| School Name | Address | Phone | Grades | County | Type | District Name |
| Daniel Island Elementary School | 2365 Daniel Island Dr
Charleston, SC 29492 | (843) 471-2301 | PK-8 | Berkeley | public | Berkeley 01 School District |
| Ethnic Background | Percent | Year |
| White, non-Hispanic | 75.0 | 2009 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 21.2302 | 2009 |
| Hispanic | 1.38889 | 2009 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.18254 | 2009 |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.198413 | 2009 |
| Students Getting Free Lunch | Year |
| 23% | 2009 |
| Date | Who | Comments |
| 10/29/2012 | parent | My child is in second grade at Daniel Island School She has an excellent teacher and we are very happy with her. She is very caring, yet has high expectations for her students. I really appreciate her effort to teach higher level thinking skills and creativity. My only concern is the size of the class ..26 students are too many for a 2nd grade class. This number puts a real strain on our teachers and hampers what they can do for our children. |
| 10/2/2012 | parent | This school. Is overcrowded. And not safe for the younger students. I am very upset. With. The. AR. Program . Last year.the assistant principal. Never. Handled. It correctly. This year. It sti not going. French. Just can not. Lead the school. If. You ask to speak. To them. They never have time. |
| 9/26/2012 | teacher | The administration at DIS is extremely supportive of students and faculty. They value positive relationships and go out of their way to ensure the safety and best interest of each member of the school community. The teachers are dedicated to challenging students for high achievement and personal values. Rachel's Challenge has been a wonderful program implemented at DIS to encourage high moral standards and respect toward others. The guidance department is doing a great job of advocating for a safe, friendly learning environment for our students. I am honored to be a part of this learning community! |
| 7/18/2012 | parent | We moved to the area last summer from out of state. The staff made the transition process smooth and pleasant (we even got a lengthy personal tour around the school!) Our 2nd grader felt prepared for his first day at the new school thanks to all the staff. Our son's teacher made him comfortable and was very communicative to us about how he was settling in. The school year was good--involved parents, multiple 'Parent University' opportunities presented by the Vice-Principal (with support of the new principal), and a great neighborhood feel to the school are most notable. The new principal (enthusiastic and no-nonsense) made some changes to procedural things--which seemed good to me (but parents who were used the old way of doing things might not like the changes...) The school is big (K-8) but very focused on making a good environment for the kids, in particular undertaking some big anti-bullying efforts (winning some awards for this). I am pleased with the overall quality of the facilities and teaching staff. Of course, I wish there was more money for foreign languages, more computer time, etc. but this is a county/state issue not specific to our school. |
| 7/7/2012 | parent | Thank you for this websight. I am happy to receive positive news about DIS. I no longer have children in the school, but while we were there I recognized that there were some very dedicated teachers. I am happy that they now have the leadership that they and the children deserve. Good leadership is the key to unlocking all of that potential. |
| 7/6/2012 | teacher | DIS is a fantastic school. We now have an amazing team of administrators. Thank you Mrs. French for your leadership--you lead with compassion, a high level of professional competency, and a truly student-centered approach. Daniel Island School is starting to realize its potential. |
| 5/24/2012 | other | I attended a picnic today(5/24/12 for first graders. I witnessed two adult women one a nurse completely takeover a first grader's ( of color) blanket . When the child went over and stood there because there was no place to sit I told them it was her blanket. The nurse turned to the little girl and said "hank you for letting me use you blanket that is very sweet of you". The little girl went back to her grandmother . The two women left much later leaving all of there trash for others to pick up. They are a reflection of there children and vice versa. Reflection of the school? If it's on film Youtube |
| 5/20/2012 | parent | DIS is an incredible school! I have been in the military and moved around with my children to different parts of the country and different schools including several in very nice neighborhoods. DIS is by far the best! Mrs. French is an excellent principal and there are many dedicated and skilled teachers. The bullying issues have been tackled head on and are no longer a concern. A key to this school's success is all of the involved parents. This school will help your child achieve as well as any private school in town, you will be able to walk or ride to school, and you will get to know all of the other children and parents. If you live where you are able to go to DIS, it seems like a no brainer to send your kids there. It is a big part of why we think Daniel Island is an absolutely amazing place to live and raise your children! |
| 5/18/2012 | parent | Mrs. French's first year at DIS has been amazing. She has tackled the Bullying problem HEAD ON! I have been very impressed by Ms. Wimmer the assistant vice principal for grades 3-5. The whole team is dedicated to arming the kids with tools to STAND UP against bullies and try to eliminate the problem. Our kids have loved the school and have not had any bullying problems. The PTA is amazing, very involved and active in raising money for our teachers. We are so fortunate to have this school in our neighborhood. It is so idyllic seeing all of the kids riding their bikes or walking to school. We wouldn't choose any place else. |
