Greetings Elizabeth Seawell Elementary families! As the principal of this diverse, inclusive learning community I am committed to providing whatever support, care and instruction is necessary to make each student experience a success. My excitement and enthusiasm for continuing to learn and grow from such a richly unique community is overflowing!! The students, families and teachers/staff of Seawell are truly a treasure that I am privileged to serve and join.

I am a product of North Carolina public schools and grew up as a farm girl in Robeson county. 

My twenty-plus years of educational experiences include work as a before and after school care group leader, teacher assistant and substitute teacher while earning my undergraduate degree as a North Carolina Central Univ. Teaching Fellow. I began my teaching career in Chatham County where I taught both fourth and fifth grades, before moving to Durham to teach fifth grade at E.K.Powe Elementary School. In the interim, I also taught Instructional Media at Durham Technical Community College before pursuing graduate studies in School Administration as a Principal Fellow. My graduate degree was earned at UNC Chapel Hill and I then worked as an administrator at Glenwood Elementary School in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district. 

My journey continued as I later worked as a magnet coordinator in Durham before returning to administration as an assistant principal and principal at Efland-Cheeks Global Elementary in Orange County. It is both humbling and exciting to be able to come back to my starting place in so many ways. The Critter Corner, as an ode to my beginnings as a young girl loving life on the farm and being back in Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, the place where my administrative career began. My heart is humbled at the opportunity to be a part of a learning community that is reflective of the values and beliefs that make up my core. Every learner, every opportunity, every single day!

Hello! My name is Danka Kulikowski, and I am excited to be a part of the Seawell community as your assistant principal. My journey as a Seahawk began eight years ago as a parent when both of my now adolescent boys attended Seawell. For years I walked Harrison and Connor up the hill to Seawell from Smith Middle School where I worked as an English Language Arts and theatre teacher and then most recently as an assistant principal. 

Before calling North Carolina my home, I grew up in Cary, Illinois, where we call soda “pop” and think Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T. I have twenty years of education experience both in the classroom and as a school leader with a Bachelor of Science in Teaching from Winona State in Minnesota and a master’s degree in school administration from the College of New Jersey. A highlight of my educational career was teaching for nine years at international schools in exciting places such as Spain, Kuwait, China, and Russia. I once had a class where students came from twelve different countries! Outside of school, my husband and I keep busy with our middle school aged sons. When I’m not on the sidelines of soccer games or running to music lessons, I try to find time for Crossfit, paddle boarding, the beach, musicals or adding to my earring collection. 

I have seen the brilliant work of our diverse Seawell and Smith communities, and I look forward to partnering with you to ensure the success of all of our Seahawks.