Meet Our Faculty and Staff

Profiles of Park’s Faculty and Staff

Park’s faculty and staff are dynamic, creative, and dedicated to their students. They model our core values of Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Kindness in everything they do. We are thrilled to introduce you to each and every one of Park’s employees for the 2020-21 school year. Because everyone below is so wonderful, they are listed in random order.

Cheryl Benzinger has taught at Park since 1996. Her first position at Park was teaching English in the Middle and Upper School. In September 2000, joined the Lower School as the Kindergarten teacher. Cheryl also was a coach for Park’s cross country team for several years. She has a BA in Elementary Education/ English from Canisius College and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Buffalo.

Cheryl incorporates Responsive Classroom and SEL methods into her daily teaching. She feels strongly that the social-emotional wellbeing of children goes hand in hand with academic success. One of Cheryl’s goals is to ensure students begin their academic career knowing they will be supported throughout their learning experiences. Providing positive early learning experiences that foster selfawareness and build confidence will set children on the path to becoming life-long learners. Cheryl thoroughly enjoys teaching children how to read. Through whole-group reading experiences and small-group reading clubs, she is able to meet children at their level and appropriately guide them through the process of learning how to read. To her, there is nothing more magical than seeing the look on children’s faces when they realize they can do it...they are readers! Cheryl’s two sons, Jack ‘22 and Noah ‘25, are Park students.

Beth Anne Jeswald came to Park in 2004 as a Middle and Upper School French teacher. Before coming to Park, she was a junior/senior high school French and Spanish teacher in a local school district for 17 years.

Beth holds a BS in French Education, with an additional certificate in Spanish Language. In addition, she holds a Master of Professional Studies degree, Reading Specialist, and is a certified prekindergarten through grade twelve educator. In the classroom, she believes in an interactive approach to language acquisition with an emphasis on communication and developing a broader understanding of cultural differences and similarities throughout the Francophone world. Students are encouraged to explore new cultures and present their findings to their peers, in French, of course! Beth has served on multiple professional and curriculum development committees and has worked in groups to promote better student success, particularly at the middle school level. At Park, she also serves as the Modern Language Department Coordinator, and has served as Immersion Program Coordinator, faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, student advisor, and Curriculum Coordinator. She is a proud Park parent of two alumni.

Caitlin Littlefield joined the Park School in August 2020 and has worked in progressive education for over a decade. She is thrilled to be part of the Park Middle School team as the math and science teacher for Grades 5 and 6. She loves working with adolescents, and has worked with students in grades 6-12 for her entire career. Her teaching focuses on interdisciplinary investigation and metacognition, and she is passionate about equitable education, pedagogy research and math literacy.

Caitlin began teaching at Virginia Beach Friends School, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and then moved across the country to join the faculty at the Gardner School in Vancouver, Washington. In both schools, she developed a place-based experiential curriculum, including exploring the Tetons in Wyoming, reflecting on civil rights in Selma and Birmingham, Alabama, and examining US history while traveling from Jamestown to D.C. She also worked at Buffalo Seminary as the Dean of Teaching and Learning, where she supported faculty in developing globally engaged, interdisciplinary curriculum. Caitlin is a graduate of the University of Toronto, with a BA in Mathematics, and of The University of Wisconsin, Madison, with an MS in Environmental Resources, focusing on atmospheric chemistry. She earned her teaching certificate from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, with specialization in secondary mathematics and social studies instruction. Caitlin’s son is in Park’s Montessori program.

Dr. Margaret Diamond began teaching at The Park School in the fall of 2007. She has a PhD in molecular biology from SUNY at Buffalo, Roswell Park Division, and spent many years in laboratory research before becoming a teacher. She also holds a Master’s degree in Zoology from SUNY ESF and a BA from the University of Rochester. She began teaching in 2001 and truly found her home teaching at Park. Margaret teaches both in Middle School (7th grade Life Science) and Upper School (numerous electives including: AP Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Genetic Engineering, Forensics, Marine Biology and Plant Biotechnology). She believes that science is best learned by doing, and, to that end, includes as many labs and other “hands-on, minds-on” activities in her classes as possible. Prior to coming to Park, she taught at several other schools in WNY, both at the middle school and high school level and spent several years as a postdoctoral research assistant in labs at both UB and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Michele Shadden joined the Park School community in 2000. She is a Registered Professional Nurse who has provided health care for our students and staff for over 20 years. Prior to coming to work at Park, Michele worked in the public school system, and various area hospitals and doctors’ offices. Her daughter, Savannah, is a member of Park’s Class of 2011.

Michele has served as the Medical Director of the Summer Scholars program since its inception, facilitates our Automated External Defibrillator and Blood Drive Programs, and is a member of Park’s Student Support, Emergency Response and Covid Response Teams.

Dr. Hex Kleinmartin joined Park’s Math Department in 2020. Before coming to Park he taught at Buffalo State College, Niagara County Community College, and Medaille College. For several years, he taught upper level math through Catholic Charities. He has a PhD in Anthropology from UB, where he also got his MA and BA, but he started his college career at Clarkson School, a bridging year program at Clarkson University that replaced his senior year of high school. Hex has written textbooks, histories, and archaeological reports. He continually strives to find new ways to best impart his knowledge to his students, and inspire them to love learning as he does. Hex’s goal is to instill intelligence, skill, and character within each of his students, so that society will be composed of people who can think, act, and do intelligently and ethically. Hex’s teaching style aims to best fit the math concepts to the students’ views of how numbers work. Rather than only presenting the students with one path to the correct answer, he works to show the many paths they could take, so that they can better understand the subject and later be able to apply these skills in appropriate ways to solve problems they may encounter. When not in school, he enjoys working on his school bus conversion, which is slowly making its way into being a fully-fledged RV, using self-taught skills of welding and metal fabricating, as well as his previous knowledge of electrical, plumbing, and construction skills.

Bethany Ward has been at Park since 2017. She teaches general music and chorus to grades Pre-K through 12, and thoroughly enjoys working with students from a wide variety of ages. Her teaching style in the lower school grades makes use of methods including Music Learning Theory and Orff-Schulwerk. In middle and upper school grades, content is student-driven. In chorus, students select repertoire they are interested in learning, and in general music students are encouraged to suggest topics of interest to them. Bethany holds a Masters in Music Education from The University at Buffalo, and she previously taught general music and chorus at DeSales Catholic School. Bethany also worked at Nardin Academy’s K-8 after school music program and has been teaching private piano and voice lessons since 2010. In addition to her passion for teaching in the general music and choral classrooms, Bethany has many years of experience vocal directing musicals. She has vocal directed Park’s musicals since 2018 and vocal directed In Good Company Productions musicals since 2014. She has been a pit member in shows for the Lockport Palace Theater and has accompanied various school choral groups. Bethany also sings in one of Buffalo’s top choirs, Vocalis.

