Credit: Sullivan’s Island Elementary School
Sullivan’s Island Elementary School has opened its doors to students for the 71st year. The original building served the community for 56 years before closing in 2010 for a complete renovation. The new school opened in 2014.
Susan King, principal of Sullivan’s Island Elementary School, said what she loves most about SIES is the school’s rich history, its island setting, and the diversity and creativity of its community.
SIES has 510 students. About 55% attend through Charleston County School District’s school choice program, which allows families to apply via lottery. The remaining 45% live in the Sullivan’s Island zone, which includes Isle of Palms, Dewees Island and Goat Island.
King said this year the school is expanding its science opportunities for students.
“We welcomed two new science lab teachers: Meghan Galipeau, who brings incredible experience from the South Carolina Aquarium, and Jane Rice, who has worked closely with SIES in the past as part of Project GreenHeart. Ms. Rice is also a former SIES student. Together, they’re helping us foster a culture where every child — and every adult — sees themselves as a scientist,” King said.
This year the school also added four new aquariums to give students hands-on opportunities to observe and explore marine life.
“Other new initiatives this year include a PTA book vending machine as part of our Positive Behavior program, a ‘Recreation Rocks’ campaign with our School Improvement Council that emphasizes sportsmanship and active play, and the launch of a new math program, Eureka Math,” she said.
“We’re off to a fantastic start! The energy has been positive, and both teachers and students have jumped right in. One kindergartner summed it up perfectly — he told me his teacher said each day would get ‘a little busier and busier,’ and he seemed thrilled about it.”
King said she is also excited to bring back Sandcastle Day and May Day.
For Sandcastle Day, the whole school heads to the beach to build sandcastles around a theme. “This year’s theme honors the 250th anniversary of our nation’s history. Older and younger classrooms are paired as ‘Buddy Classes,’ designing and building side by side. The preparation is just as important as the day itself — students use science, engineering, art and computer class time to plan their designs. It’s team building at its finest,” she said.
May Day is the school’s annual outdoor musical performance, with every grade contributing choreographed numbers connected to a theme. The event concludes with the 5th graders performing the traditional Maypole dance.
“Our staff has worked very intentionally to build a culture of collective teacher efficacy — the belief that every adult in the building has a responsibility to positively impact every single child. This mindset not only benefits students but also creates a supportive and joyful workplace for our teachers and staff. While we’re not the only school striving for this, I believe it truly stands out as our greatest strength,” King said.
King has been a principal for 22 years. Before joining Sullivan’s Island, she taught for 10 years in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, focusing on science and math enrichment for 4th- and 5th-graders, and even started a marine science summer camp. She also taught 8th-grade science in Peru for a year before earning her master’s degree in administration and supervision through a leadership cohort at the University of Virginia. Her administrative career has included middle school teaching, serving as an assistant principal in Miami, and then moving to Charleston, where she found her home at SIES.
“We want families to know that we are a team. Every parent, guardian, teacher, staff member and student plays an important role in creating a state-of-the-art learning environment. Our goal is to help each child thrive, using their unique strengths to grow as both learners and citizens. Our school quote reflects this beautifully: ‘Individually we are one drop; together, an ocean,’” King said.