Tracy Pignetti has joined the Wantagh School District as its new elementary supervisor of humanities, bringing with her nearly two decades of teaching experience.
She said she comes equipped with the ability to understand what it’s like to teach kindergarten, sixth grade and English as a New Language students. Her experience, she added, helps her relate to what teachers are going through today.
“I'm really looking forward to a long tenure here and doing really great work with a really great group of professionals,” Pignetti said.
Pignetti began her career after receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Joseph’s University, followed by a master’s in education from Long Island University.
After earning her master’s, she worked in the Islip School District for 12 years, teaching elementary grades and ENL students. She then joined the Garden City School District, where she spent seven years teaching kindergarten.
In 2019, she pursued a doctorate at Hofstra University, graduating in 2022. While completing her doctoral studies, she took administration classes and became interested in teaching adults.
“I fell in love with administration,” she said. “Although I was convinced I was never going to leave the classroom, I decided to leverage my education and my experiences.”
She left Garden City in 2023 to become a curriculum coordinator at Ocean Avenue Elementary School in the Northport School District. The following year, in 2024, she served as assistant principal at Daniel Street Elementary School in the Lindenhurst School District — before learning about the Wantagh position.
“I read the job description and I said, ‘That would be my dream job,’” she said. “It was everything that I had done in Northport that I loved, except now it’s as an administrator.”
She credits her varied experience with preparing her for the role, having worked across multiple elementary grade levels.
“I have the ability to connect with a lot of different teachers, you know, because I've been in their shoes,” she said. “I understand what it's like to be a teacher.”
Pignetti said she hopes to strengthen reading instruction across the district, helping more students become proficient, confident and lifelong readers.
“I just really want to help them shine,” she said, “and let everybody know what a great job we're doing here in Wantagh.”
