I have spent a lot of time at DES through my practicum and internship, working alongside the incredible leadership team. I feel so blessed to be returning in an official counseling role and to be able to continue supporting DES students!" - Katie Griffin

Christy Parris is not new to SDPC, but she is new to us at DES. Christy is from Easley, SC, and has lived in this area her entire life. She graduated from Anderson University with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and holds an add-on certification in Early Childhood, as well as a Master's degree in Business Administration. She also recently graduated from Lamar University with her principal certification. She is looking forward to starting her 10th year in education in the Dacuville area, where she grew up and currently lives.

Please join us in welcoming BACK to DES, Mrs. Annah Gainey. Annah is from Easley, SC. She has a BA in Mass Communications from Lander University and a Master's degree in Teacher Special Education Learning Disabilities from Francis Marion University with an endorsement in Trauma and Poverty. Annah was a 5K assistant at DES before working the past 3 years as a Special Education teacher in SDPC. "From a young age, I dreamed of being a teacher. I had the pleasure of working at Dacusville for 4 years, and God has blessed me with the opportunity to come home.  My goal is to inspire students to find a love of learning in a safe learning environment." - Annah Gainey 

Meet Lindsey Greene! Lindsey is from a small town in Western North Carolina and recently graduated from Clemson University this past May with her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. Here are Lindsey's thoughts about this upcoming school year. "This will be my first year teaching, and I can't wait to begin my journey in first grade at Dacusville! Becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine ever since I can remember. I have been so blessed to have so many incredible educators make lasting impacts on my life, and I hope to make just a fraction of the difference they have! I can't wait to meet my Dacusville family!"

We would like to share with our community and extend our congratulations to Mrs. Susan Chapman for successfully defending her dissertation today and becoming Dr. Susan Chapman! We are so proud of you, Dr. Chapman! What an amazing accomplishment and excellent example for our students of being a lifelong learner!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, but be sure to mark your calendars for our Meet the Teacher event on Tuesday, July 29th from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. We can't wait to see all of our new and returning students and their families. More information is coming soon about 4K.