Michal Shmuel-Lewis has been teaching Hebrew at Park as part of the Kadimah Scholars program since 2019. She holds a BA in English and Education from Hakibutzim College and is also a certified ENL teacher. In addition, she holds an MA from the University at Buffalo in School Counseling and is a certified NYS school counselor. Michael has been teaching English and Hebrew as second languages for 25 years and has been a school counselor since 2007. She was the school counselor and Hebrew studies coordinator at the Kadimah Academy. Michal’s goal is to prepare her Kadimah Scholars students in grades K-12 to communicate fluently in Hebrew through speaking and writing and be able to interpret information in Hebrew through reading and listening. At Park, she teaches the Kadimah Scholars students from a beginner level — reading the Alef-Bet with vowels — to advanced level.

As part of her role as a Hebrew teacher, she also coordinates educational programs to get students involved with outside organizations through inviting guests to school and participating in a variety of Jewish organizations’ events. Her teaching philosophy is the Whole Child approach along with Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. She emphasizes the social-emotional aspect as well as cognitive and academic development of her students to ensure that they feel safe and comfortable.

Andrea Martzolf has been the Associate Kindergarten Teacher at Park since 2004. Prior to coming to Park, Andrea taught preschool for 10 years. In addition, she served as the director of Park’s after school program for 10 years. She holds an AS in Early Childhood Education from Villa Maria College.

Andrea feels has the best job in the world, working with some of Park’s youngest learners and being part of the kindergarten team with Cheryl Benzinger. In her opinion, Park’s Kindergarten is where the magic begins for children. She feels that Park’s Kindergarten is a friendly, safe, and fun space where the children are allowed to learn, explore, take risks, make mistakes and have fun! Andrea is the proud mom of Lillian, a 2017 Park graduate.

Macarena Fritz-Cefaratti joined Park in 2017 as a Middle and Upper School Spanish teacher. She is a native Spanish speaker from Santiago, Chile, where she earned an Honors Bachelor of Fashion Design Degree from INCACEA. Throughout her studies she has tutored students and participated in educational programs in very diverse areas of Chile. Her background motivates her to create and design classes where students learn the language and the culture in a positive learning environment that excites students and encourages student investment in the target language.

Macarena started the exchange program at Park with Santiago College in Santiago, Chile. This program was a goal she had in mind since she started at Park. During her years here, Macarena has been working with the DEI program, where her knowledge of being a Latinx has helped her to understand how to make a difference in our community. She has motivated students to understand the importance of the language through her ability to see outside of just conjugation and vocabulary. In addition to her teaching duties, Macarena is the coordinator of Park’s Advisory Program. This program promotes meaningful relationships between advisors and students in grades 7-12 while providing academic, social and emotional support to students. Macarena is a proud Pioneer parent of Paolo ’30 and Ophelia ’32. She loves to travel with her family, try new food, and learn more about fashion.

Charles Hartney is Park’s newly-appointed Director of Grades 7-12, where he oversees program and curriculum, faculty evaluation and development, and student support for those grade levels. He also currently serves as the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) coordinator and has been a member of the Park School community since 2010. Before this year, Mr. Hartney most recently served as Park’s Upper School Dean of Students. He was also a member of Park’s English department for 10 years, teaching in both Middle and Upper School. In addition to teaching grade 7 English and AP English Literature & Composition, Mr. Hartney has taught elective courses focusing on contemporary Black and African-American literature, feminist literature and thought, philosophy in literature and film, and the connection between writing and self-creation, among others.

Angela DiSalvo joined the Park community in 1998. Prior to becoming Executive Assistant to the Principal in 2020, she served as Director of Academic Operations (2018-2020) and Head of Middle School (2012-2018). She also taught Spanish for nearly 15 years and served as Middle School Dean of Students and class advisor to seventh and eighth grade students, and was a member of many committees and groups including Emergency Response Team, Student Support Team, Immersion Committee, and Employee Council, among others. Angela holds a Master’s in Elementary Education from Canisius College and a BA in Elementary Education with a concentration in Spanish, also from Canisius. As Executive Assistant, Angela provides administrative support to the Principal, managing the school’s academic calendar, screening all incoming calls and inquiries, managing and coordinating student transportation, managing school purchasing, and recording student daily attendance. A Buffalo native, Angela is a product of private school education, and values the importance of a joyous, supportive learning environment that celebrates student individuality. In her spare time, Angela enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and rediscovering all that Western New York has to offer.

Suzanne Thepaut-Hasselback has been teaching French at Park since 2019. She has a BA in French and biology from Mount Holyoke College in MA, a M.Ed. from SUNY Buffalo in secondary science education, and a BA-equivalent in life and earth sciences from the Université du Havre in Normandy, France. She also holds certificates in curriculum development and online teaching, and is certified to teach biology and French 7-12. Previous jobs found her teaching different combinations of French and sciences at Nardin Academy, Parker Academy (NH), Springfield HS (VT), and the Aurora Waldorf School in West Falls, NY. She taught English in France for seven years, and also worked in bookkeeping, translation, and grant writing in various places.

This year, Suzanne teaches French in kindergarten through grade 7, and is currently the lead teacher on the school’s exchange with the Thérèse d’Avila School in Lille. Her ongoing goals are to meet students where they are to move forward in achieving their language goals; to tell context stories that bring language and history to life for students; to encourage students to think about more than one way to reach their objectives; and to celebrate diversity and similarity between people, languages, and cultures, especially in the Francophone world. She also has relied on co-teaching and interdisciplinary opportunities to open the classroom beyond the four walls, and she loves to organize and run student exchanges! Her daughter, Mel, is in Grade 1 at Park.

Britton Thomas has taught at Park since 2011. She first worked in the Lower School as a floating teacher. She transitioned to the PreKindergarten program as the third teacher in the Bungalow and worked there for 3 years before returning to the Lower School where she taught grade 4 for three years. Since 2019, she has been the Grade 1 teacher.

