Hello, OUTSTANDING B-WOOD!!!! My name is Jannine Corso and I am elated to join the Ross High School Science Team! As a graduate of Suffolk Community College, St. Joseph’s College, Stony Brook University and Teachers College. Columbia University, it is EVIDENT….I VALUE EDUCATION!!! With 21 years of teaching experience, I welcome this new journey with open arms. I continue to strive to provide the best possible science education for my students. Every student I teach is an investment to both the Brentwood Community and the future. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family. We have a lot of fun outdoors, hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, and playing soccer! 

A 22-year veteran of Brentwood, the last 20 spent at the Freshman Center, I’ve joined the staff of the Ross building. He joins the English department, teaching grades 10 and 11 for the first time in over 20 years. As a byproduct of teaching literature, I also moonlights as a professional audiobook narrator and voice actor. Requests for any sort of vocal recording (aside from singing — no bueno) are welcome. 

Hi, my name is Audrey Demas and I am one of the new business teachers hired this year to teach in Ross. I am really happy to be here, where the school culture is so warm and welcoming! I have 20+ years of experience teaching reading and business classes. I have a bachelor of business administration degree from Baruch College, C.U.N.Y and two master’s degrees from Hofstra University, one in business education and one in literacy studies. I have three grown children, three young grandchildren, and two dogs. I love spending time with my family (including the dogs!), reading, watching movies, gardening, and seeing friends.

Hello, all! I am Marisa DiMartino, one of the newest members of the school counseling team at the Ross Center. I am thrilled to be part of the Brentwood family. One thing I noticed off the bat was the love and respect towards each other and the district as a whole.

I have been working in the public school sector for over 21 years. I’ve worked as the Principal’s secretary for 17 years, but my most rewarding have been these last five years as a school counselor. A career choice I made willingly and with great enthusiasm and joy. I have had the pleasure to witness the kinds of success from students that didn’t believe they could ever achieve.

I was born in Italy, have three wonderful adult female chi

ldren who were born in Italy as well, and are living their lives to the fullest. My eldest is a special needs adult that takes part in a Day Habilitation program, while the younger two are twins that have just attained their master’s degrees. One in social work and the other as an elementary special ed. teacher. Needless to say, I am very proud of them all.

I thoroughly enjoy photography, cooking and traveling. Finally, I have a dog we rescued named Maxximus Cornelius. He is the only man in the house, and is beyond spoiled and loved very much! I look forward to years of service to the students of BUFSD.

Hi! MY name is Dominic Florian and this is my fifth year teaching at Brentwood Union Free School District.  Teaching is my passion, and this has been an absolute privilege for me since DAY 1.  Prior to working at BUFSD, I worked at a private school as an ENL/ELA high school teacher and served as their Director for International Admissions.  I started my college experience at Suffolk County Community College, studied abroad through Long Island University, and finished my teaching degree at St. Joseph’s College.  I also attended Molloy and Stony Brook University somewhere in between and at the end of all that :))) MY hobbies include learning new things, traveling to different places, going outside, riding my bicycle, going to museums and concerts, anddd I absolutely love food.  I also think I am a pretty great iPhone Photographer – just saying.   

After having a wonderful experience at the Freshman Center, I would be remiss not to mention that I am extremely grateful to be back at Brentwood High School.  This is the same school that I started at 4 years ago, and I really love it here.  To be honest, it kind of feels like I went back in time to a place that I feel like I belong!  My plans for this school year are to continue to be the best teacher that I can be for my students.  Additionally, I am the Junior Varsity Soccer Assistant Coach, and I am really excited for this season!  As the year progresses, I sincerely want to become more involved in afterschool activities and clubs.  My classroom is 1142, so come say hi, hello, or what’s up@!  I have the best roommate ever and her name is Ms. Franco!  I wish you all the best and good luck this school year! 

My name is Lauren Helm and I am a biology teacher in Ross. I’m excited to be back in the classroom after stepping away for a few years to start my own business. I previously taught at schools in Los Angeles, C.A., and Brooklyn, N.Y. This is my 17th year teaching, but my first year in a public school. I received my undergraduate degree from Harvard College and my master’s degree from Western Governor’s University. I pride myself on being a lifelong learner and always looking for new challenges. This past summer, I passed my ocean lifeguard certification, which was a huge accomplishment for me. All my classmates were 30 years younger, and I did not pass the test the first two times. I hope to use my life experiences to show students that hard work, consistency, and perseverance can help you to be successful in reaching your goals. I live in Huntington with my husband and two young daughters. 

My name is Alexis Salerno and I am a social studies teacher in the Ross Center. I have been working in the Brentwood School District for three school years now, and this is my first year teaching my own classes at Brentwood High School. Brentwood has always had a very special place in my heart because my father, Mr. Salerno, is a social studies teacher here too! He showed me how wonderful, and fulfilling teaching is as a career, and I am so happy to be here getting to do what I love. One thing you may not know about me is that I am a singer on the side, and I perform for weddings, assisted living facilities, and church services when I am not in the classroom! I look forward to getting to know everyone, and I also look forward to seeing my old students from the Freshman Center turn into wonderful 10th graders and beyond!   

