The Rye City School District is starting the 2024-25 school year with nearly two dozen new staff members, from the district level to the elementary schools. Meet the new hires below.
Leah Blumenthal, Secondary Instructional Coach
Blumenthal previously worked for 11 years at I.S. 96, the Seth Low Intermediate School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the last four as the school’s assistant principal for special education, visual and performing arts, and in the school’s sixth grade.
For the first seven years of her career she was as a special education literacy and English language arts teacher and later worked for three years as a special education ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Nest Coach, supporting 96 students.
Blumenthal was a New York City Department of Education Model Teacher for the 2016-2017 school year. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Delaware, a master’s in education/students with disabilities from St. John’s University, and a school building leader and school district leader certificate of advanced study from the College of Saint Rose.
Stacey Falcone, Food Service Director
After working for the Aramark Corp., Falcone has moved over to the Rye City School District. Previously, Falcone spent a year as the Aramark Food Service Director at Fordham University, five years at Mamaroneck Public Schools, and seven at the Rye Neck Union Free School District.
She began her career in food service working as the assistant director of food service in the White Plains Public Schools. Falcone has a bachelor’s in dietetics from SUNY Buffalo. She is working towards her master’s degree in health science from Long Island University at Mercy College. She is a New York State certified dietician-nutritionist.
Mark Bayer, Interim Assistant Principal
Bayer comes to Rye High School after serving as principal of Somers High School for the past 12 years, having retired in June. Before serving as principal in Somers, he spent five years as a math teacher and then eight years as an assistant principal at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, N.Y. As principal of Somers High School, Bayer led the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Programme. At Horace Greeley High School, he was one of the founding teachers of the LIFE School, a project-based, rigorous alternative program grounded in community.
Bayer began his career in education teaching math at Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, N.Y., for eight years. Bayer has a bachelor’s in mathematics from Manhattan College, a master’s in secondary mathematics from SUNY New Paltz, and a certificate of advanced study in educational administration, also from SUNY New Paltz.
Susan Allegretti, Special Education Teacher
Allegretti worked as a special education teacher assistant at Rye High School for the past two years. Before working at Rye High School, she worked in the district as an elementary school special education teacher assistant for eight years and an elementary school one-to-one teacher aide for four years.
Prior to working in Rye, she was the assistant to the environmental educator at the Rye Nature Center and a substitute teacher at Webster Avenue Nursery School in Harrison, N.Y. Allegretti has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fashion Institute of Technology. She is currently completing her master’s in teaching special education from Long Island University.
Andrew Laudel, English Teacher
Laudel comes to Rye High School from the Uncommon Leadership Charter High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was an English teacher and district-wide planner for advanced placement literature for four years. Previously, he was a seventh grade English teacher at Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn. and a tenth and eleventh grade summer session English Instructor at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass..
Since 2022, he has worked as an advanced placement reader for the College Board for advanced placement literature and composition exams. He began his teaching career as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher at the Success Academy Harlem West Middle School. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater from the University of Michigan and a master’s in English and education from Hunter College.
Michael Okulsky, Special Education
Okulsky comes to Rye High School from The Hallen School in New Rochelle where he taught English, creative writing and study skills to students in grades 9-12 for the past four years. Before working at Hallen, he was a seventh and eighth grade English teacher at the ICAHN Charter School in Bronx, N.Y.
He began his teaching career as an English literature teacher at St. Raymond’s High School for Boys, also in the Bronx. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in teaching: adolescence education from Iona University and an advanced certification, students with disabilities grades 7-12 from Lehman College.
Honor Fagan, Leave Replacement School Counselor
Fagan has been a school counselor at Rye High School since March, 2024. Before working in Rye, she spent a year as a leave replacement school counselor at Pelham High School and two years as a school counselor at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, N.J.
She completed her school counseling internship at Suffern Middle School. Before becoming a school counselor, she was the assistant to the director at Prep School and College Search in Nyack, N.Y. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and communication from Boston College and an M.A. in applied psychology from NYU.
Nicholas Clair, Assistant Principal
Clair was promoted to assistant principal after working for two years as Rye High School and Middle School as an instructional coach, where he designed and facilitated professional learning for middle school and high school teachers. He wrote curriculum, designed specialized learning experiences in collaboration with teachers and worked with the special education department’s Building Bridges Program to provide co-teaching instruction.