Britton holds a Master’s degree in Literacy Education from the University at Buffalo. She earned a BS in English-Creative Writing and holds New York State teacher certifications in Early Childhood Education, Childhood Education and Special Education from The College at Brockport. Her professional experience includes scheduling, developing and implementing lessons, assessments, behavior management plans, collaboration and co-teaching, and tutoring. She is also actively involved in learning about and implementing Responsive Classroom practices. Outside of the school day, Britton has coached the Upper School girl’s lacrosse team. She developed the lacrosse program in 2013. She also co-developed an after-school book club for lower school students to further develop their love for reading.

Adrienne DeGroat joined the Park community in 2007. Prior to that, she taught Living Environment at Starpoint High School, middle school science at The Good Hope School in the US Virgin Islands, and was a substitute teacher at Bliss Carmen Senior Public School in Toronto, Ontario. At Park, Adrienne teaches 9th grade Environmental Science, 10th grade Biology, and electives such as The Science Behind Food, Science Seminar, and Advanced Science Explorations. She also serves as a class advisor, the Environmental Stewardship club advisor, and the Science Department Coordinator. In the classroom, Adrienne believes that students learn best by doing. One week you may find her students down by the pond measuring water quality parameters to determine the health of the pond, investigating possible sources of pollution and later creating and carrying out action plans to improve the water quality. The next week you may find them collecting air quality data on campus, analyzing the data, and launching a no idling campaign. This allows Adrienne’s students to be more engaged and establish deep, lasting connections to the material.

Adrienne has an Honors Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto with a double major in biology and anthropology, a Master’s of Science from D’Youville College with a focus in science education, and certification for Grades 7-12 Biology in New York State. Her daughters, Addisyn ‘30 and Dylan ‘34, are proud Park students.

Brianna R. Cornelius joined the Park community in August 2020. She is a doctoral student in the Linguistics Program at The University of South Carolina. Her research centers around the interface of language and socially constructed realities (notably identity). Upon completion of her degree, she hopes to expand her scope by exploring the role of identity in the acquisition of Mainstream American English for minority youth with he goal of determining the vitality of language preservation to cultural survival.

She has extensive teaching experience with students ranging from pre-kindergarten to the university level. Brianna obtained her MA in Linguistics from SUNY Buffalo in 2013 and her BA in Romance Languages from Bowdoin College in 2009.

Karen Miller has been an educator over 40 years. She started working at Park in the fall of 1990 teaching Grade 6 English and history. Over the past 30 years at Park, she has taught Middle and Upper School English classes, coordinated Middle and Upper Schools, and directed the college counseling program at Park. She also co-teaches senior seminar classes with a thesis coordinator, in order for all the seniors to successfully complete the graduation requirements above and beyond passing their classes. An important part of the senior seminar is guiding the students through a comprehensive college search and application process focused on the best fit destination for each senior.

Karen earned a BA in English at SUNY Brockport and permanent certification in education Nursery School – Grade 6 and English 7-12. She has taken a number of non-matriculated classes in school counseling at the University at Buffalo. Cognitive science, metacognition, and motivational theory are professional development interests. Outside of Park, Karen reads voraciously, tends outdoor gardens, and nurtures house plants. Her daughter, Erin, graduated from Park in 2006.

Kim Ruppel joined the Development Office at The Park School in August 2007. In August 2020, she was promoted to Director of Development. In this role she manages all of the school’s fundraising efforts including the Annual Fund, Foundation, and special events as well as donor research, acknowledgement, stewardship, and appeal implementation. She also works to strengthen and grow the network of engaged and active friends of the School, plans alumni and donor events, and manages the school’s database of alumni, parents, and friends. In addition, Kim is responsible for the Pioneer magazine, provides graphic design services for the School, and assists with internal and external communications. Kim prides herself on maintaining strong relationships with Park parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends in order to strengthen and grow the community. She also successfully implemented Park’s first-ever Giving Day in May 2020, which raised nearly $60,000 in 24 hours!

Kim graduated summa cum laude from Canisius College in 2006 with a BA in Communication Studies with a focus in advertising, public relations, and marketing. A native of Buffalo, she enjoys traveling (her favorite place in the world is Maine!), calligraphy, reading, crafting, and spending time with family and friends.

Kyle Polaske has taught art at Park since 2001. Her interest in art began when she was five years old, drawing the cartoons that she saw in the newspaper. She soon learned that she could take her own ideas and create something interesting. She also comes from a family of craftsmen and lived in a home where creating and building was something that surrounded her on a daily basis. She designs and creates her own art, to enjoy and sell, in her free time. A graduate of Buffalo State, Kyle became an art teacher, knowing that it was an opportunity to share her knowledge and artistic experiences with children. She enjoys working with kids from PreK through the 12th grade, and seeing the moments when they discover something new. She has the opportunity to open students’ eyes to how art is involved in so much, be creative every day, and learn new things along the way. Kyle enjoys her role as a visual arts teacher, has her hand in the performing arts, and is a Park parent to Ryan ’23 and Griffin ’27.

JoAnne Leugemors has served as the Assistant Business Manager at Park since 2017. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting from Niagara University and an MBA Certificate from UB. Her role in the business office includes assisting the Director of Finance in maintaining and implementing business strategies that suit the interest of the School. Prior to joining the Park Community, she was employed at a fitness club as the Director of Finance and Accounting.

Her hobbies include cooking, traveling, hiking, learning the Italian language, and spending time with family.

Bill Rider came to Park in 2011 and is the School’s Director of Technology/CIO. He has more than 20 years of classroom teaching experience ranging from prekindergarten through college. Additionally, he has worked as a corporate trainer, a web designer and web host, and as an IT specialist for private firms.

Bill was raised in the town of Tonawanda. He attended SUNY College at Old Westbury and earned a Bachelor’s in Education N-6. He did his student teaching in New York City schools. He returned to Buffalo and accepted a position as a teacher in a prekindergarten program. Several years later, Bill moved to Charlotte, NC and worked first as a 6th grade teacher in a rural school, then later as a Grade 3 teacher at a school for the visual and performing arts. He returned to Buffalo where he became the District Enrichment Coordinator for the City of Tonawanda School District. He continued his education, earning his Master’s in Educational Computing from SUNY Buffalo State. He worked for eight years as an adjunct instructor at Bryant & Stratton College teaching a variety of undergraduate tech courses. Bill has also worked for several private, secondary education schools in WNY. When Bill is not engrossed in his work, he can be found at one of his children’s activities. When not doing that, he is usually building something in his backyard workshop! One thing that Bill especially loves about being at Park is working with the Park community.

