Administration and Faculty
Administration
Dr. Richard Marotta, Headmaster (1991)
B.A. English, Fordham University; M.A. English, CUNY Hunter College; Ph.D. English, CUNY Graduate Center. Adjunct Professor at CUNY Queens College. New York State Association of Independent Schools Board of Directors.
William Vogel, Lower Division Head (1977)
B.A. Mathematics/Secondary Education; M.S. Elementary Education; P.D. Educational Administration and Supervision; doctoral coursework in Administration, St. John’s University.
Mary Maisano, Director of Finance (1992)
B.A. Business Administration, CUNY Hunter College.
Lisa Sohmer, Director of College Counseling (1996)
B.A. English/Government, Connecticut College; M.A. Journalism, New York University. Past President of NYSACAC, NACAC Board of Directors, and advisory panel member for The City University of New York and The College Board.
Mary Petruso, Administrative Assistant (2004)
B.A. Italian, CUNY Queens College; M.B.A. Finance, Fordham University.
Faculty
Kristen Ahlfeld, Kindergarten (1995)
B.S. Elementary Education, SUNY New Paltz; M.S. Special Education, CUNY Queens College.
Sonia Ambarsom, Mathematics and Computer Science (2001)
B.S. Computer Science, New York University; pursuing M.A. in Education of Mathematics, CUNY Queens College.
Carmela Augello-Knopf, Pre-Kindergarten (1998)
A.A. Education, CUNY Queensborough Community College; B.A. Liberal Arts, CUNY City College; M.S. General and Special Education (Birth to Second Grade), Touro College.
Diana Bryant-Friedman, English Language Academy (1999)
B.A. Romance Languages, University of Virginia; M.A. French, Hunter College; M.A. Comparative Literature, New York University; completed doctoral work in French and Comparative Literature (NYU). Winner of 4 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowships for seminars and one NEH Fellowship for Independent Study in the Humanities. Grader for NEH fellowships and New York State Teacher Certification Examinations. Adjunct professor at Farmingdale State University.
Kevin Burgoyne, Language Arts and Social Studies (2006)
B.A. English/Secondary Education, CUNY Queens College; M.A. English Literature, CUNY Queens College.
Liliana Cabrera, Science and Computers (2009)
B.S. Biology; pursuing M.S. Biology, Long Island University.
Flance Dervishi, Physical Education (2008)
B.S. Physical Education, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Marcia Elkind, English and History (1982)
B.A. and M.A., CUNY City College. Winner of a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowship for study of the works of Herman Melville.
Frederick Feraco Jr., Science and Computers (2008)
B.A. Biology; pursuing M.A. Biology Education C.W. Post Long Island University.
Lucian Gherghi, Mathematics (1996)
B.S Mathematics, University of Iasi, Romania; M.S. Pure Mathematics, CUNY Queens College. Adjunct Lecturer at CUNY Queens College.
Gabriel Gomis, French (2005)
B.A. African Literature; M.A. English, University of Dakar, Senegal; Brevet de Technicien Superieur en Tourisme, Vocational School of Tourism and Hotel Management, West Africa. Berlitz Teaching Training Program.
Richard Grusky, Chair of History and Social Sciences Department (1969)
B.A. Catholic University of America, Washington, DC; M.A. European History, Manhattan College; further graduate studies at New School for Social Research.
John Hale, Science (1997)
B.S. Environmental Biology, Ohio University; graduate studies in Secondary Education, CUNY Queens College.
Thomas Heineman, Music (2008)
B.M. Jazz Performance, New York University; additional coursework, CUNY Queens College, Aaron Copland School of Music.
Nilla Ingravallo, Grade 3 (2003)
B.A. History, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, CUNY Queens College; M.S. Literacy Education, Adelphi University. Adjunct Professor of Literacy Education at Adelphi University.
Paula Sirard James, Librarian and Reading Specialist, After-School Coordinator (2009)
B.A. Literature, Ramapo Collegeof NJ; Certificate in Book Publishing; M.A. Early Childhood Education, New York University.
