Schools

Mineola Board of Ed Grants 12 Teachers Tenure

Tenure granted to to eight elementary, one art and three high school teachers.

Despite the budget vote already having taken place two weeks earlier, the cafeteria of the Willis Avenue School was once again packed last Thursday night as the Mineola Board of Education prepared to grant tenure status to 12 teachers across the district.

“The one thing I concentrate most on is the philosophy of all the teachers that are reaching tenure,” Board President Terence Hale said as he singled out several of the teacher’s M.O.’s, from their large three-ring portfolios. The values ranged from “Knowledge is Power,” to making sure children feel comfortable in the classroom, challenging eager students and helping struggling ones.

The list of teachers includes eight from the elementary level – three from Cross Street, four from Jackson Avenue and one from Willis Avenue – an art teacher at Willis and three from the high school.

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“It’s amazing that we have this many key people that are going to continue our pursuit of excellence here in the district,” Hale remarked.

Once they begin their professional careers in Mineola, each teacher is automatically enrolled in a professional residency program where they meet with Superintendent Dr. Michael Nagler and members of the central office office.

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“I really want to know the people I recommend for tenure,” Dr. Nagler said of the reason for the program. “I want to know more than their name when I see their face. I want to have conversations with them, I want to know we’re on the same page, I want to know what kind of worker they are because I believe once you start working in Mineola there is no reason to leave.”

Each teacher creates a portfolio binder and also films themselves teaching a class which is then reviewed by other teachers sitting together as a class.

“Teachers when they see themselves doing their tasks, doing their jobs, it takes on a whole new meaning,” Nagler said. “And when you’re reflective and you really look... it takes it to another level.”

The various teachers were each introduced by their respective building principals.

First up was reading Stacey Biondi-Andrzejewski, foreign language teacher Giuseppa Iaboni and science teacher Dr. Ellen McGlade-McCulloh, all from the high school.

“We see students at the end of their educational experience in Mineola,” principal Ed Escobar said. “It’s really one of the most fascinating things to see how they develop and how they mature as young people through the school system and really its a credit to all of the teachers who are here.”

At Cross Street the list includes teacher Laura Kligman, whom Principal Devrah Small said is a master at differentiated instruction, Iyla Wilson who has thoroughly planned a literacy block in first grade, and Maureen Wojis, whom Small described as “caring and child centered” and who “makes (students) feel very safe” and is wonderful at working with parents.

In reviewing the Cross Street teachers for tenure, Dr. Nagler recalled that he left their interviews when they first came to Mineola “on such a high because I knew we had so many great candidates for vacancies. It was just a bumper crop year for wonderful teachers.”

The list of teachers from Jackson Avenue includes Amanda Bernard, Kimberly Martino, Morgan Mercaldo and Courtney Zaleski.

“I have seen each of these young women’s dedication to their students on display over the past 3 years and I have no doubt of their dedication to the children and their parents of the Mineola community,” principal Tom Gavin said.

Bernard has served as co-moderator of the student council and initiated community service projects including the Mets fundraiser where proceeds raised go to Winthrop children’s research and care.

Mercaldi volunteers to model lessons for literacy collaborative training in her classroom and was described as a “dedicated advocate” for students. Gavin said Martino was “outstanding in a crisis” when students faced a medical crisis, and Zaleski was noted for having incorporated the iPad project into her curriculum.

For Hampton and Willis Avenue, principals Dr. SueCaryl Fleischmann and Deborah Shaw copresented Jenny Amendlare and Jaclyn Manouvrier for tenure.

An art teacher, Manouvrier “engages our kids in the world of fine art, more than the art that we do with the children all the time,” Dr. Fleischmann said, while Shaw said that Amendolare “can rise to any challenge we throw at her.”

All teachers did receive tenure status by unanimous vote of the board. Their tenure date will be effective as of September 1.


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