Anna Scirri has been a physical education teacher at Park since 1999. She holds both a BS and a Master’s degree in Science from Canisius College, as well as NYS Permanent Teaching Certification in Physical Education K-12 and Special Education K-12. Anna prides herself on providing an atmosphere conducive to the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of children. She has developed classroom curriculum for a wide range of age and grade levels, across health and physical education spectrums. She also serves as a student advisor at Park, actively monitoring academic progress and providing regular academic guidance to advisees.

Anna has experience in all aspects of school-based sports teams and programs including budgeting, scheduling, equipment procurement, roster development, and transportation coordination. She has also coached a range of interscholastic athletic teams at varsity, junior varsity, and middle school levels. Her professional development experience is vast and includes Responsive Classroom training, Mindfulness and Engaging Schools Workshops, a NAIS Brain Conference, and a NYS Apherd Conference.

Rachel Wright is a visual arts teacher at Park. As an artist and educator Rachel brings a broad range of experience and expertise and has continued to develop progressive visual arts curricula in her role at the School since 2019. In 2012, Rachel earned a BFA in Painting, a BFA in Sculpture, and a BA in Philosophy from SUNY College at Buffalo. In 2018, she went on to earn an MFA in Studio Art Practices from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In addition to the visual arts, Rachel also has a passion for interdisciplinary and progressive pedagogy. Her teaching practice in the fields of art and art history is influenced by the work of John Dewey. Most recently, Rachel worked in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Colorado for three years. In this role, she taught Introduction to Studio Art Practices and Sculpture. Rachel’s teaching philosophy is informed first and foremost by her personal experiences as a learner. As an advocate of learner-centered pedagogy, her aim is to support the diverse artistic objectives of each student. In her classroom she creates an environment that celebrates diversity and facilitates creativity, inclusivity, and an openness in the discussion and execution of ideas. Rachel’s objective is to connect with each student and understand and support their individual artistic and academic needs so that they can excel not only as artists but also as critically engaged members of society. Rachel is thrilled to apply her experiences and interests at Park, a school that encourages community dialogue and investigates the relationship between visual arts and progressive education.

Amy holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University at Buffalo and a BA in Elementary Education from Canisius College. Her most recent professional development endeavor includes extensive Responsive Classroom training which she is currently implementing into her daily classroom activities. She is also passionate about creating a developmentally appropriate and experiential learning environment for the young children she works with in the Bungalow. She believes that the most authentic form of learning is through hands-on experiences, therefore she is driven to create a learning environment that makes this possible. In addition to being Park Faculty, Amy is also a current Park parent of two children, Madeline ‘23 and Evan ‘25.

Kevin Wartinger came to Park in 2016. He currently teaches Health (Grades 5, 7 & 9), Physical Education (PreK-12), and has coached several sports throughout all three divisions in the Athletics Department. As a physical education teacher, Kevin focuses on the Physical Literacy model which is intended to help develop students socially, emotionally, and physically. As a health educator, his main goals are to study topics and create lessons that are relevant and helpful to students’ everyday life. Kevin participates in NYSAHPERD, New York State’s Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, having attended three previous state conferences and 2018’s Western Zone Conference. Through these professional development opportunities, he has stayed current in the most effective methods of incorporating physical literacy concepts into the physical education curriculum. There has also been an intentional focus to educate members on best mindfulness practices, and Kevin incorporates that into his own practices at Park. Kevin received a BS in Physical Education/Teacher Education from SUNY Brockport. He followed that with a Master’s in Sport Administration from Canisius College. He is currently enrolled at the University of Buffalo in the LIFTS Program which is focused on developing educational administrators.

Nancy Fernandez is a native of Buffalo and a Nichols graduate. She joined Park’s English department in October 2020. Nancy earned her BA in Film Studies from Emory University and her MEd in secondary English education from University at Buffalo. She began her career working with screenwriters and producers in Hollywood before transitioning into the classroom. Over the past 19 years, Nancy developed curriculum for 11th grade American Literature, Film Studies, A.P. Literature, Career Studies, and World Literature courses. Outside of the classroom in past schools, she has directed school musicals, produced student film festivals, and ran National Honor Society chapters.

Nancy’s past eight years have been spent working with arts and educational non profits building programs for teens most at risk and leading professional development workshops for teachers across the country. This work has given her a global vision of education beyond the boundaries of ELA, as well as a visceral understanding of informal education and arts integration as a vehicle to deepen student engagement through a passion-based, student-centered and reflective pedagogy. Nancy is a Lincoln Center certified professional teaching artist, a published intuitive poet, musician, performer and co-founder of VR Buffalo, a local organization dedicated to the integration of emerging technologies into educational spaces. Her son, Benicio, is a member of the Park Class of ‘35!

Bob Keller joined the Park Maintenance Team in 2008. He currently serves as the Physical Plant Manager and Director of the Maintenance Department. In this role, he oversees the daily behind the scenes routine that keeps the campus buildings and grounds moving forward. He is responsible for meeting with inspectors and contractors, and works hard to answer the requests of the teachers and staff at Park.

Bob is and always will be a Tonawanda guy, graduating in 1977 from Kenmore East High School. He earned a place on the Dean’s List at Triangle Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated with a degree in upholstery technology, a field in which he worked for 20 years.

Amber Anderson, Ph.D. joined the History Department at Park in 2019 after previously teaching anthropology, archaeology, history, and general education courses at both the Rochester Institute of Technology and Medaille College. Her undergraduate degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges focused on anthropology and history, with a minor in social studies education, while her Master’s and PhD came from SUNY Buffalo in Archaeology. Amber brings extensive archaeological and anthropological experience to Park, having undertaken archaeological or anthropological studies in Denmark, Northern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland, Ecuador, Peru, and WNY. She also has a long history of teaching at the collegiate level, and has been nominated for and/or won several excellence in teaching awards.

At Park, Amber teaches World Geography 7, World History 9 and 10, Introduction to Anthropology, World Religions, and African American History. She has also served as the thesis advisor for Senior Seminar. In the classroom, she focuses on exploring the lesser discussed or marginalized cultures of the world, and helps students develop critical thinking skills through questioning and close reading. She also emphasizes experiential learning through hands-on activities, such as artifact reconstruction, creating cuneiform tablets, writing in cuneiform and more, and uses field trips and guest speakers to connect students to the cultures they are learning about. Amber’s two children, Colin ‘33 and Hannah ‘35, are Park students.

