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Faculty and Staff

Erica Abela

Title: First Grade
Degree: University of Connecticut B.S., M.A.
Email: eabela@watersideschool.org

Sofia Alano

Title: Third Grade A
Degree: The Catholic University of America B.A.
Email: salano@watersideschool.org

Dino Angelov

Title: Maintenance
Degree: St. Basil College
Email: dangelov@watersideschool.org

Michael Bazelais ’07

Title: Art, Alumni Support
Degree: University of Hartford B.F.A.
Email: mbazelais@watersideschool.org

Samantha Biondi

Title: Third Grade B
Degree: University of Virginia B.A., New York University L.M.S.W., Teachers College Columbia University M.A.
Email: sbiondi@watersideschool.org

Anna Black

Title: Music
Degree: Bucknell University B.A.
Email: ablack@watersideschool.org

Charlotte Brown

Title: First Grade
Degrees: University of Rhode Island B.A., Manhattanville College M.A.
Email: cbrown@watersideschool.org

Emily Burns

Title: Reading Specialist
Degrees: Princeton University B.A., Manhattanville College M.A.
Email: eburns@watersideschool.org

Jessica Chang

Title: Dean of Studies,
Degrees: Duke University B.S., Columbia University Ed. M.
Email: jchang@watersideschool.org

Monae Cherry

Title: Kindergarten A
Degree: Ohio Christian University B.A., Grand Canyon University M.Ed.
Email: mcherry@watersideschool.org

Linda Delgado

Title: Reading Specialist
Degree: The Catholic University of America B.A.
Email: ldelgado@watersideschool.org

Elizabeth Duennebier

Title: Fourth & Fifth Grade
Degree: Western Connecticut State University B.A
Email: lduennebier@watersideschool.org

Jonny Duennebier

Title: Music, Director of Alumni
Degrees: Skidmore College B.A., Columbia University M.A.
Email: jduennebier@watersideschool.org

La’Vandra DuPree

Title: Assistant to the Head of School, Financial Aid Coordinator
Degree: Mercy College B.S.
Email: ldupree@watersideschool.org

Sally Edwards

Title: Operations
Degree: University of Vermont B.A.
Email: sedwards@watersideschool.org

Meg Edwards

Title: Kindergarten B
Degree: Buffalo State College B.A., Mercy College M.A., City College of New York M.A. in SBL
Email: medwards@watersideschool.org

Megan Evans

Title: Director of Placement
Degrees: Dartmouth College B.A., Bank Street College of Education M.S., Kings College, London M.A.
Email: mevans@watersideschool.org

Camryn Ferrara

Title: Physical Education
Degree: St. Lawrence University B.A.
Email: cferrara@watersideschool.org

Julienne Foy

Title: School Counselor, Director of Student Services and Support
Degrees: Clark University B.A., Quinnipiac University M.Ed.
Email: jfoy@watersideschool.org

Laurie Franzino

Title: Director of Admission
Degrees: Bates College B.A., Bank Street College of Education M.ED.
Email: lfranzino@watersideschool.org

Kathy Garrett

Title: Reading Specialist
Degrees: Boston University B.A., Manhattanville College M.P.S.

Claudia Gomez

Title: Main Office Assistant
Email: cgomez@watersideschool.org

Terri-Ann Gordon

Title: Second Grade, DEI Coordinator
Degrees: SUNY Plattsburgh B.A., College of New Rochelle M.B.A.
Email: tgordon@watersideschool.org

Isaac Hancock

Title: Fifth Grade, Technology Coordinator
Degrees: Connecticut College B.A., Relay Graduate School of Education M.A.T.
Email: ihancock@watersideschool.org

Stella Ju

Title: Fourth Grade
Degrees: George Washington University B.A., Johns Hopkins University M.S.
Email: sju@watersideschool.org

Jamel Keels

Title: Head of School
Degrees: Sacred Heart University B.A., Manhattanville College M.A.
Email: jkeels@watersideschool.org

Eliza Kruger

Title: Art
Degree: University of Utah B.A.
Email: ekruger@watersideschool.org

Abigail Leyson ’11

Title: Advancement Coordinator, Assistant to Executive Director
Degree: Hobart and William Smith Colleges B.A.
Email: aleyson@watersideschool.org

Marianna Lombardo

Title: Speech and Language, Behavior Therapist
Degrees: University of Connecticut B.A., Ashford University M.A.
Email: mlombardo@watersideschool.org

Cindy Lopez

Title: Junior Kindergarten
Degrees: University of Connecticut B.S., M.A.
Email: clopez@watersideschool.org

Lisa Magliocco

Title: Reading Specialist
Degrees: Southern Connecticut State University B.A., Southern Connecticut State University M.A.
Email: lmagliocco@watersideschool.org

Elizabeth McGoldrick

Title: Reading Specialist
Degrees: Dartmouth College B.A., Regis University M.A.
Email: emcgoldrick@watersideschool.org

