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FACULTY & STAFF

Beyond their incredible expertise and extensive experience, Pinnacle faculty and staff bring something very special to your child’s education: authentic, trusted partnership.

 

From calling to talk about your child’s amazing day, to responding quickly to your concerns or questions, to simply sitting with your child at lunch when they need a safe, calming space, these highly-trained, caring professionals are serious about their roles as mentors and guides.

With over 93% of faculty holding advanced degrees, our team is skilled at educating students with complex learning challenges including ADHD, mild autism, executive functions, social-emotional challenges, non-verbal learning disabilities, auditory processing disorders, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities. 

Leadership Team

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Charles Manos. MS, EdS

CHARLES MANOS, MS, EdS, LMFT

Head of School and

Director of Education

Jenna Gisondi, MS, CCC-SLP

JENNA GISONDI, MS, CCC-SLP
 

High School Division Leader

Stephanie Kriegsman, MPS

STEPHANIE KRIEGSMAN, MPS
 

Assistant Director of Education and

Lower School Division Leader

Rachel Lombardo, MAT

RACHEL LOMBARDO, MAT


Middle School Division Leader

Susan Jones, BA

SUNAN JONES, BA
 

Director of Enrollment

TEACHERS

Victoria Arrigo, MSEd

VICTORIA ARRIGO, MSEd

Learning Specialist

Miranda Fergus, MA

MIRANDA FERGUS, MA

Art Teacher

Kanako Itano-Malstrom, MEd

KANAKO ITANO-MALSTROM, MEd

Japanese Teacher

Mariana Lopez, BA

MARIANA LÓPEZ, BA

Middle School Science Teacher

Liana Maiale, MS

LIANA MAIALE, MS

Middle School English and Language Arts Teacher

Alexander Rocha

ALEXANDER ROCHA

Technology Teacher

Adam Slansky, MS

ADAM SLANSKY, MS

Lower School Teacher

Miranda Sulli, MS

MIRANDA SULLI, MS

Middle School Math Teacher

Erika Wright, MA

ERIKA WRIGHT, MA

English Teacher

Julianna Capasso

JULIANNA CAPASSO

Lower School Teacher

Marci Forsland, JD, MSEd

MARCI FORSLAND, JD, MSEd

High School English and Language Arts Teacher

Michael Kelly, MEd

MICHAEL KELLY, MEd

High School Science Teacher

Maria Grillo, MEd, MS

MARIA LUTZ-GRILLO, MEd, MS

Reading Specialist

Robert Moore, MEd

ROBERT MOORE, MEd

High School Science Teacher

Lindsay Scavone, MS

LINDSAY SCAVONE, MS

High School History Teacher

Erin Steimle, MAT

ERIN STEIMLE, MAT

Lead Math Teacher and High School Math Teacher

Carrie Taylor, MSEd

CARRIE TAYLOR, MSEd

High School English and Language Arts Teacher

Shannon Carroll, MEd

SHANNON CARROLL, MEd

Middle School English & Language Arts Teacher

Brian Quirk, MAT

BRIAN QUIRK, MAT

Physical Education Teacher

Robert Kelly, BS

ROBERT KELLY, BS

Math Teacher

Cecilia Madden, MA

CECILIA MADDEN, MA

High School Spanish and History Teacher

Morgan Olmstead, MSEd

MORGAN OLMSTEAD, MSEd

Instructional Coach

Stephanie Schwadron, MA

STEPHANIE SCHWADRON, MA

Lower School Teacher

Cezanne Strate, MST

CEZANNE STRATE, MST

Middle and High School Teacher

Jane Turner, BA

JANE TURNER, BA

Permanent Substitute Teacher

Teachers

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Brenda Grover

BRENDA GROVER

Events and Administrative Coordinator

Lori Hyl

LORI HYL

Administrative Coordinator

Administrative Staff
Social-Emotional Team

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL TEAM

Laura Albee, DSW, LCSW, BCBA, LBA

LAURA ALBEE, DSW, LCSW, BCBA, LBA

Consulting BCBA

Kathryn Crosby, MSW

KATHRYN CROSBY, MSW

High School Social Worker

Ashley Fiorita, MS

ASHLEY FIORITA, MS

College and Career Counselor and Registrar

Brittney O'Rourkey, MS, MS

BRITTNEY O'ROURKE, MS, MS

Senior Social-Emotional Coach

Onyx Velez, BS

ONYX VELEZ, BS

Social-Emotional Coach

Sarah Biniasz, MEd

SARAH BINIASZ, MEd

School Clinician

Phil Dinoto, BS

PHIL DINOTO, BS

Social-Emotional Coach

Chad Mesisco, MEd

CHAD MESISCO, MEd

Social-Emotional Coach

Sean Sulli

SEAN SULLI

Social-Emotional Coach

Justin Washington

JUSTIN WASHINGTON

Social-Emotional Coach

Keara Conway, PsyD

KEARA CONWAY, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist

Matthew Fiore

MATTHEW FIORE

Culinary Arts Club Leader & Social Emotional Coach

Wendy Misle, MS, RBT

WENDY MISLE, MS, RBT

School Clinician

Xristo Theodoridis, BS

XRISTO THEODORIDIS, BS

Social-Emotional Coach

Nurse

NURSE

Joann Novak, RN School Nurse

JOANN NOVAK, RN

Nurse

Occupational Therapists

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

Gabrielle Labella, MS, OTR/L

GABRIELLE LABELLA, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Kim Stewart, MS, OTR/L

KIMBERLY STEWART, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Speech-Language Pathologists

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS

Mary Liguori, MS, CCC-SLP

MARY LIGUORI, MS, CCC-SLP
 

Speech-Language Pathologist

Frances Poteet, PhD, MSS

FRANCES POTEET, PhD, MSS, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

The Pinnacle School does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by CT state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. The Pinnacle School is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons and equal access to Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. Inquiries should be directed to Greenwich Education Group's Title IX Coordinator, Lewis Brey, Senior Director of Human Resources and Internal Counsel, lbrey@greenwichedgroup.com,  
201 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905, 203-661-1609.

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