Molly Drozda joined the faculty at Park School in 2004 and teaches PreK in the Bungalow. Previously, she owned and operated a family childcare center for 12 years that served families with children ages birth through 5 years old. Molly holds a BA from SUNY Potsdam with majors in Art Studio and Psychology as well as an AAS. in Early Childhood Education from Erie Community College. Molly enjoys sharing her artistic background with the younger friends. Many of the project-based activities she creates provide artistic experiences that are not only developmentally appropriate but encourage successful and joyful learning. In addition to teaching, Molly was the founding instructor of the Messy Sloppy Art summer program, which ran from 2008-2018. This program offered a variety of open-ended art experiences to children ages 4-7. Molly also co-directed Park’s Summer Scholars Camp from 2011-2018.

Monica Padmanabha came to Park in 2018 as a long-term substitute teacher in Lower School, and is now the Grade 4 teacher as well as Director of PreK-Grade 6 and Montessori. She has nearly 25 years combined experience as an elementary and middle school teacher, curriculum coordinator, and administrator, as well as a consultant focusing on teaching, curriculum, and mentoring. She has a BS in Elementary Education with a concentration in mathematics from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, a MS in Curriculum from State University of New York College at Buffalo, and an EdM in Educational Administration from State University of New York at Buffalo.

Monica is a strong believer that a school setting should provide children the opportunity to explore, investigate, and make connections across their learning. Their educational experience should be experiential within a supportive, academically inspiring, and respectful environment that meets the needs and readiness of each individual child. Her philosophy of education stresses that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to teaching and continues her own lifelong learning by attending various professional development opportunities. Monica’s two sons, Nikhil ‘29 and Gabriel ‘31, are Park students.

Rocio Fritz-Kelley officially joined the Park community in August 2020. She has been educating students of all ages for the past 15 years in Santiago, Chile. Her most recent position was the Grade 2 teacher at the British Royal School, which she held for 5 years. Her passion for teaching comes from growing up in a family of teachers, which included her father, aunts, and grandparents. Rocio holds three Master’s degrees, two with concentrations in education management, and another in reading and writing. She also obtained teaching certifications in the Singapore Method, the Anti-Bullying Program, and in Special Needs Education. She credits her Masters Degrees and certifications with helping her create an environment to help students perform at a higher level, not only academically but socially and emotionally as well.

At Park, Rocio teaches her native language of Spanish in the Middle School. She’s looking forward to sharing her experiences with her students, coworkers, and becoming a permanent member of the community. Our youngest PreK friends may recognize her from her service in the Bungalow last year!

Zubaida Altikriti joined the Math Department at Park in September 2020. She holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad and also taught in the digital signal lab for the College of Engineering at Al-Nahrain. She most recently taught math to students in grades 5 through 10 at the Al-Rasheed Academy in Buffalo.

Zubaida has experience both teaching and tutoring students from all over the world in biology, anatomy, calculus, algebra, and Arabic. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys meditation, yoga, reading, and spending time with her family.

Sara Thomas began working at Park in the fall of 2020. Prior to this, she taught PreK for 12 years. She has also worked with students in grades K-6 as a substitute teacher and tutor, and for 14 years, taught technology to students in grades 1-6 at a summer program. At her last position, as a PreK teacher, she also held the roles of Assistant Director and Technology Coordinator. She created the school’s website, integrated technology for both the teachers and students, planned professional development seminars, and co-wrote the school’s curriculum and progress reports. Sara has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, specializing in Video Production and Design, and worked as a writer and editor at local video and publication companies. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Childhood Education, and a Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in Educational Technology. She is certified in both Early Childhood Education and Childhood Education. Sara has a passion for learning all that she can about the different stages of childhood development. Throughout the school year, Sara focuses on the whole child to meet their individual needs and encourage their unique abilities. She believes it is important to set the tone of a safe and nurturing classroom where children are not afraid to question, explore, discover, and express themselves.

Emily Yang is one of Park’s three new Montessori teachers, joining the School in August 2020. Her career in education spans over 12 years as a teacher in both traditional education, kindergarten and reading teacher, and Montessori Primary (ages 3-6) education. She also has years of experience as a music teacher, and Montessori co-director.

Emily studied elementary education at Houghton College. After being a stay-at-home mom for ten years, Emily discovered Montessori learning. She furthered her education and completed her Montessori Primary Training Certification in 2015 with the North American Montessori Center. As a Montessori teacher, Emily continues to receive professional training and enjoys implementing those lessons into everyday learning. Montessori is not just a philosophy but teaches true life skills that create opportunities for students to shine in their personalities, self-awareness, and academics. It is Emily’s desire to instill a love for learning in her students. Emily teaches with a passion for Montessori learning so that the children develop a desire to become lifelong learners. She believes that the most rewarding part of the work is guiding the children and watching them discover, develop, and soar beyond all expectations.

Nirit Weiner began teaching Judaic Studies at Park in 2019 as part of the Kadimah Scholars program. She was born in Israel and moved to Michigan in 1986. She attended the University of Detroit Mercy and graduated with a BA in World History and a minor in Women’s Studies. Nirit moved to Buffalo in 2017 and taught Hebrew, Judaic studies and 1st grade math at the Kadimah Academy for two years. Nirit has been working in Jewish education for the past twenty years, teaching Prek through grade 10. As a Hebrew Coordinator and supervisor at Tyner Religious School in West Bloomfield, Michigan, she developed and implemented all Hebrew programs as well as special needs programs. In addition, she created and taught education workshops, exploring Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish culture, art and cuisine.

Nirit and her husband reside in Buffalo and have five children ranging from 22 to 33 years old. They spend their free time traveling, and visiting their children in five different states!

Steve George ‘97 has been teaching history and politics here at Park since 2008. His particular area of expertise is American history, political science, and economics. He has taught classes such as Behavioral Economics, Public Policy, Presidential Character, and AP United States Government and Politics. Prior to coming to Park, Steve taught American History to 8th graders in Prince George’s County, MD for two years and History of the Western Hemisphere to 7th graders in Albuquerque, NM for one.

Steve is a long-time Buffalonian and attended Park for grades 7-12. For Steve, Park was a place where he could take academic risks without the social pressures common at other schools. His positive experience at Park left Steve deeply committed to the school as a nurturing community and a strong proponent of its philosophy of inclusive, student-centered learning. Steve holds a Masters Degree in Education from Canisius College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Allegheny College.

Mary Gjurich came to Park in August 2020. Prior to that, she was the Director and Primary Lead teacher at The Curious Minds Montessori School. As a Navy spouse, her 20 years of travel took her to many Montessori schools across the country where she also taught in Montessori lower elementary (1st-3rd grade) and upper elementary (4th-6th grade) environments. Mary has a BS in Finance from Canisius College and received her 3-6 Primary certification from the North American Montessori Society.