Leslie Kohen, Physical Education (2007)
B.S. University of Massachusetts at Amherst; M.A. Teacher’s College, Columbia University; pursuing graduate courses in Physical Education, CUNY Queens College. Professional tennis instructor (2004).
Rich Kruczek, History and English (2002)
B.S. Finance, Boston College; M.A. American History, Fordham University.
Dorothy Lokko, Registered Nurse (2005)
A.S. Nursing, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College; currently enrolled in B.S./M.A. Nurse Practitioner Program, CUNY Hunter College. Certified in Basic Cardiac Life Support and Advance Life Support.
Alexandra Lupo, Mathematics (2009)
B.A. Mathematics/Education; pursuing M.A. Mathematics/Education, Hofstra University.
Sarah Macy Heinemann, Language Arts and Social Studies (2007)
B.A. American Literature, SUNY Purchase College; pursuing M.A. English CUNY Queens College.
Marissa Marchisella, Nursery (2003)
B.A. English, Dominican College; pursuing M.S. Early Childhood Education, CUNY Brooklyn College.
Nancy Massand, English and Dean of Grades 7–8 (1985)
B.A. English, Gordon College; M.S. Secondary Education/English, CUNY Queens College. Head of Short Story Workshop in the Garden School Writing Project. Winner of 3 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowships/Seminars.
Agustin Melara, Chair of Foreign Language Department (2000)
B.A. Spanish and French; M.A. French, CUNY Queens College. Adjunct Lecturer, CUNY Queens College (1996–2006).
James Pigman, Chair of English Department (1974)
B.A. English, University of Colorado; M.A. English Literature, New York University. Winner of 5 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowships for seminars in the Renaissance, Women Writers of the Renaissance, Thucydides’ History, the Transcendentalists, and the Great Famine of Ireland. Director of the Garden School Writing Project.
Tiina Prio, Chair of Fine Arts Department (1995)
B.A. Fine Art of Graphic Design, The School of Visual Arts; M.S. Education, CUNY Queens College.
Jacquelyn Renner, Grade One and Dean of Grades 1–3 (2001)
B.A. History/Secondary Education, Hofstra University; graduate courses in elementary education.
Eileen Reyes, Pre-Kindergarten and Dean of Grades N–K (1986)
B.A. Early Childhood Education, CUNY Queens College; M.S. Multilingual, Multicultural Education, College of New Rochelle; pursuing P.D. in Educational Administration and Supervision, St. John?s University.
Stephanie Sarran, Grade 2 (2007)
B.S. Elementary Education and History, SUNY New Paltz;pursuing M.S. Elementary Education, CUNY Queens College.
Marlene Schultz-Dapice, Chair of Science Department (1989)
B.S. Biology; completed graduate courses in cell biology and microbial genetics, and research on Lysly-TRNA synthetase activity in E. coli, St. John’s University. Licensed instructor of Medical Assisting & General Academics. Teacher of courses in EKG use and interpretation, phlebotomy, and urinalysis.
Sarah Smith, History (1999)
B.A. History/Secondary Education, Towson University; pursuing M.A. History, CUNY Queens College.
Stylliani Stenos, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Dean of Grades 4–6 (1998)
B.A. History, M.A. American History, Fordham University; P.D. Educational Administration and Supervision, St. John’s University.
Bernadette Stiga, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher (1998)
Early Childhood Child Care Certificate, CUNY Queens College.
Ging Vann, Athletic Director (2004)
B.S. Physical and Health Education, SUNY Empire State College. Vice President of the Independent Schools Athletic League (ISAL).
Lilly Volpe, Nursery Assistant Teacher (2004)
LaGuardia College Business Program.
Joan Weiss, Chair of Mathematics Department and Dean of Grades 9–12 (1983)
B.S. Mathematics, CUNY City College; M.S. Mathematics, Rutgers University; doctoral coursework completed at New York University. Member of Phi Beta Kappa.