Before coming to Rye, Clair completed an administrator internship at F.D. Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, N.Y. He began his teaching career as a high school mathematics teacher at F.D. Roosevelt and then Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, N.Y.
At the middle school, Clair will work to promote both the academic and social-emotional development of students. He will also lead professional development for faculty and staff, focusing on how to best meet the needs of all students across curricular areas.
Clair holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education from Hartwick College, a master’s in curriculum, instruction, and assessment from Walden University, and a CAS in administration from Stony Brook University.
Gina Elezovic, Special Education Teacher
Elezovic comes to the middle school from P.S./M.S. 498, the Van Nest Academy in Bronx, N.Y., where she spent the past 11 years as a first, third, and seventh grade ICT special education teacher, a grades 3/4, 4/5, and 5/6 grade self-contained special education teacher and a grades 6/7 and 7/8 English as a second language and social studies self-contained special education teacher.
Before working at Van Nest, she taught elementary school general education classes at Somers Intermediate/Primrose in Somers, N.Y. and for three years at P.S. 108, the Philip J. Abinanti School in the Bronx. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s of professional studies in literacy and special education, both from Manhattanville University.
Sarah Horne, Special Education Teacher
Horne comes to the middle school from Eastchester High School where she was an integrated co-teaching social studies teacher for the past year. Before working in Eastchester, she spent three years at Scarsdale Middle School, working as a one-to-one aide, resource room classroom aide, ICT, and special education math classroom aide and then a student teacher for eighth grade social studies.
Horne has a bachelor’s degrees in history and philosophy from SUNY Oneonta and a master’s degree in middle child and adolescence social studies education and special education from Manhattanville University.
Victoria Jessie, Choral and General Music
Jessie comes to Rye Middle School from the VOICE Charter School in Queens, N.Y., where she taught general music, student choir, piano, vocal technique, and musical theory and directed concerts and musicals for the past four years.
Before working at VOICE, she spent three years as a music teacher at East Harlem Scholars Academy Middle School. Previously, she taught music and drama to students grades K-8 at the Saint Aloysius School, The Jesuit School of Harlem. She has a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre from Manhattanville University and is currently pursuing her masters in music education K-12 from Hunter College.
Lisa Barone, School Psychologist
Barone comes to Rye Middle School from the East Ramapo Central School District, where she worked as a school psychologist for students in grades 4-8 for the past four years. Previously, Barone spent a year as a high-school-level school psychologist leave replacement in the Clarkstown Central School District. She completed her school psychology internship in the Ardsley Union Free School District and her practicum in the Bronxville Union Free School District. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University at Albany and a master’s degree in school psychology from Mercy University.
Briana Fitzer, Special Education Co-Teacher, Fourth Grade
Fitzer comes to Midland School from P.S. 8, the Isaac Varian School, in Bronx, N.Y., where she worked for the past four years as a third and fourth grade special education teacher. Previously, she spent two years as a second grade teacher at P.S. 7, the Milton Fein School, in the Bronx, where she also completed her student teaching. Fitzer has a bachelor’s in childhood education and a master’s in childhood special education, both from Manhattan College, and a master’s in literacy from SUNY Oneonta.
Stacy Lessen, Kindergarten
Lessen comes to Midland School from P.S. 116, the Mary Lindley Murray School, in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan, where she taught for the past 16 years. She has taught first, second, third, and fourth grade, ICT and general education classrooms. Since 2023 she has been the school’s K-2 reading intervention teacher and special education teacher support services provider. Lessen has a bachelor’s in inclusive elementary education and sociology from Syracuse University and a master’s in literacy from Teacher College at Columbia University.
Isabella Santelia, Fourth Grade
Before being chosen to teach fourth grade at Midland School, Santelia worked as a third grade leave replacement teacher at Osborn School for the 2023-2024 school year.
Before coming to Rye, she worked as a third grade leave replacement teacher at the Katonah Elementary School. She has also been a leave replacement teacher and teacher aide in the Tarrytown, Bedford, and Valhalla Central School Districts. Santelia has bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance from Elon University as well as a master’s in professional studies in childhood and special education from Manhattanville University.
Ashley Sheridan, Special Education Co-Teacher, Third Grade
Sheridan joins the Midland School after working at Heathcote School in Scarsdale, NY, where was a special education teacher in kindergarten, second, and third integrated co-teaching classrooms for the past three years.