Her favorite quote from Dr. Maria Montessori is, “Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.” She lives by this sentiment, providing the Park students a Montessori environment that fosters independence and the opportunity to become lifelong learners. Outside of school, Mary is very active in the local theater community sometimes side by side with her husband, Gregory. Mary lives in Clarence and has two daughters.

John Zamojski rejoined Park in 2019 to teach physics, engineering, and middle school physical science. He previously taught chemistry in the Upper School, coached cross country from 2014-2016, and served as the school’s STEAM Coordinator during the 2015-2016 school year. He currently teaches physical science in the Middle School and physics and engineering in the Upper School.

John earned his BA in Adolescence Education with a concentration in chemistry from Canisius College and his MS in Education from SUNY Buffalo State. He has NYS professional teaching certifications in Chemistry, Physics, and General Science. Since 2014 John has been a member of the American Modeling Teachers Association and uses the organization’s curricula for teaching physics. He is also a member of WNY Physics Teachers Association and the Science Teachers Association of NYS. In between his two stints at Park, John worked at North Tonawanda High School from 2016-2018. Since 2010, John has been involved as a staff member or as a volunteer with the Double H Ranch, a summer camp in the SeriousFun network located in the Adirondacks in Lake Luzerne, New York and co-founded by the late actor Paul Newman for children with terminal and life-threatening illnesses. The camp has left such a mark on John that he loves going back to volunteer as a cabin counselor every summer and as a family pal for adaptive ski weekends whenever possible.

Jodee Johnson joined Park’s faculty in 2012, teaching middle school music and ESOL with an emphasis on developing the reading and writing skills necessary for success both at Park and in college. She is Co-Director of Park’s International Program, a role in which she organizes extracurricular activities, communicates with international student agencies, and provides support for the host families who help make our international student program so successful.

Jodee was born in Australia and moved to New York City as a teenager. This experience gave her some perspective on the transition that Park’s international students are faced with as they integrate into American culture. She began teaching English in the Czech Republic then returned to the New York City area to teach music and ESOL and attend graduate school. She returned overseas to teach in international schools in Shanghai, China where she lived for nine years. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Concordia College, Bronxville, NY and her Master’s in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at City University of New York. She and her husband, Matt, are proud parents of two sons, Caleb ‘24 and Gage ‘25.

Jerrold Miraglia has been an instrumental music teacher at Park since November 2017. His responsibilities include teaching the recorder to Grade 3, Grades 4-12 instrumental music lessons, and Middle and Upper School bands. In the time that Jerrold has been at Park, he has created the Pioneers of Jazz, the Middle School Band, the Middle School Jazz Ensemble and Grade 3 recorder class. Jerrold earned the B.S. degree in Music Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music degree in Music Education/Performance from West Virginia University.

He has extensive experience teaching instrumental music ranging from elementary through college. He has taught in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Vancouver, British Columbia, North Carolina, and New York, most recently in the Orchard Park Central School District. During his tenure with Orchard Park, the bands under his leadership received Gold with Distinction or Gold awards yearly from the New York State School Music Association Large Ensemble Festival. Jerrold has served as an elementary guest conductor for all-county bands for Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Genesee, and Erie County Music Educators Associations, and as a junior high guest conductor for Erie County Music Educators Association. He has participated in the NYSSMA Music Reviews, Standard-Based Teaching, and Learning Across the State, teaching elementary students Blues Improvisation.

Samantha Hutchins has been at The Park School since 2015. She assumed the role of an aide to a specific student for three years and has since moved to teacher’s assistant within the Middle School, specifically with Grades 5 and 6.

Prior to coming to Park, Sam was an educator at home for 11 years to her two children, Noah ‘19 and Caleb ‘21, until they joined the Park community as Upper School students. During this time she also taught part-time as an instructor at the University at Buffalo, as well as coached girls varsity basketball. Sam graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1999 with a BA in Early Childhood Development and a minor in Sociology. She was also a member and co-captain of the UB Women’s Basketball team. UB is where she met her husband, Marcus, who is Park’s Athletic Director. Sam is the Park Girls’ Varsity Basketball and Volleyball coach. She also loves to spend time with her family, friends and all of the kids that are always around her house! Her motto is, “Stay positive, work hard, make it happen!”

Stephanie Huffnagle joined the Park community as the Library Studies Teacher in October 2020. She works with our Lower School students during their library specials. Her main focus with the youngest students is to foster a love of reading, focusing on each individual student’s interests and abilities. With the older students, Stephanie continues to encourage a love of reading, while exploring the library outside of the traditional book, including digital resources and non-fiction reference materials, as well as digital safety and healthy screen time habits. She has experience working with students of all ages from elementary school to college. Her most recent position is as a faculty member at SUNY Erie Community College.

Her teaching style is based on a growth mindset perspective where she encourages students to take risks and try new things in a safe environment. She has participated in professional development courses on the growth mindset, digital education tools, online/remote teaching best practices, and teaching and learning theories. Stephanie received her BA in Political Science and Master’s in Library Science from the University at Buffalo. Prior to her teaching career, Stephanie was an attorney and received her JD from Albany Law School. She continues to practice law on a pro bono basis. Outside of teaching, Stephanie enjoys camping and spending time with her family. She is an active volunteer with Junior Achievement, and she is a member of her Church Board. She is a current Park parent to Henry ‘30 and Emma ‘32.

Khaty Assar joined the Park community in October 2020 as an Associate Teacher in the Montessori program. She holds a BA in French and a Montessori Teaching Diploma from North American Montessori Center. She started teaching for 8 years in a traditional school, before discovering and falling in love with Montessori teaching. She was fascinated by the differences between Montessori teaching and traditional teaching, which is the enormous trust Montessori teachers place in the developmental abilities of children. Khaty started at The Curious Minds Montessori School as a teacher assistant in 2011 to follow her passion of teaching young children. She completed her Montessori training in 2013 and became a toddler lead teacher. She created innovative teaching techniques to make learning a fun experience for children. At Park, Khaty coordinates with other teachers to develop lesson plans for children to develop their emotional, physical, and intellectual skills. She applies her French knowledge in the classroom to make it interesting and fun. Khaty lives in East Amherst with her husband. They are proud parents of two honors college students. During her free time, Khaty loves baking, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Matthew Johnson joined the Park faculty in 2011 as an Upper School and Middle School history teacher. He has worn a number of hats in his time at Park including Dean of Students and his current role as Co-Director of Park’s International Program. In addition, Matt has served as the faculty advisor to the Model United Nations club, coordinated the Upper School Immersion Program, coached basketball, and has been involved in a variety of service projects. Matt holds a BA in History from Concordia College, New York and a Master’s in Education from the University of Memphis. He is originally from New York City and has lived in Memphis, Tennessee and Shanghai, China where he taught upper school history at an international school before moving to Buffalo with his family in 2011. His international experience sharpened his understanding of world history, international relations, and social justice. Matt has passion for Park’s International Program and the value it brings to the Park School community.