Rachael McKinney

Title: Third Grade B
Degrees: Boston College B.A., New York University M.A.
Email: rmckinney@watersideschool.org

Ingrid Moore

Title: Food Services, Child Care

Marlaina Moysak

Title: Third Grade A
Degree: Lafayette College B.A., Manhattanville College M.A.T.
Email: mmoysak@watersideschool.org

Megan Neal

Title: First Grade
Degrees: Hobart and William Smith Colleges B.A, Fairfield University M.A.
Email: mwhelan@watersideschool.org

David Olson

Title: Executive Director
Degrees: Gettysburg College B.A., Georgia State University, Western Connecticut State University M.A.
Email: dolson@watersideschool.org

Lauren Pasquazzi

Title: Junior Kindergarten
Degree: University of New Hampshire B.S., M.S.
Email: lpasquazzi@watersideschool.org

Brittney Porter

Title: Admission Associate
Email: bporter@watersideschool.org

Christina Roca ’10

Title: Second Grade
Degree: Providence College B.A.
Email: croca@watersideschool.org

McClatchy Ruskin

Title: Science
Degree: Claremont McKenna College B.A.
Email: mruskin@watersideschool.org

Gena Skoufalos

Title: Instructional Coach
Degrees: College of Holy Cross B.A., Lesley University M. Ed.
Email: gskoufalos@watersideschool.org

Olivia Torres

Title: Kindergarten A
Degrees: Bucknell University B.A., St. John's University M.S. Ed.
Email: otorres@watersideschool.org

Tanya Velez

Title: School Counselor
Degree: University of Bridgeport B.S., Sacred Heart University M.A.
Email: tvelez@watersideschool.org

Molly Viger

Title: Kindergarten B
Degree: Gettysburg College B.A., Manhattanville College M.A.
Email: mviger@watersideschool.org

Kaitlyn Winterbottom

Title: Director of Advancement
Degrees: Yale University B.A., Fairfield University M.A.
Email: kwinterbottom@watersideschool.org

Rezan Zia

Title: Science
Degrees: Skidmore College B.A., Columbia University M.A.
Email: rzia@watersideschool.org

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Since October, the third graders in 3A and 3B have

Since October, the third graders in 3A and 3B have come together to start their mornings with a math session. The third-grade math group began per the students' request to accelerate and practice their math skills with challenging word problems and problem sets to reinforce their current units before morning assembly to be fully prepared for their days of learning.

This is not just an activity the students do to improve their work ethic and critical thinking but a time our third graders gather as a community to rejoice in their problem-solving abilities independently and as a group. Kudos to the Class of 2025 on their dedication and enthusiasm towards improving their math skills! 💙

#WeAreWaterside

THANK YOU! For our first Giving Tuesday ever, the

THANK YOU! For our first Giving Tuesday ever, the Waterside community showed up and raised $50,000 for our students - that's two full student scholarships funded. Because of our generous matching donor, your gifts have turned into $100,000 - four students fully supported this year!

We look forward to seeing what this next generation of scholars achieves thanks to their Waterside education.

If you missed Giving Tuesday, you can still donate to Waterside’s Annual Fund at the link in our bio!

Just a few hours remain on Giving Tuesday! We’ve

Giving Tuesday is TODAY! We’ve raised almost $25

Giving Tuesday is TODAY! We’ve raised almost $25,000 to support the students of Waterside School. We hope you’ll consider joining us. Don’t forget - this year, a generous Board member is matching all gifts made, so your impact is doubled! 💙

This giving season, we have shared stories of our outstanding alumni. Today, we’d like you to meet a graduate who’s returned to his roots: Michael Bazelais ‘07. Michael was a member of the first class to attend Waterside from kindergarten through fifth grade.

In high school, Michael volunteered at the School and has always enjoyed working with students. Like many of our alumni, he received guidance from Waterside during the college application process. Michael majored in Art at the University of Hartford, and Head of School, Jamel Keels, recruited him to become one of our art teachers after seeing a painting of Michael’s at a Stamford smoothie shop. He has been working as a member of the Waterside faculty for two years now.

When Michael comes to work, he embraces the positive influence he has on our students and alumni. His pedagogy not only reflects the meaningful work the students create in class but extends to the lives of our current students because he sees himself in them. To Michael, being a teacher means more than teaching - it involves creating a foundation of life lessons and values.

“If possible,” Michael said. “I would return to Waterside forever to see the success of each student I have taught.”

Since 2011, 99% of our alumni have matriculated into top local independent schools. The Waterside model comes with a cost - just 5% of our overall budget is funded by tuition, and the remaining 95% comes from generous donors. We hope you can join the movement and give back this holiday season so our current students can follow their paths of success as Michael has.

To donate, click the link in our bio or check out our story!

#WeAreWaterside #WatersideAlumni #GivingTuesday