What is your professional background?
My educational background includes a Master of Education in educational administration, a Master of Arts in education, and a Bachelor of Science in education. I was selected as a Fellow in the Boston Principal Fellowship program and as a Fellow in the Lynch Leadership Academy at
Boston College.
My prior work experience includes teaching middle school for 10 years (Social Studies/Technology) in Pennsylvania, and serving as an assistant principal and literacy coach in the Boston Public Schools. I received my literacy training from A.U.S.S.I.E. (Australian United States Services in Education). I've served as a principal for six years at both K-5 and K-8 schools. My former K-8 school in Boston is very similar to Rooftop in many ways, including the demographics.
What do you want the community to know about you?
I've recently married my partner of 11 years, Jim. You'll have a chance to meet him, as he loves to support school events and attend school functions. We have four boys: Ryan is 27, Kyle is 22, Ethan is 17, and Sammy is 14. Ryan is the manager of a credit union and sings in a band in
New Hampshire. Kyle graduated from Chapman University in Orange, California and is currently on hiatus as a white water rafting guide and ski instructor in Salt Lake City. Ethan is a senior in high school and is currently applying to colleges to study forensic anthropology. Sammy is in high
school, and is an avid musician and aspiring actor. They all make us very proud!
I have a brother, Brian, who is 4 years younger than me and lives in the Baltimore/D.C. area. My brother and his fiancé are having a baby that is scheduled to arrive this November…my first nephew! I'm very excited!
What are your hobbies/interests/passions?
I am an avid user of social media. I find Twitter to be an extremely valuable tool in terms of connecting with professional resources and expanding my professional learning community. Of course, it's also fun to keep up with celebrity gossip! Follow me @RooftoPrincipal! I'm also a bit of a news junkie, so that works well with my interest in social media.
I also love to travel. Jim and I try to take one big trip every year or two, and we also visit our families on the East Coast. Recently, we've been to Buenos Aries, London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We also love to do weekend get-aways, and are greatly enjoying exploring California.
I am an amateur photographer and love to take pictures during our travels. I photograph mostly in black and white. You can check out some of my photos in my office at school.
What excites you about working at Rooftop?
I think what excites me most about working at Rooftop is the sense of community. I've been spending time talking with parents, teachers, and a few students this summer, and the one consistent theme that keeps emerging is the dedication to the school community. Clearly, there are lot of different opinions about direction and vision for the school, but the one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the school is a place of caring, supportive relationships focused on supporting our students. I'm anxious to be a part of a school community with that kind of commitment
to ensuring the success of all students and their families.
What’s your favorite thing about working with kids?
I am extremely grateful to be in a profession where I am afforded the opportunity to work with kids on a daily basis. I appreciate the energy and enthusiasm that students bring to school every day. I also appreciate that when you work with kids, you can never expect to have a boring day and you can be sure that no two days will ever be the same! Being a part of watching and supporting students as they learn, grow, and discover their gifts and talents provides a sense of fulfillment that few people will ever have the chance to experience in their profession.
What is one thing you plan to accomplish at Rooftop this year?
I plan to spend a lot of time this year listening to all of the stakeholders at Rooftop. I've already begun that process this summer, and I've been excited to learn about the rich history of the school, and the hopes and dreams that everyone holds for its future.
As the school leader, I hope to lead the team in building on all of the amazing successes that have preceded my arrival. Broadly speaking, I am particularly interested in the development and re-visioning of the arts programming, and the incorporation of STEAM, particularly with the emergence of the Common Core. I think it's critical that we leverage the vast number of resources we have available in this great city.
I also have a particular interest in the outdoor education programming, social justice, and project-based learning. Given the rich diversity of our school community, I'm very interested in having
some dialog focused on race, culture, and identity.
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