New Teachers Join Huntington’s Faculty Ranks
Numerous new teachers were hired to join the Huntington School District’s faculty ranks over the summer. Officials worked through July and August to fill vacancies in various academic areas.
Thousands of applications were reviewed, hundreds of candidates were pre-screened and dozens were interviewed before recommendations for appointments were made to the Huntington School Board for appointments.
Some of the new teachers include:
Timothy Witt
Timothy Witt was approved for a probationary appointment. He will serve as a special education teacher at Huntington High School. He obtained a BS degree in education at Dowling College in 2009.
Mr. Witt worked as a special education science teacher at Richmond Hill High School during the 2013/14 school year and was a substitute teacher in Half Hollow Hills, Sachem and Miller Place from January-June 2013.
District officials reviewed 65 applications, pre-screened 18 candidates and conducted five personal interviews before recommending Mr. Witt for appointment. He is eligible for tenure on September 1, 2017.
Rose Medina
Rose Medina was approved for a probationary appointment. She will work as a dual language program teacher at Southdown Primary School.
Ms. Medina earned a BS degree in bilingual/elementary education at St. John’s University in 1998 and a Master of Science degree in early childhood education at CUNY Hunter College in 2002.
Ms. Medina was a kindergarten teacher at PS 149 – Danny Kaye School in Brooklyn from September 1999 to June 2014. She earlier worked for one year as a pre-kindergarten and computer teacher at St. Sylvester School in Brooklyn.
District officials reviewed 25 applications, pre-screened all the candidates and conducted 13 personal interviews prior to recommending Ms. Medina for appointment. She is eligible for tenure on September 1, 2016.
Jeffrey Ecklund
Jeffrey Ecklund has been hired to work at a part-time science teacher at Huntington High School. He holds undergraduate (1992, biochemistry) and graduate (2010, education) degrees from Stony Brook University.
Mr. Ecklund completed his student teaching requirements at Bay Shore High School/Middle School in 2010. Prior to coming to Huntington, he worked as an adjunct professor and lead instructor at Stony Brook University.
District officials reviewed 57 applications, pre-screened 19 candidates and conducted eight personal interviews before recommending Mr. Ecklund for appointment.
Justine Vaughans
Justine Vaughans has been hired to work as a leave replacement classroom teacher at Washington Primary School. She obtained undergraduate (2011, communications) and graduate (2012, childhood education/special education) degrees at Adelphi University.
Ms. Vaughans worked as a long term leave replacement teacher at Washington Primary School last spring. She earlier served as a teacher assistant at the school.
District officials reviewed 199 applications, pre-screened 22 candidates and conducted nine personal interviews prior to recommending Ms. Vaughans for appointment.
Thomas Van Bell
Thomas Van Bell has been hired to work as a part-time science teacher at Huntington High School. He holds undergraduate (2006, chemistry) and graduate (2008, education) degrees from Stony Brook University.
Mr. Van Bell worked as a science research, physics, chemistry and eighth grade general science teacher in East Williston from 2011 to 2014. He earlier served as a high school science research and chemistry teacher in North Babylon from 2008 to 2011.
District officials reviewed 57 applications, pre-screened 19 candidates and conducted eight personal interviews before recommending Mr. Van Bell for appointment.
Susan Nastro
Susan Nastro has been hired to work as a part-time English teacher at Huntington High School. She obtained undergraduate (2008, English) and graduate (2011, English education) degrees at Stony Brook University.
Ms. Nastro has worked as a per diem substitute teacher in Hauppauge and Middle Country, as a high school leave replacement in Hauppauge and as a long-term substitute and part-time English teacher at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
District officials reviewed 25 applications, pre-screened 12 candidates and conducted four personal interviews prior to recommending Ms. Nastro for appointment.
Holly Markee
Holly Markee has been hired to work as a leave replacement elementary grade level music teacher for the 2014/15 school year.
Ms. Markee holds degrees from Nassau Community College (2005, Associate of Music), Hofstra University (2008, Bachelor of Arts, music education) and Stony Brook University (2013, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies).
Prior to coming to Huntington, Ms. Markee worked as a part-time orchestra and general music teacher at Islip Middle School, music theory teacher at Islip High School and part-time general music teacher at Wing Elementary School in Islip.
District officials reviewed 68 applications, pre-screened 22 candidates and conducted six personal interviews before recommending Ms. Markee for appointment.