Carrcroft Elementary School
Administrative Team
Dr. Dionne Fears
Principal
Hello! My name is Dr. Dionne Fears, and I am thrilled to join the Carrcroft Elementary family as the Principal. With over 24 years of experience in both Higher Education and K-12 Education, I have served as a mentor, counselor, teacher, professor, and administrator in Pennsylvania and now in the Brandywine School District.
I hold degrees from West Chester University, the University of Delaware, and Wilmington University. In 2017, I earned my Principal Certification from the University of Scranton, and in 2022, I graduated from Immaculata University with a doctorate in Educational Leadership after defending my research on addressing the needs of our most vulnerable students via trauma-informed practices.
I am dedicated to fostering the academic, social, and emotional growth of our students. I believe it is our responsibility to guide children to become productive and contributing members of society. My passion lies in creating learning opportunities tailored to each student’s needs, enhancing family and community engagement, and strengthening the connection between home and school to help each child achieve academic excellence. By working together, we can help students become the best version of themselves.
I am excited to support your child and family in this journey as we work together to ensure our students connect, learn, and grow together. I feel incredibly fortunate to help young people discover and develop their natural gifts and talents, and I look forward to facilitating this growth through my leadership at Carrcroft Elementary. Additionally, I enjoy spending time with my family, live music and concerts, traveling, cooking, shoe shopping, and cuddling with my Yorkshire Terriers Nova and Coco.
Welcome to Carrcroft Elementary School! My name is Dana Rodriguez, and I am honored to serve as the Assistant Principal. It is a true pleasure to be part of such a dedicated and vibrant school community. With over fourteen years of experience as an elementary educator, I have had the opportunity to teach students from kindergarten through fifth grade in various roles. Prior to joining Carrcroft, I was the Dean of Students at Hanby Elemenary for six years. I also was an elementary teacher in the Christiana School District, where I developed a strong foundation that I now bring to our collective efforts in achieving excellence at Carrcroft.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to collaborate with a diverse range of educators, families, and community members, all working toward the shared goal of enhancing student achievement and well-being. My educational philosophy is grounded in the unwavering belief that all students can succeed when they are supported by a positive learning environment, strong leadership, a committed educational team, an encouraging community, and a supportive family.
I am honored to be part of the Carrcroft community and excited about the opportunities we have to support and inspire our students together. My academic background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in ESOL Literacy, a Master’s Degree in Applied Technology in Education, and I am currently completing a Master’s Degree in School Leadership.
Welcome families! My name is Tiffany Barnes and it is a privilege to serve as the Dean of Students at Carrcoft Elementary School. With more than 20 years of experience as both a classroom teacher and school counselor, I am passionate about supporting the whole child by integrating academic achievement, social-emotional learning, positive behavior supports, and meaningful family partnerships.
Prior to joining Carrcroft Elementary, I served as a School Counselor at Maple Lane Elementary School for 10 years, where I partnered with administrators, teachers, and families to lead student support systems, strengthen school culture, and implement data-informed practices that removed barriers to learning and helped every student thrive.
I hold four master’s degrees from Wilmington University in School Counseling, Teaching and Learning, Elementary Education, and School Leadership. My educational background, combined with my leadership experience, has shaped my belief that strong relationships, high expectations, and collaborative problem-solving create the foundation for student success.
I am so excited to be a part of the Carrcroft family and look forward to partnering with students, staff, and families to create a school environment where every child feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Administrative Assistants
- Lindsey Russo, Administrative Assistant
- Susan Coates, Administrative Assistant