Hi! My name is Nicole Altamirano, and I am one of the bilingual/SIFE school counselors in Sonderling. I was born in Ecuador and moved to Syosset, N.Y., when I was four years old.  I graduated from Long Island University, Post campus with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. After grad school I worked at a substance abuse agency for two years and then went back to LIU Post and earned a second master’s degree in school counseling. I am excited to start my school counseling journey here at Brentwood. I look forward to getting to know and working with everyone here at the high school!   

Hello! My name is George Baritis and I am a new science teacher at Brentwood H.S. this year.  I taught Chemistry and Physics at St. John the Baptist H.S. for the past 9 years.  I am very excited to join the team of amazing teachers here this year and hope to get some students excited about science as well.  Outside of school I enjoy being outdoors, exercising, playing golf, and building things.  At home I like to cook, read and spend time with my cats.  I am always learning more about science and how it relates to life. My hope this year is to share that with the students here in Sonderling H.S.  

Hello, my name is Michael Borelli, and I am a chemistry and forensics teacher at Brentwood High School. Outside of school, I enjoy running, reading, and building things. I am excited to be starting a new chapter in joining the talented staff here! 

Hello! My name is Anthony Calzetta and I am a math teacher in the Sonderling building. I graduated from Molloy College with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Adolescent Education. This is my 13th year teaching, but my first year at Brentwood High School, and I could not be more excited to become a part of this great school! Besides teaching, I enjoy skiing, camping, biking, golfing and traveling. 

Hi, my name is Christian Campana and I am thrilled to be part of the Brentwood family.  I have been teaching for 15 years and I look forward to teaching many more.  I am married and have four wonderful children.  I developed an enthusiasm for learning science and received a bachelor’s degree in biology.  It later transitioned to a passion for teaching science.  In my spare time, I am also a volunteer firefighter with the North Merrick Fire Department.   

My name is Jeremy Conroy, and I am new to Brentwood High School this year! I am a special education English teacher, and I am very excited to be a part of this community. This is my third year teaching, and I feel ready to keep learning and become stronger in the profession. I went to Stony Brook University for my undergraduate degree in history and received my master’s degree in teaching from there as well. I later went on to take courses at Molloy College to become certified as a special education and English teacher. 

I have a cat whom I love very much named Mr. Scoops. I enjoy reading works of fantasy and mythology. I also enjoy playing chess and video games of all sorts. I have recently continued a pursuit of music as well, taking piano lessons and dabbling in the guitar from time to time. Perchance you have interest in these things as well? I would love to talk about them!  

My favorite part of teaching is forming meaningful relationships with students, encouraging them to excel to the best of their abilities. I hope to be able to relate to students so that I can better help them to reach their personal goals. Watching students grow into stronger readers, writers, and people is my mission; I hope that I can help them in that way. 

My name is Melissa Hadsell and I recently moved to Long Island from Stamford, C.T. I taught for 14 years at my alma mater. This is my 15th year of teaching and I am super excited to begin the next part of my career as an English teacher here at Brentwood!   

I earned my BA in English from the University of Connecticut, my MAT in Secondary Education from Sacred Heart University, and my MFA in Fiction Writing from Manhattanville. I am an avid reader and love all bookish things! I am the future stepmother of three wonderful kids and the proud dog mama of my Pomeranian, Rudy. I love to cook and bake lots of yummy treats. I also love to travel and try to hike off those baked goods when I can!  

I am looking forward to the year ahead! Go Indians! 

Hello! My name is Kyle Herguth, and I am the new bilingual social studies teacher at the Sonderling Center. This is my first year teaching, and I am currently teaching Global II and Global II Bilingual. This will be my third year in district: student teaching at North Middle School, subbing at North Middle School, subbing at the Evening High School and the Freshman Center, and completing a leave replacement in HLA/NLA at East Middle School this past year. I love being a part of the Brentwood community and getting involved. I am now an advisor for the Freshman Center MBK chapter, and I also volunteer for MUNDOS at the high school. I am very excited for this upcoming year and the rest of my journey here at Brentwood, and in every chapter of my Brentwood experience I hope to enrich the lives of my students and prepare them for happy, successful futures. Thank you! 

Hello! I am thrilled to now be a part of the Brentwood School District as a math teacher in Sonderling. I have four years of experience teaching at the high school level and five years of experience teaching at the undergraduate college level. I have a deep passion for mathematics and the beautiful, natural relationships it reveals! I enjoy working with students and helping them reach their true potential in math. In my spare time, I like to bake, work in the garden, and spend time with my family.

Hi, my name is Kristin McCrossin, and I am a special education English teacher in Sonderling. I have taught English, Life Skills, Reading, ran an ABA-based classroom, as well as set up vocational programs for high school students.  I received my bachelor of arts degree in English education at Geneseo, and my master’s in special education from Saint Joseph’s College. In addition, I have my behavior analysis degree from UNT. I have used this degree for the past few years to provide behavioral intervention services to adults with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities. 