Marcus Hutchins has been the Director of Athletics at Park since 2015. Prior to this, he worked for 16 years at the University at Buffalo in the Department of Recreation and Intramural Services. While serving in several capacities throughout his time at the University, he most recently held the position of Senior Associate Director for Facilities and Business Operations.

Marcus is a native of Monticello, NY. He holds a BS in Social Sciences Interdisciplinary/Legal Studies, a Master’s degree in Applied Public Affairs and Urban Studies as well as an Advanced Certificate from the Graduate School of Education in Teaching and Leading for Diversity, all from the University at Buffalo. Marcus was a Division 1 wrestler at the University at Buffalo and was inducted into the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame. He is also the founder of The Unit Promise, a non-profit organization that focuses on youth engagement and development. Marcus serves on the Board of Directors for Church Mission of Help and Ephesus Ministries.

Dr. Kate Shands Haq has been a professional educator since 1985 and a teacher at Park since 2019. She taught in urban and rural schools in Western New York, primarily as a public elementary classroom teacher and literacy coach. Currently, Kate teaches English Language Arts and social studies to students in Grades 5 and 6 here at Park. Kate earned her PhD in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Learning Sciences with a focus on Literacy in 2018 from SUNY Buffalo.

Mother of three sons, community activist, and education advocate, Kate’s research interests include the intersection of homeless adolescents, literacy, and civic engagement as well as teachers’ work, policy, and identity. Kate and her husband Kushnood live in the city of Buffalo with their cat, Dexter.

Apryle Schneeberger has been a physical science teacher in the Upper School at Park since 2019. In addition to teaching, she served as the COVID Coordinator to aid in the development and implementation of Park’s Reopening Plan, and is currently the Director of Marketing and Communications and Auction 2021 Coordinator.

After graduating from Waynesburg University with a BS in Chemistry and dual minors in Biology and Mathematics, Apryle studied organic chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. While there, she split her time between the synthetic and microbiology labs, as she researched, synthesized, and analyzed new antibiotics in vitro and in vivo. With a Master’s of Science with thesis from Notre Dame, Apryle then taught at Nichols for six years, earned her Certificate in Educational Technology from Michigan State University, as well as began a math and science symposium and organic chemistry program. She then spent two years raising her three sons while she grew her own business, Apryle’s House. She was more than excited to join Park and become part of such a diverse, progressive community, and has since established a rigorous organic chemistry program, an environmental entrepreneurial studies pilot, as well as the online Park store, ParkSchoolSpirit.com. A proud parent of three Pioneers, Apryle currently resides with her family and golden retriever in Lancaster, and she loves to read, travel, cook, and sew.

Tanya Okoniewski has been an educator since 2008. She has taught and coached both middle and high school since 1994, and has been a member of Park’s faculty since 2018. Tanya earned her Master’s as a literacy specialist from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2013, focusing on multicultural literacy and writing Birth -Grade 12. She also holds a BS in Childhood Education from Buffalo State College, and certifications in Early Childhood Education and ELA 7-12. Tanya is actively committed to the diversity, equity, and inclusion work here at Park, as well as Immersion experiences for these young adults. As a teacher of multiple grade levels, she purposely creates a culture wherein students enjoy school and strive to achieve. She believes the love of reading will last a lifetime and nurtures that love by providing an environment where all feel welcome to study, learn, be inspired, seek help, or simply enjoy books for the pleasure of reading. It is her belief that every student should be valued and treated with respect and an education should empower students in making a positive contribution to our world. Tanya grew up in northern Niagara County, is married, and a mother of three young adult children. When she is not teaching, she loves spending time with her cat Clara, reading, baking, fishing, or taking weekend trips to her dad’s cabin in the Southern Tier. She is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe and fall is her favorite time of year!

Jon Zelasko joined The Park School maintenance department in the fall of 2020. He currently serves as the part-time Grounds and Buildings Coordinator, working to ensure Park’s 34-acres are well taken care of. He has a passion for nature, horticulture, aquatics, and landscaping.

Jon is the proud father of five children — four sons and one daughter. He enjoys photography and coaching both basketball and football. He is an avid collector of sneakers, video games, bicycles, and vintage Buffalo Bills memorabilia.

Marnie Benatovich Cerrato ‘90 returned to Park in 2012 as Director of Enrollment Management. She is also an active member of Park’s communications and marketing team. You may find Marnie leading a tour on our 34-acre campus, coordinating an all school picnic, or organizing a flash mob for our community. She is a strong believer in progressive education and feels passionately that the outdoors is a key component for a strong and balanced mind. Marnie holds a BA with a dual major in Theater and English from St. Lawrence University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of New England. She has worked as a mobile crisis clinician for youth and as a camp director in Maine. Her experiences at camp have taught her that children are always learning, whether they are in or out of the classroom. Marnie has an affinity for developing relationships with parents and students, as well as a strong expertise in community relations and event planning. Marnie was in Leadership Buffalo, Class of 2014. She is currently the Chair of Social Justice on the Holocaust Resource Center and a Board member since 2012. Marnie is also the proud parent to Talia, ‘25, and Myles, ‘27. She enjoys hiking with her dogs, Matzah and Flo, going on family bike rides, watching HGTV, and eating lobster rolls in Maine (the way life should be).

Lisa Wood is Park’s Grade 2 teacher. She is a mom, teacher, and wildlife rehabilitator. Her two daughters graduated from Park School - Ciana ‘11 and Linnea ‘13. Lisa has been a teacher since 1987 and has a Master’s degree as a reading and writing specialist. Lisa is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading and writing. She also has extensive training in building math curriculum.

Her first fifteen years of teaching were spent in the Buffalo Public Schools and the remainder at Park. At Park, Lisa has the joy of teaching second grade using a nature-based curriculum and taking full advantage of Park’s 34-acre campus. In recent years, as part of her role as Director of Environmental Education, she worked in conjunction with Earth Spirit to develop an environmental education curriculum for Park students from PreK to Grade 12. Lisa also developed and implemented a program that brings underserved inner city students on Park’s campus for hands-on outdoor education. Lisa has been a New York State licensed wildlife rehabilitator since 2002. She works as a rehabber at the SPCA serving Erie County, and has been a member of Buffalo Audubon Board of Directors since 2015.

