Please welcome Stacey Muscato to Mary E. Dardess Elementary School. Ms. Muscato is our new assistant principal and comes to Chatham from the Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School in Albany, where she worked as a social studies teacher, summer school administrative coordinator, and supervisor of the restorative justice program.
In deciding to join Chatham Central School District as our newest assistant principal, she says that Chatham “felt like home” to her.
“I’m super excited to be here and have this opportunity to work with a whole community of children to help them grow academically, socially and emotionally,” Muscato said. “I want to really immerse myself in the goings on at school and in the community so people can get to know me and I can build strong relationships with our students and families.”
Muscato holds NYS certifications as a school building leader and as a social studies teacher for grade 7-12. She earned her Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from The Sage Colleges, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Russell Sage College. With over 16 years of experience as an educator, she has had the opportunity to work with both traditional and at-risk students at public schools in Albany, Lansingburgh, Clifton Park, Guilderland, and Hudson. She has taught social studies at the middle and high school levels, as well as high school electives in criminal justice and sociology. She also currently serves on the executive board of the Capital District Council for the Social Studies and previously served as its president and vice president.
Prior to becoming a teacher she worked as paralegal for an environmental law firm.
Muscato lives in Castleton with her husband and their son and daughter, as well as the family's dog and two cats, all rescue pets. At home, she enjoys spending time with her family and pursuing outdoor activities like running, hiking, biking, and skiing. She also continues to be an enthusiastic student of history, her passion for which ultimately led her to pursue her career in education.
As assistant principal at MED, her responsibilities include student support and discipline, curriculum development, supervision of teaching assistants, and staff evaluations. Muscato replaces former MED assistant principal Brett Fortran, who was appointed as principal of Chatham Middle School in September. Her first official day at MED is Monday, November 14, please be sure to give her a big Chatham welcome when you see her!