Jack N. Darby ES History
Opened: 1988
OPEN
Jack N. Darby Elementary School was completed in 1988 and inaugurated on October 14, 1988. The school initially educated students in kindergarten through sixth grade, then had students preschool age to sixth grade, and now has students from preschool age to fifth grade.
The school is located in the Hario Housing Area approximately forty-five minutes from the main US Naval Base in Sasebo. Originally, Darby School was an annex of E. J. King School. During its first years, the school had a staff of four classroom teachers and a special education teacher. There were also specialists for physical education, music, computer education and host nation. Special services were provided on an itinerant basis from E. J. King. The principal, assistant principal, and counselor served both schools. The total enrollment for the 1989-90 school year was 100 students.
For the 1993-94 year, the school had 200 students in grades Kindergarten through six. There were eleven classrooms, a media center, cafeteria, office, and faculty lounge. An assistant principal, librarian, nurse, communications impaired and physical education teachers, guidance counselor, and computer coordinator served both schools at Sasebo: Darby and King. The following year the enrollment increased to 250 students.
The enrollment for the 2023-24 school year is 220 students.
The school was named after Rear Admiral Jack N. Darby, former commander of the Pacific Fleet's Submarine Force. Prior to leading the Pacific submarine command, Admiral Darby was on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC. Before that, he was commandant of midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy and was commander of the submarines Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Admiral Darby passed away in 1987 in New York.
The school is the “Home of the Dolphins”, and the school colors are navy and light blue.
Mr. Richard Jimenez became the school principal in March 2021.