Lisa Conrad began teaching Spanish at Park in 2012. She has since served as a Grade 7 homeroom teacher, Middle School advisor, immersion trip leader, club advisor, and mentor to new faculty. In 2018, Lisa helped to conceive and coordinate Park Talks, a TED-style talk featuring members of the Park community. In 2018, Lisa worked with a Park colleague to develop and implement “Erase Meanness” in the Middle School. Designed as a series of five lessons to be delivered to students in grades 5–8, Lisa has helped to expand this program to support the school’s focus on values such as empathy, respect, bravery, leadership, equity, and social justice. She has also worked in Park’s Admissions Office, and most recently, was Dean of Middle School Students before being appointed Principal and Interim Head of School in 2020. Under her leadership, the School successfully opened for in-person learning in September and saw a significant increase in new families for the 2020-21 school year.

Lisa holds a Master’s in Spanish Adolescent Education and a BA in Spanish, both from the University at Buffalo, as well as a New York State Teacher Certification. A lifelong Buffalonian, Lisa resides in Buffalo with her husband, two children (Jeff ‘28 and Giada ‘31), and dog, Margot.

Max Davis began working at Park in the fall of 2020 and is a Technology Support Specialist. With experience in web development and information technology, Max is always ready to lend a hand in the world of computers. He loves the ability to enhance both teaching and learning experiences through different technology avenues. He takes pride in setting up new technology for teachers to use, and then as a result, students are able to learn more effectively.

Max attended Park from Kindergarten through Grade 5 and went on to study music business at both Villa Maria College and Ithaca College. He has studied graphic design, computer programming, music theory, and more. Max has been playing music since he was five years old, starting with piano lessons here at Park. Over the years, he has become a multi-instrumentalist and has taught students of all age groups. He is currently a part of three live music groups in Western New York and when he is not playing live, he is composing video game and film scores out of his own recording studio. Max also enjoys cooking for his girlfriend, retro video games, and playing frisbee with his dog, Sport.

Tanja Ilic has served as Park’s School Psychologist since 2016. She was excited to rejoin the school community after completing her internship at Park during the 2011-2012 school year. Tanja holds a BA in Psychology and Masters with the Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology. As School Psychologist, Tanja is responsible for serving students across all grade levels and holding a wide range of duties at Park. She provides academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support, and manages student progress for students K-12. Tanja is a strong advocate for students with learning disabilities and mental health concerns. She conducts psycho-educational evaluations and works closely with the Student Support Team and Committee on Special Education to identify learning challenges and mental health issues in students and determine appropriate educational programming and social-emotional supports. In addition to providing direct support to students, Tanja consults and collaborates with parents, teachers, directors, and other mental health professionals in our community to address the needs of our students and to ensure that each student at Park feels safe, supported, engaged, and challenged in the school environment. Tanja moved to Buffalo from Serbia in 1998 at the age of 13, along with her sister and parents. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to new destinations and spending time with family and friends.

Shira Goldberg is one of The Park School’s new early childhood educators, working with students who are part of the Kadimah Scholars program. Shira has worked with young children for nearly four decades. She was the inaugural director of the Infant-Toddler Childcare Center at the Jewish Community Center in Providence, Rhode Island and taught pre-school in classrooms from Rhode Island to Maryland and Missouri. Prior to joining the Park family, Shira led curriculum development and taught 3-and 4-year-old children at PALS, the Play and Learn School at Temple Beth Zion for 15 years.

Born and raised in Buffalo, Shira is a graduate of Kenmore East High School and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University at Buffalo. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of three adult children and six early-childhood-aged grandchildren.

Susanne Spatzer joined the Park community in July of 2020 as the Director of Finance. Prior to coming to Park, she was the Vice President of Finance for a Niagara County nonprofit that provided substance abuse counseling services. Susanne has experience with financial reporting, budgeting, and human resources.

She holds a BS in Accounting from the State University College at Fredonia. Outside of Park, she enjoys gardening and spending time with family and friends.

Jordan Yendall is excited to have joined the Park community in August 2020. Before coming to Park, she taught both 2nd and 5th Grade at Our Lady of Victory Elementary School in Lackawanna, New York. Jordan holds a BS in Childhood Education from SUNY Fredonia, as well as a New York State teacher certification in Childhood Education. She is completing her Master’s degree in Educational Technology and Emerging Media from Canisius College. Her most recent professional development endeavor includes becoming Flipped Learning 3.0 certified by the Global Flipped Learning Initiative.

As Park’s new Grade 3 teacher, Jordan is creating a safe and supportive classroom environment where her students are given the tools they need to grow as individuals. She is using her outdoor classroom to enhance the Grade 3 study of the life cycles of plants and animals through connecting with nature on the expansive 34-acre campus. With her positivity and ability to turn curiosity into learning moments, our Grade 3 students are sure to have a joyful and academically fulfilling year!

William Hilbert is a Technology Support Specialist in the Park School Technology Department. He works out of the STEAM Lab and has experience with coding, microcontrollers, and 3D printing. William is also a student at the University at Buffalo. He graduated in 2020 with his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and plans to graduate with a Master’s degree in robotics engineering. He competes for the University at Buffalo Division I Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track teams.

In his spare time, William enjoys golf, snowboarding, tennis, ultimate frisbee, and anything food related. He hopes to help students realize their potential in the fields of science and engineering.

William Fedirko was a member of Park’s Math Department from 2006-18, and returned in 2020. During his tenure, William has received grants for integrating math curriculum with both the arts and the sciences. One enduring project is the development of a cognitive science curriculum which is now becoming part of the Neurological Education Initiative at Park. William’s undergraduate work includes a BA in Asian Studies from Wittenberg University during which time he studied and worked in Japan for a three year period. His fluency with the language and appreciation for the culture have had a deep impact on his work with applied calculus and sustainability projects. Following this, William completed a BS in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University where he worked on biomimicking engineering projects for NASA Lewis Research Center.

He continues developing project-based work woven around Methods of Natural Optimization for his calculus courses. Currently, William is teaching Functions I to the freshman class in addition to teaching nearly 25% of Park’s Upper School student body dually enrolled in calculus courses for Buffalo State College. William’s teaching career before Park includes college and university level positions at Ursuline College, John Carroll University and the Cleveland Institute of Art. His son, Nickolas, is a member of the Park School Class of 2032.