| 9/1/2011 | parent | We, too, made special contingencies when purchasing a home just to be in the DI district, and boy am I sorry we did. My child was bullied, taunted, teased.... NOTHING was done about it. I tried to contact the principal via email, phone call, and a personal visit, none of which were acknowledged. See comment below regarding principal leadership. Teacher quality: We did have a handful of teachers who were great, but the rest were sub-par. Principal leadership: What a joke; there is absolutely no stability. DI is currently on their 4th principal in 5 years. Parent involvement: Again, some were great, but there were a lot of really snotty volunteers, most of whom stood around doing nothing but gossiping. We had really high hopes for DIS, but they simply missed the mark. Unfortunately there are not a lot of options nearby. I would highly recommend looking into private, charter, online, or homeschooling as an option before choosing DIS. |
| 7/3/2011 | other | As a student, i say this is an awful school. If there were a 0-star option, i would have clicked -100. The kids are way too aggressive, one even tried to drive a pair of scissors through my neck and wasn't in trouble even though i was yelling at him. Another peer of mine was slammed into a locker and his head was busted. The kid that did it was at school the next day, in class. On the bright side, a few of the teachers are amazing. (Thanks Ms. Karolyi!) I'm moving to PSA next year along with my friends to 1.- be challenged, 2.- have more fun, and 3.- not be threatened and/or hit/bullied. The school is small, yet excellent. I have personally spoken to the principal, and he said there wasn't a bully in sight. DIS- one star for good teachers |
| 5/30/2011 | parent | We moved here for this school and after three years will have pulled all our children out. The lower elem. grades are fine and have some great teachers throughout the school. The middle school grades are where the real problems are found. The attitude of entitlement from some students, along with the bullying that is swept under the rug is to much to ignore. We reported the multi. bullying problems but nothing happened even though a new program was supposed to be put into place. Things are still happening just like last year and the year before and the year before that year. The school is still fairly new (open 4yrs) but going to be looking for the 4th principal. So what does this tell you about how things are going at this school?? Why do so many of the good teachers leave every year?? |
| 2/16/2011 | parent | Bullying got out of hand for my child at this school. The staff/admin were quick to respond, but it didn't keep the problem from happening again. And again. And again. My children attend elsewhere now and there is no more bullying. Also, a great or even good teacher is hit-or-miss. |
| 11/17/2010 | parent | My family just moved here and my daughter has attended this school for 5 months. I noticed that people posted that the "kids are kind and taught respect". I'd like to disagree. I have never had more issues with rude and mean kids ever. My daughter has a story every day. She never had problems at her previous school with teasing. There seems to be kids that back talk teachers and totally get away with it. Tell me how this teaches kindness or respect? They school has a great mantra about kindness and acceptance, but it is not enforced, so therefore useless. Don't be fooled by the pretty pictures of the school, like I was. It's not a good place and my child will not be attending this school any longer. |
| 5/21/2010 | parent | How does a school receive a GreatSchools' rating of 9 when, by 8th grade, 30% or more of the students fall *below* state standards in all areas of students. |
| 4/23/2010 | parent | DIS is welcoming and friendly. The school celebrates kids who are kind and bring a positive attitude. I respect Principal Candillo and like how he is looking for pathways to excellence while balancing the needs of 1100+ students. |
| 8/12/2009 | parent | They have alot of work to do. They are a new school that needs some improvements when it comes to the staff and and the curricum they level they put on our kids. They are a far ways from perfect, and need much improvement. |
| 1/4/2009 | student | I go to this school as a student and it rocks . There is a lot of kids and great teachers. |
| 11/14/2008 | parent | We LOVE DIS!!!! You will love Daniel Island and love the education it brings to you also. We just moved here last summer and we will never leave here.....love it. |
| 6/16/2008 | parent | My two children just completed their first year of school at DIS after moving here from the northeast. We chose where we live based on the school because that was our main concern. We have been very pleased with the academic focus of the school as well as the strong sense of motivation and respect that is instilled by the teachers and Principal at each grade level. The facility is top notch as is the technology. Add to that great after school activities and involved parents, and it has been a great experience. |
| 9/12/2007 | parent | This school is 1 year old and state of the art. Feels like a semi private school with focus on acedemics and respect. They have several after school program as well that make this an enriching environment for young minds. This school is located a very prestegious community in Charleston, SC. |
