Meet the Principal

When the word got to Delaney Sutton that the principal position at Taylors Elementary School was going to be open, she knew a rare opportunity had presented itself. 

"It was well-known as having a great reputation for high achievement and a lot of parent involvement," Sutton said. 

Sutton, 36, began her career in education in Greenville County, and it's in that same county that she's reached a major milestone in her career. This is Sutton's first year as principal of Taylors Elementary School - and her first time as principal.

Sutton, a 1999 graduate of Tennessee Technological University, began her career at Monaview Elementary School and moved on to teach at Fountain Inn Elementary School. By 2004, she had earned her masters degree from Furman University. For the last five years, she has been assistant principal at Ellen Woodside Elementary School in Pelzer. 

"The opportunity arose this summer as a new principal was needed for Taylors Elementary. Taylors has so many wonderful qualities and such a great reputation that I was very interested in becoming part of the team," Sutton said. "I was able to interview for the position and was blessed to be named principal." 

In the midst of a faltering economy, Sutton's school is encountering a slowly evolving demographic. 

"Taylors has remained fairly consistent with the demographics, however we are seeing an slight change in the socioeconomic status of the population," Sutton said. "We must continue to reach out and support those students with needs and we must create an environment where students want to learn. We also need to utilize updated strategies in the classroom that tie in with technology so that students are better prepared in the future."

Specifically, as unemployment continues to soar and stagnation grips the statewide and national economy, more children at Taylors are beginning to qualify for free and reduced lunches - an unfortunate sign of the times. With children's families facing tough times, it's important for their teachers to be willing to use different manners of instruction to meet the varying needs, Sutton said.  

"We have work continuously on staying educated about different strategies," Sutton said. "You have to be continuously improving. We have to concentrate on differentiating instruction - not a one-size-fits-all." 

Sutton said Taylors boasts a bright staff and caring parents that make her appreciate her new place of employment more each day. 

"I appreciate the level of dedication of the staff members at Taylors Elementary," Sutton said. "They work so hard every day to protect instructional time, and they are willing to go above and beyond for the students. I also appreciate the PTA and all that they do for the students at Taylors. We have a very active PTA.  Our volunteers are working hard to help improve Taylors Elementary."