Elementary Learning Community

Dr. Swearingen is a long-standing Charleston County School District employee. She started as a 5th and 6th grade math teacher at Ladson Elementary School, the assistant principal at Jennie Moore Elementary School, and the principal at Oakland Elementary School before becoming a Director of the Elementary Learning Community. In this role, she supervised and supported elementary schools across the district. She is now the Associate Superintendent for Elementary Learning Community.

Dr. Swearingen has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the College of Charleston, a Masters of Elementary Education Administration from The Citadel, a Specialist in Educational Leadership from The Citadel, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration (CD-12) from the University of South Carolina.

In her free time, she likes to do yard work and spend time with her dogs and family.

White has served as an interim Executive Director of the Elementary Learning Community since 2023.

White first served in the field of education as a classroom teacher at Claude Pepper Elementary School in Miami, FL, starting in 1992. She spent seven years in Florida before returning to South Carolina briefly to teach pre-Algebra at St. Georgia Middle School. In 2001, White returned to Miami as a mathematics facilitator at Irving & Beatrice Peskoe Elementary School, followed by a two-year post as a lower quartile mathematics teacher at Henry S. West Laboratory School.

Returning to South Carolina indefinitely, White joined CCSD as an assistant principal at Sanders-Clyde Elementary School in 2009. In this role, White created the school’s master schedule for all grade levels; supported the implementation of the school’s vision, mission, and goals; participated on several Induction teams and SAFE-T teams; completed Competency-Building Plans; facilitated Goals Based Evaluation (GBE) meetings; and assisted the principal with all aspects of school operation and instruction. She also served as interim principal for several months in 2011.

In 2012, White was named principal at James Simons Elementary (now Montessori). During her time at James Simons, White facilitated the implementation of a full Montessori program for students age three to eighth grade, planned and opened a new state-of-the-art school facility, and worked to ensure that the needs of her students and families were met through planning and programs with valuable partners such as Charleston Promise Neighborhood (CPN), Trident United Way, and Parent Advocates. In 2017, White was named principal at A.C. Corcoran Elementary School where she served for four years before becoming Principal of Special Projects and Support for the Elementary Learning Community in 2022.

White holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Barry University, a Master of Science in Mathematics Education from Florida State University, and an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership form Nova Southeastern University. The recipient of several awards and accomplishments, White was named the 2013 CCSD Rookie Principal of the Year and received the 2019 Channel 2 Cool School Award. She also completed her Montessori Administrator certification and the South Carolina School Leadership Executive Institute program. White is a member of the National Education Association, the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

Mitchell has served as an interim Executive Director of the Elementary Learning Community since 2022.

Throughout her career, Mitchell, an award-winning CCSD teacher and administrator, has held various positions in education from the classroom to district administration in a variety of domestic and international settings. Mitchell’s first role as a school-based leader was as an assistant principal at Charles Pinckney Elementary School in 2004 where she led over 900 students and 70 staff members daily.

A highly organized and effective leader, Mitchell was selected to become principal at James B. Edwards Elementary School (JBE) in 2009. While at JBE, Mitchell focused her talents on curriculum development, child growth and development, instructional strategies, and classroom management. She left JBE in 2015 to relocate to Illinois where she served as a lead faculty member for Atlantic Research Partners, a company focused on research-based teacher professional development and training on pedagogical best practices directly linked to student academic achievement.

In 2016, Mitchell relocated back to South Carolina where she rejoined the district as a Director of Employee Relations. In this capacity, Mitchell worked with district employees at all levels of the organization to resolve conflicts, mentor and advise as needed, and help develop employee improvement plans for six years before her appointment to serve as interim Executive Director of Elementary Learning in 2022.

Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Ohio State and a Master of Art in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan. She has been the recipient of several leadership awards throughout her career including the 2014-2015 Elementary Learning Community’s Star Principal Award and the Palmetto Gold Award every year during her tenure at James B. Edwards. She also holds early childhood, elementary, and principal certifications.

McCarthy has served as principal at Lambs Elementary School since 2019.

McCarthy began her career in Charleston County as a teacher at Hunley Park Elementary where she taught fourth and fifth grade, as well as third through fifth grade intervention. In 2013, McCarthy became the assistant principal at Pepperhill Elementary where she oversaw the Title I budget, positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), faculty hiring, student discipline, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), personalized learning, special education, strategic planning, and school safety. While in this role, she completed the SCASA Center for Executive Education Leadership AP Course Year 1, CCSD’s Principals for Tomorrow course, and was a member of the Literacy Leader Cohort.

In 2017, McCarthy joined Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School as assistant principal. During her time at Ashley River, McCarthy focused on arts and technology integration and gifted and talented identification, as well as served as a member of the school improvement council (SIC), parent teacher association (PTA), and the Department of Alternative Programs’ Code of Conduct Committee. She also completed the SCASA Center for Executive Education Leadership AP Course Year 2.

Over the last five years, she has expertly led the students and staff at Lambs Elementary using data driven instructional strategies. She has also led the district in becoming the first Restorative Practices Demonstration School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Georgian Court University in New Jersey and a Master of Education in Elementary Administration from The Citadel. She recently completed her Specialist in Educational Leadership degree from The Citadel and is a current Doctor of Education candidate at Clemson University (anticipated August 2024). She also holds early childhood, elementary,

principal, and superintendent certifications.