Getting down to business

When an opening came up at Wantagh Middle School earlier this school year, Dr. Stephanie Scolieri jumped at the opportunity.

Scolieri is the new assistant principal at the school, replacing Daniel Katchihtes. She comes to Wantagh from the Sewanhaka Central High School District, where she spent 11 years.

“I thought with my skills and experience, I could add the already wonderful place that it is,” she said of Wantagh Middle School.

Scolieri grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Long Island when she was 15. She graduated from H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square, part of the Sewanhaka district. Scolieri earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hofstra University, and worked in business for two years before getting the itch to teach.

She went on to earn her master’s degree in secondary education from Hofstra, and also holds a professional certificate in school district leadership from LIU Post. Last year, Scolieri received her doctorate in instructional leadership from St. John’s University.

Scolieri worked at Floral Park Memorial High School for 11 years, starting out as a business teacher. She eventually became the business and technology supervisor at the school, and later moved up to district curriculum coordinator, overseeing the technology program at five high schools. During the 2013-14 school year, she had a stint as acting assistant principal at Floral Park High School.

It was an assistant superintendent at Sewanhaka that actually encouraged Scolieri to apply for the job in Wantagh. “They’re all about paying it forward, and helping others thrive,” she said of the leaders at Sewanhaka.

At Wantagh Middle School, Scolieri’s responsibilities include student discipline, teacher observations, planning the master schedule, reporting student grades, coordinating testing and assisting in the day-to-day operations of the building. No two days are alike, she said.

Scolieri said she loves being in an environment where everyone is committed to student success. She hopes to be a role model for the sixth, seventh and eighth graders that she looks after, and wants to encourage them to be life-long learners. Teaching them to be kind and caring citizens is also a goal.

She described her leadership style as “collaborative,” saying she likes to work closely with the teachers and staff. Scolieri said it is important to be visible in the school, which is why she can be found at the bus drop-off in the morning, the cafeterias during lunch and in the classrooms at any time.

By seeing the teachers in action, she can give both positive feedback and constructive criticism, where necessary. “I think it’s important for that dialogue to take place,” she said.

Principal Dawn Matrochano is excited to have Scolieri on board as the other half of the administrative team. She said Scolieri was chosen from a pool of 52 applicants and two finalists.

“She really stuck out from the beginning,” Matrochano said. “You could feel her passion for kids and for education. She has hit the ground running.”

Scolieri is the mother of two daughters, ages 5 and 2. She enjoys traveling and has been to Europe several times. In raising her children, she wants her daughters to be open-minded, understand how the rest of the world lives, and wants them to know they have endless opportunities.

She described herself as a loyal person and noted that it was hard to leave Sewanhaka after more than a decade, but vows to bring that same level of devotion to Wantagh. “I would like to become the best assistant principal that I can be,” she said.

In the future, Scolieri said she would like to teach aspiring teachers at the college level. Since making the transition from the business world to education, Scolieri has never looked back.

Her first day on the job in Wantagh was Oct. 27. In the six weeks that have passed since, Scolieri has had an enjoyable experience. “I feel like I’m already home,” she said. “Everyone’s been very welcoming. It’s a great place with wonderful people. I extremely enjoy coming to work everyday.”