Alumni News

New Faculty

Meet and greet the newest additions in Dutchess Day School’s classrooms.

Ellen Jones and family.

Welcome Ellen Jones

Ellen Jones is joining the Upper School as a math teacher this fall. She comes to us from the Learning Strategies Center at The Culinary Institute of America. Ellen grew up in Wallkill, NY, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Union College. She began her math teaching career at The Harvey School in Katonah, NY, and then taught in the Middle and Upper School at Laguna Blanca School in Santa Barbara, CA. Ellen currently lives in Highland with her husband, Jon, son Quinlan (15), daughters Melody (12) and Alana (10), and Disco the dog. Though you will mostly find Ellen cheering her kids on from the sidelines, she enjoys travelling, reading, gardening, hiking, Girl Scout leading, and laughing with friends and family. Ellen, Melody, and Alana are very excited to be joining the DDS Community.

Welcome Ellen McBride

Annabelle McBride is delighted to be both a parent and now also a teacher at Dutchess Day school. Belle lives in Stanfordville with her husband, Will, and children, Lulu (4) and Henri (2). They have recently moved to Dutchess County from Australia and are thoroughly enjoying exploring their new community. Belle worked as a teacher from 2011 until her move to America. She has held a variety of leadership roles and teaching positions over her career. Belle has a Bachelor’s of Agricultural Science and Teaching (Secondary) from the University of Melbourne and a Master’s in Geoscience from Macquarie University. Belle enjoys travelling, spending time in the outdoors, and various sports, including tennis, field hockey, and snow and water skiing. Belle is eager to get back into the classroom and continue her love of teaching.

Welcome Kathy McNeiece

Kathy McNeiece joins Dutchess Day School as the new Technologist. Kathy graduated from Sacred Heart University with her Master of Arts in teaching and from Fairfield University with her Master's in educational technology with a specialization in Library Science. Kathy has spent time as a first, third, and fourth grade teacher before moving into the role of school librarian. Most recently, she was Head Librarian at Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, CT. She has also taught students in the master's program at Fairfield University as an adjunct professor. Kathy has worked in numerous summer programs, ranging from teaching students coding skills to nurturing farm animals. When Kathy is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family. They love to camp and are working hard to start their own farm. Kathy enjoys horseback riding, spending time by the water, and acting as an official for her daughter’s swim team. She is passionate about reading and has

been involved in the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award program. While originally from Yonkers, NY, Kathy lives in Bantam, CT, with her husband, two children, a German Shephard, a French angora rabbit, and plenty of chickens. Her daughter Aibhlinn will be an 8th grader and her son Michael will join the 5th grade class. They are all excited to be a part of the Dutchess Day family!

Welcome Dana Morgera

Dana Morgera, our new athletic director, is a Brooklyn native who is passionate about outdoor adventure and working with children. Her most treasured hobbies include soccer, surfing, and backpacking around the globe. Dana started playing the beautiful game of soccer at two years old and dabbled in other sports throughout her adolescence and adulthood. She played Division II lacrosse at the University of New Haven and graduated in 2013 with a BA in Psychology and Legal Studies. Dana is currently enrolled as a graduate student at Gonzaga University working toward her MA in Sport and Athletic Administration. Dana has worked for several sport and recreation organizations in the areas of coaching, guiding, business development, marketing, and strategic planning. When she is not playing sports or chasing waves around the world, you can find her in a hammock with a good book, playing all sorts of instruments, hiking, writing, hanging out with family and friends, or sitting somewhere serene drinking tea. Belle McBride and family.

Dana Mortera Kathy McNeiece

AlumniNews

Catching up with Dutchess Day School’s alumni around the world.

KEEP IN TOUCH: Out of sight—out of mind does not ring true here at Dutchess Day School. Your classmates, teachers and the entire DDS community enjoy hearing what our alumni are up to once you leave the cubbies and hallways of DDS. Nothing is too small and nothing is too big. Please contact us at alumni@dutchessday.org so we can update your contact information and include your submission in our next Courtyard.

Ryan Bhangdia ’07 Kayleigh Bhangdia ’08 Jake Bhangdia ’12

1969

Leila Percy lives with her husband on a farm in Warren, Maine, and grows organic cranberries, blueberries, and vegetables.

2003

Ethan Vallarino married Jamie Barnes on the Hitchcock property last September. He has moved back from New York City to Millbrook.

2007

Alexandra Abrams is a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, based out of Seattle.

Ryan Bhangdia moved to Boston in 2020 and continues to work for the Federal Acquisition Service and spends much of his free time engaged with botany and film photography (silverhalideflowers.com).

2008

Kayleigh Bhangdia finished graduate school in the spring of 2021 and is now working as a Researcher in health economics at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). She continues to live in Boston and plans to run the Berlin Marathon in September.

Caleb Tuke lives in New York City and works for Investcorp, a real estate private investment fund.

2012

Jake Bhangdia graduated from Furman University where he studied mathematics and is now pursuing his dreams as a professional tennis player. Primarily based in Florida, he has been traveling worldwide for tournaments and last year earned his first ATP point. After DDS, Doug Pfeifer attended the Kent School, where he earned the Latin award. Doug was given a full scholarship to the University of Southern California. After graduating, he joined the Marines where he was awarded the Chesty Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award out of 350 possible candidates. He has been invited to attend the Intelligence Unit. He is currently back at school for the Marines to learn Russian and Chinese.

After eight years since his first flying lesson and completing schooling in 2020, Gavin Schneible returned to the northeast to work for a small private charter company, Tradewind Aviation.

Gavin is captain of a Swiss made Pilatus PC12, one of twenty in the Tradewind fleet. According to Gavin, they are a dream to fly. He refers to the Pilatus PC12 as the “Swiss army knife” of aviation. It is a highly versatile, single engine turboprop plane consisting of one propeller turned by a jet turbine, which allows them to cruise at three hundred miles per hour, approach, and land at the speed of a jet, or slow down and land at about one thousand feet. With these parameters, Gavin can land anywhere- private airstrips or international airports.

Tradewind is a local company, with their headquarters in Oxford, Connecticut, focusing on travel from White Plains and Teterboro. All year they have charter flights across the Eastern half of the United States. During the summertime in the north, scheduled flights mixed into Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Newport. But as the summer ends, most of the fleet moves to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and flies in the Caribbean for wintertime.

2013

Zach Tuke is a junior at Emory University studying environmental studies.

Doug Pfeifer ’12