Welcome, New Faculty in the Rye City School District
Welcome, New Faculty in the Rye City School District
Suzanne Adams
English, Rye Middle School
For the past two school years, Ms. Adams has held leave-replacement positions as an English teacher at Rye High. During that time, she taught ninth- and tenth-grade Regents and Honors students and co-taught an inclusion class. She also served as a writing mentor for homeroom students. Previously, she held a leave replacement position teaching seventh grade at Louis M. Klein Middle School in Harrison, and worked at White Plains High School. Prior to her teaching experience, Ms. Adams worked for the Modern Language Association as a copy editor and assistant to the managing editor for a journal focusing on language and literature. She earned her B. A. in English Literature from Columbia University and her M.A. in Teaching of English Degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Andrea Garavanta
Social Studies, Rye Middle School
Before coming to Rye, Ms. Garavanta spent six years teaching at Larson Middle School in Michigan. She taught seventh- and eighth-grade English and seventh-grade advanced English, as well as American History and Global Studies: Eastern Hemisphere. While there, she led a program for incoming sixth graders, served as head basketball coach for the eighth-grade girls’ team, and participated on the Leadership Team and Improvement Team. In 2007 she was voted Favorite Seventh Grade Teacher. In 2010-11, her seventh-grade advanced English students were listed among the Word Masters Challenge Top Ten in the Nation. Ms. Garavanta obtained her B. A. from Michigan State University and her M.A. from Wayne State University’s College of Education.
Jose Maria Moreno Dominguez
(not pictured)
Spanish Teacher, Rye High School
Mr. Dominguez joins the Rye High faculty after working as a Spanish teacher at Sleepy Hollow High School in Tarrytown. Prior to that, he taught English at a school in Spain, and from 2004-2010 held roles as a Spanish teacher at various schools in the Bronx and New York City. He has developed curriculum frameworks, taught advanced courses, led community service projects, served as a translator, and advised extracurricular programs including a journalism club and initiatives related to Spanish. Previously, he taught and led programs at the college level at SUNY Buffalo and Alfred University, and coordinated student exchange programs between the Colegio Trinidad-Sansueno in Spain and Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn. Mr. Dominguez earned his B.A. from the Universidad de Cordoba in Spain, and holds Master of Arts degrees from the Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Spain and State University of New York at Buffalo.
Andre Soto
Art Teacher, Rye High and Middle schools
Previously, Mr. Soto worked as a teaching artist for the Urban Arts Partnership in New York City, where he created and implemented curriculums for teaching in public schools. He also served as an art teacher at the School for Democracy and Leadership in Brooklyn, and taught technology at Park Slope Elementary P.S. 282 in Brooklyn. He has designed curriculums and programs, directed after-school programs, tutored students, trained teachers, and coordinated exhibition projects. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from City College of New York and has completed studies in graphic design, photography, creative writing, and film/video arts.
Cassandra Hatcher
Physical Education Teacher,
Milton, RMS & RHS
Ms. Hatcher joins Rye after working as a physical education and health teacher in the Wake County Public School System in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the past five years. She taught a diverse population of sixth- through eighth-grade students at Leesville Road Middle School, where she also served as Co-Department Chair, and Ligon GT Magnet Middle School, where she was a member of the School Crisis Team. Ms. Hatcher has worked with the Athletic Director at East Rochester High School, and has coached girls’ soccer and softball teams at various middle and high schools. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from the State University of New York at Brockport, her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with Sports Management from Nazareth College of Rochester, and her M.S. from East Carolina University.
Rachel Lang
Elementary School Teacher, Midland
Most recently, Ms. Lang served as a middle/high school science teacher at Our Savior Lutheran School in the Bronx, where she taught Life Science, Physical Science, American History, Biology, Psychology, and Earth Science while preparing students for Regents and other exams. She was also active in the creation and facilitation of an after-school science club for elementary-age children, and served as teacher facilitator for the High School Student Council. Previously, Ms. Lang taught fifth and sixth grades at St. Mark’s Lutheran School in the Bronx, and worked as a science tutor. She earned her B.A. in Education from Concordia College, and her M.A. in Childhood Special Education from the College of New Rochelle.
