Erika Senneseth

Photo of Erika Senneseth, Head of School, standing in front of Sandhills school shield logo

Erika Senneseth, M.Ed.
Head of School

Erika Senneseth began her journey at Sandhills School in 2005 as a young teacher eager to deepen her understanding of dyslexia and the Orton-Gillingham approach. Nearly two decades later, she leads the school as Head of School, drawing from her rich teaching experience across 1st through 12th grade. Erika has taught almost every subject at Sandhills, from elementary language arts and social studies to middle and high school Spanish, and even math courses ranging from Algebra to Pre-Calculus. She became Head of School in 2018.

Global Experience with Local Impact

A graduate of Connecticut College (Go Camels!), Erika spent the year immediately following her undergraduate studies in South Korea as a Fulbright Scholar, studying English language acquisition. Her passion for language learning also stems from immersive experiences in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Spain, experiences that revealed how immersion accelerates understanding and retention. That insight drives her commitment to the immersive, schoolwide application of Orton-Gillingham at Sandhills.

Head of School, Erika Senneseth, holding a book entitled %22It's Called Dyslexia%22

Transforming Lives Through Specialized Education

At Sandhills, Erika found what she calls “education utopia,” a school where bright students with dyslexia are immersed daily in research-based literacy instruction and supported by a community that understands and empowers them. During her time as Assistant Head of School, Erika led the development of the school’s college prep high school and helped establish Sandhills as a specialized ACT Testing Center. As Head of School, she played a key role in launching the Boyd Foundation Building, Eccles Court and Field, and the Boyd Foundation scholarship match initiative.

Independent School Leadership Across South Carolina

Beyond Sandhills, Erika currently serves as President of the Palmetto Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), where she fosters collaboration and supports professional development for school leaders across the state. Her leadership within PAIS reflects her broader commitment to diversity in education and non-discriminatory admissions and hiring practices in independent schools.

Rooted in the Mission

Erika remains at Sandhills because of the students. She’s seen firsthand how fear and frustration turn into confidence and resilience when students are given the right tools in a supportive environment. Sandhills doesn’t just pull students out for tutoring and send them back into a world that doesn’t understand dyslexia; instead, it surrounds them with a school that does. Teachers speak the same literacy language. Students practice and reinforce strategies in every class. It’s a place where students with learning differences don’t just get by—they thrive.