Before working in Scarsdale, she spent five years as a special education teacher for third, fourth, and fifth grade ICT classrooms at P.S. 96, The Richard Rogers School, in Bronx, NY. Sheridan has a bachelor’s in psychology from Iona University and a dual master’s degree in professional studies in childhood education and special education from Mercy University.
Leah Sperber, Music Teacher
Sperber comes to Milton School from the St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont, Col., where she spent the past year as an elementary general music teacher and chorus teacher. Before teaching in Colorado, she spent two years as an elementary general music teacher in the East Ramapo Central School District.
She completed her student teaching at DeWitt Middle School in Ithaca, N.Y., and in the Ithaca City School District elementary schools. She has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in music education from SUNY Potsdam.
Rachel Lifson, Assistant Principal
Lifson comes to Osborn School from P.S. 9, The Sarah Anderson School, on the Upper West Side, where she worked as a special education teacher grades K, 1 and 2 in ICT classrooms for seven years. In addition to her teaching duties, she served on the school’s Instructional leadership team, was the special education lead, coherency grade team leadet and a mentor teacher.
Lifson began her teaching career as a first grade general education teacher at P.S. 221, North Hills School, in Little Neck, N.Y. Lifson has a bachelor’s degree in applied developmental psychology and a master’s degree in Instruction and learning both from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in educational leadership: administration and supervision from Hunter College.
Julia Colangelo, First Grade
Colangelo comes to Osborn School from Bronxville Elementary School where she has been a teacher resident since the fall of 2021. Before teaching in Bronxville, she completed her student teaching with first and third grade classrooms at Greater Plains Elementary School, Oneonta, N.Y.
She began her teaching career working at an after-school math program at Valley View Elementary School, also in Oneonta. For the past four summers, she worked as science director for the Westchester Country Club summer camp in Rye. Colangelo has a bachelor’s degree in childhood education with a concentration in mathematics and a master’s degree in education, literacy education, both from SUNY Oneonta.
Maureen Connelly, First Grade
Connelly comes to Osborn School from P.S. 9, the Sarah Anderson School, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where she has worked for 11 years as a first grade teacher in an Integrated Co-Taught classroom. Previously, she spent five years as a first grade teacher at P.S. 179 and two as a science cluster teacher for grades three, four, and five at P.S. 220, both in the Bronx. She has a bachelor’s in elementary education from Loyola University, Maryland, and a master’s in childhood education with a specialization in math and science from Hunter College.
Anna Dagmar Johnson, General Music, Orchestra, and Chorus
Johnson comes to Osborn School from Hunter College, where she has served for the past two years as assistant conductor and symphony scholar to the Hunter Symphony Orchestra while earning her master’s degree.
She has 22 years of professional teaching, performing, and composing experience, including nine years at the Nightingale Bamford School on the Upper East Side and six at the Musical Kids Early Childhood Program.
Her professional experience includes working as a pianist and vocal coach for Broadway shows including ‘Waitress’ and ‘Hadestown’ For the past 23 years she has spent summers teaching piano at Sonatina International Piano Camp in Bennington Vt., and conducted the camp multi-age choir for eight seasons. She has a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano and music education from the Eastman School of Music and expects to receive her master’s degree in conducting and music education from Hunter College in December.
Matthew Strang, General Music and Band
Strang steps up to general music teacher after having worked as a leave replacement music and band teacher this past school year. Before working in Rye, Strang was a private music instructor at the Croton Harmon Music Academy in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
He completed his student teaching at Litchfield High School in Litchfield, Conn., and the Glastonbury Elementary Schools in Glastonbury, Conn. He has a bachelor’s in instrumental music education from the University of Hartford. He is currently completing his master’s in instrumental music performance at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College of the City of New York.
Heather Hay, Occupational Therapist
Hay comes to Osborn School from Family of Kidz, formerly Westchester Therapy Solutions, in Harrison, N.Y., where she has worked as an occupational therapist for the past two years.
Before working in Harrison, she spent a year as an occupational therapist at the Story Place Preschool in Castleton, N.Y. She completed her student fieldwork at Story Place, the Albany Memorial Hand Center, the Bell Top Elementary School in Troy, N.Y, the Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Ga., and the Schuyler Inn Shelter in Menands, N.Y.
Since 2018, she has worked as a dance teacher for children ages 4-16 at The Dance Lab in Saratoga, N.Y. She has a bachelor’s in psychology from SUNY Oneonta and a master’s in occupational therapy from the Sage Graduate School in Troy, N.Y.