I am a foster mother to three beautiful young children which leaves little free time, but on the rare occasion I have the time, I enjoy reading, singing, anything theater related, and being outdoors (especially at the beach). I am an animal rights activist and have fostered and rehomed many pets. I currently have two dogs, two cats, and a parrot. If you are looking for help finding a pet, let me know. I am excited to bring to life some of my favorite literary texts and hopefully pass on a lifelong love of reading to many of my students. 

Hi! My name is Brittany Morris and I am one of Brentwood High School’s new math teachers in Sonderling. I’m so excited to continue my teaching journey here, and I’m even more excited to work for and become a part of such an amazing district. Although this is my first year teaching in Brentwood, before coming to teach here, I taught for one year at Hempstead High School and half a year at Hampton Bays Middle School. I graduated from St. Joseph’s College with my bachelor’s degree and am currently in my master’s program at Touro College for Math Education. I have an amazing fiancé (we got engaged this summer). When I’m not teaching, you can find me spending time with my family and friends and taking vacations. My family and I love taking cruises together. I also work a second job as a waitress at a small restaurant near my house. I have waitressed there for the past 9 years. Teaching is a passion of mine; I love being able to instill my love for math and numbers to my students. I’m looking forward to an amazing career here at Brentwood High School.   

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle Popal and I’m one of the new school counselors in Sonderling. I have a passion for advocating for young people and I’m so excited to begin my career at Brentwood High School. I received my M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Hofstra University which led me on a journey working in college admissions for the last five years. I decided to make the switch and pursue another M.S.Ed. from Hofstra focused on School Counseling.  

Aside from counseling, I’m a musician, a world traveler and a pizza lover. I’m also obsessed with “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Office.” I look forward to connecting with and meeting you all! 

Hello! My name is Brittney Ramos, and I am a new English teacher in the Sonderling building. This is my 3rd year teaching and first year with the district. I am a lifelong Long Island resident and that means I love bagels, pizza, and coffee. I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with two bachelor’s degrees – one in English language and literature and the other in communications with a concentration in public relations. In 2021, I received an MAT from New York University. In my free time, I love to spend time with my two daughters, travel, and write. I am so excited to be a part of the Brentwood community! 

My name is Gabrielle Roberto, and I am one of the new English teachers at Brentwood High School. Prior to this school year, I taught for two years in a neighboring school district. I graduated from St. Joseph’s University (formerly St. Joseph’s College) with a bachelor’s degree in English, adolescent education. I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in educational technology at Adelphi University.  

Besides teaching, my passions include spending time with my family and my two dogs, Harry and George. I also really enjoy going to the beach — even in the fall/winter months.  

I truly believe that being an educator is one of the greatest professions in the world. Having the platform to help, support, guide, and inspire young minds is priceless. I am so honored to serve the community and to be a part of the Brentwood School District! 

Hello, my name is Greg Silvestro and I teach special education math in both Sonderling and Ross. I graduated from SUNY Oneonta and played on the men’s soccer team there. I also enjoy basketball, lifting weights, and rooting for the New York Jets. I am currently recovering from rupturing my Achilles tendon, so walking back and forth between Ross and Sonderling is a good workout for me! I’m excited to share my passion for mathematics with the students here and to work with such amazing colleagues. 

Hi, my name is Maggie Taylor, and I am a new special education biology teacher at Brentwood High School! I joined the NYC Teaching Fellows in 2016 where I became a teacher! I am in my 7th year of teaching now and taught in the Bronx for 6 years before transferring to the best district on Long Island! I received my B.A. in psychology at the University of Delaware and my M.S. in Education, Teaching Students with Disabilities at Hunter College. I am currently teaching living environment and unified science and I also have my extension certifications for teaching math, science, English, and social studies in special education.  I enjoy playing golf, tennis, crocheting, and embroidering clothing and accessories for all ages. I also love to read and write in my free time! I have four siblings, two older brothers and two younger sisters. I also have two nephews; one is 10 and one was recently born on Sept. 28, 2022. I am excited to meet everyone here at Brentwood High School! If you see someone with a big “Mary Poppins” bag, that’s me! Please reach out to chat and/or collaborate 😊 

Greetings everyone, my name is Daphene Herron and I am the new attendance teacher at Sonderling High School, West Middle, and North Middle. I was a high school health teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y., who taught students all about health and wellness. I received my master’s degree from Hofstra University in health education. I enjoy reading the Bible, medical journals, finance, travel, home décor and anything foodie (LOL). I am truly excited to be a part of the Brentwood family. Cheers! 

Hello, I am Joanne Moss. I have been teaching art in Brentwood for the past 25 years. I began teaching in 1996 at Loretta Park. I was there for four years then I taught at Southwest Elementary for two. I finally found my home at East Middle for the last 19 years. I am very happy that I now can work with high school students. I am finding the transition to high school energizing and motivating. I am very happy to be here. 

I started my visual arts teaching career in Brentwood High School in 2006 and have made many connections across the district in primary and secondary levels. I am excited and energized to be back teaching in high school. I have so many new innovative projects for our students, and ideas to beautify our building. My hobbies include ceramic pottery building, running, weight training, mountain biking, airbrushing, and customizing cars.