Three New Teachers Given Probationary Appointments
Huntington School Board members approved probationary appointments for teachers Risa Brachman, Victoria Jimenez and Allison Russo. Trustees also made several part-time appointments at the first of two August meetings they will hold this summer.
“This is always a very busy time of year for us in the personnel office,” Assistant Superintendent Joseph Giani said. “We need to fill a number of vacancies resulting from resignations, retirements, leaves of absence and new sections being created. There will be more appointments on the agenda at the meeting on August 25.”
Risa Brachman
Ms. Brachman was appointed to work as a speech therapist. She will have district-wide responsibilities. A graduate of the University of Arizona (1993, B.S. in speech and hearing science) and New York University (1995, M.A. in speech-language pathology, she earlier held tenure in the Huntington School District before resigning for family related reasons.
Ms. Brachman has worked as a speech therapist at the Long Island Infant Developmental Program in Merrick (July 1995 – Sept. 1996), P.S. 140 and JH 60 in New York City (Sept. 1996 – Oct. 1997), in Huntington (Oct. 1997 – Nov. 2001), United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Suffolk County (Sept. 2004 – Aug. 2006), Commack Center for Speech and Hearing (Mar. 2005 – present) and as a long-term substitute at Flower Hill Primary School since Sept. 2007.
Since Ms. Brachman earlier earned tenure in the state, she only needs to a two-year probation and will be eligible for tenure again on Sept. 1, 2010.
Victoria Jimenez
Victoria Jimenez was appointed to work as a foreign language teacher and assigned to J. Taylor Finley Middle School. She replaces Andrew Chabot who resigned to take another position outside of the district.
Ms. Jimenez earned an undergraduate degree in 1991 at SUNY Albany in business and obtained an M.S. degree in May 2007 at Long Island University in adolescent education and Spanish. Prior to coming to Huntington, she taught in the Hicksville school district from Sept. 2007 to June 2008, including working as a ninth grade Spanish teacher.
District officials reviewed 40 applications and interviewed eight candidates prior to recommending Ms. Jimenez for appointment. She will be eligible for tenure on Sept. 1, 2011.
Allison Russo
Allison Russo was hired to work as a special education teacher and assigned to Huntington High School. She graduated from Northeastern University (2004, B.S. American sign language/English interpreting) and Hofstra University (2008, M.S. education in inclusive elementary special education.)
Ms. Russo completed her student teaching requirements at Nassau BOCES and in the Port Washington school district. Prior to coming to Huntington she has worked as an interpreter, residential rehabilitation worker and employment consultant for deaf and hard of hearing adults with multiple disabilities. She has also been a graduate assistant at Hofstra.
District officials reviewed 70 applications and interviewed a dozen candidates prior to recommending Ms. Russo for appointment. She will be eligible for tenure on Sept. 1, 2011.
John Fria
John Fria was given a part-time appointment to work as a Latin teacher at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. He earned undergraduate (1969 and graduate (1972) degrees in English education at Queens College. He has also completed more than 100 credits in English and Latin at SUNY Stony Brook over the past 36 years and obtained certification as a driver education instructor at New York University in 1973.
Mr. Fria worked as an English and Latin teacher at Commack High School from 1967 to 2006. Since then he has been a practicum adjunct at Touro College. He worked as an adjunct English professor at New York Institute of Technology from 1978 to 1984.
District officials interviewed all three applicants for the position prior to recommending Mr. Fria for appointment.
Louis Monte
Louis Monte was also given a part-time appointment to work as a Latin teacher at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. He graduated from Hunter College in Feb. 1962 with a B.A. in Latin and obtained an M.A. in Latin in June 1964 at Columbia University.
Mr. Monte has worked as a Latin teacher at Dwight School in Manhattan (Sept. 1962 – June 1966), as an English teacher at Franklin K. Lane High School in Queens (Sept. 1966 – Feb. 1970) and as an elementary teacher at PS 201 in Queens (Feb. 1970 – June 1995).
Mr. Monte was one of three applicants to apply for the positions the two part-time Latin teacher positions at Finley.
Katherine Canales
Katherine Canales was appointed to a part-time music teacher position. She will work as Jefferson and Washington primary schools. She obtained a B.A. in music education at Five Towns College in Dec. 2007.
Ms. Canales completed her student teaching requirements in the Northport-East Northport school district and has worked as a leave replacement teacher in Manhasset (Mar. – May 2008) and as a substitute teacher in South Huntington (May – June 2008).
District officials reviewed 25 resumes and conducted six interviews prior to recommending Ms. Canales for appointment.
All graphics, photographs, and text appearing on the Huntington Public Schools home page and subsequent official web pages are protected by copyright. Redistribution or commercial use is prohibited without express written permission. Comments or Questions? email the Public Information Office