Mrs. Stephanie Aguado

By Alivia Chen

After inspiring students all over Great Neck, Ms. Stephanie Aguado has returned to South High, the same place her teaching career in our district began in 2008. She had taught here for over a decade before transferring to North High in 2019. Now, after six years at North, she has returned to South, bringing years of experience, wisdom, and love for education.

A proud graduate of SUNY Cortland, Ms. Aguado earned a dual major in History and Social Studies Education. She continued her studies at Molloy College, where she received her master’s degree in Special Education. “When I was in high school, I had a very positive experience,” she said. “I loved history, reading, and learning about our past and how to apply it to the future.” This passion naturally drew her to teach social studies, a subject she continues to love today. This year, Ms. Aguado teaches Global History and Geography to freshmen, and AP U.S. History and ENL U.S. History to juniors. 

Despite the rigorous curriculum, Ms. Aguado sees teaching as more than just delivering lessons. She believes it is about creating a safe learning environment. In her classroom, lessons are discussion-based, where students not only learn but also apply information. She encourages students to have informed discussions, share opinions, and connect their learning to the world around them. 

Ms. Aguado hopes to instill a love for learning in each of her students. “It doesn’t have to be in history,” she said. “Just find something you’re passionate about and want to explore every day,” 

For her, success isn’t defined by test scores, but by curiosity and effort. “A successful student is one who is willing to work and put in the effort, even though they may not be the top performing student,” she remarked.

Moreover, working with high school students still remains one of Ms. Aguado’s favorite parts of teaching. “People often ask how I handle teenagers,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s my favorite age group. You can have mature conversations with them that you can’t have with younger students.”

Outside the classroom, Ms. Aguado enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, aged seven and nine. She also loves to travel. When she’s not away on an adventure, Ms. Aguado can be found with a book in her hand, especially historical fiction novels. Her recent favorite, The Women by Kristin Hannah, captivated her so much that she finished it in just two days! 

Ms. Aguado also enjoys cooking, particularly when it involves pasta dishes. “Any meal that my entire family will eat at the dinner table is my favorite meal,” she jokes. 

If there is one word that defines Ms. Aguado, it’s clearly positivity. “When you’re presented with challenges, you might feel set back, but with the right mindset, you can accomplish anything,” she said. “I try to teach my students and children that with the right attitude, you can overcome any challenging situation.”

Jessica Bellomo

By Sophia Xu

Ms. Jessica Bellomo, who used to crack jokes in the back row, now stands at the front of classrooms, bringing with her the same kindness and warmth she remembers from her own high school trigonometry class. Meet Ms. Bellomo, the newest addition to Great Neck South’s math department. 

With the ability to grasp math from multiple angles, which began from her own high school years, Ms. Bellomo broadened the perspectives from which her classmates viewed math. Always ready to explain a different approach to a problem, Ms. Bellomo was someone who many could count on for help. During her sophomore year of high school, as she began to figure out what she wanted to do, Ms. Bellomo began tutoring elementary and middle school students. Here, she began to realize her passion for teaching. “I loved it,” she said. “I had this one kid who had failing grades, and by the time I was done with her, she was in the high 80s. I was like, this is so important. Look at how good [she’s] doing”. 

To follow her passion, Ms. Bellomo attended Adelphi University, where she earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in math and education. After graduation, Ms. Bellomo taught math at Lindenhurst Middle and High School, where she also music-directed the middle school play. Being part of theatre herself in high school—and crediting much of her high school experience to time in the choral room—she’s always had a love for theatre. 

When asked what career she might’ve pursued if she hadn’t become a math teacher, Ms. Bellomo said, “If I had overcome that stage fright earlier, I may have gone into doing Broadway instead of being a math teacher.” In fact, you can often find Ms. Bellomo enjoying Broadway shows in her free time outside of the classroom!

At GNS, Ms. Bellomo teaches the courses Pre-Calculus and Algebra I. She aspires to bring the same enthusiasm to the classroom that her own trigonometry teacher had. She also hopes that her class will be remembered as one where students both learn and have fun.

Ms. Bellomo draws from her own high school experiences when teaching, “I was in honors and AP classes, so I was very academically driven,” she said. “But I was the class clown in the group; I would make jokes and laugh around, whatever. I get it, you know, to a certain extent, [but] we obviously have to make sure we’re still learning.” 

Keeping in mind her own time as a student has helped Ms. Bellomo approach and interact with her students. She hopes that her students can leave her class remembering her as someone serious about math, but also as someone they could always rely on—“their best math teacher ever.”

Mr. Mitchell Braun

By Lilly Lucas

His rigid daily schedule starts even before the sun rises. Every morning, five days a week, Mr. Mitchell (Mitch) Braun can be found weight-training at the gym. He’s got a knack for whipping up weekly nutritional meals. Plus, he’s an ex-volleyballer and a cyclist—all unsurprising information considering he is  the man whose job it is to keep South High’s athletics in order and its students in shape. 

It took Mr. Braun some time to figure out which future career he wanted to pursue. He found his passion at sleepaway camp, where he worked as the camp’s athletic director, his first time running an athletic program. “I really enjoyed seeing kids be successful with the things that I taught them,” he said. “If I went over something, they practiced it, worked on it, and then they got a little bit of a taste of success. Seeing their joy from being successful from something I showed is what really inspired me to teach.” 

After graduating from Queens College with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Brooklyn College with a Master of Science in Physical Education, he began his career as a Physical Education teacher at Clara Barton High School.  Since then, he’s worked at five other schools. In his 17 years working at Great Neck North, Mr. Braun held the roles of teacher, dean, and athletic director. Running the athletic department requires significant effort, but Mr. Braun’s past experience enables him to lead effectively.  “I’m helping the coaches do their job, which is actually helping the athletes,” he says. “I’m able to impact a lot more things from my position than I would be able to from coaching one team.” 

Now at South High, Mr. Braun has made his expectations for the athletes clear since day one. “I want to make sure players never get out-worked [by other teams]. That’s the most important thing to me because getting out-worked is [a] choice”. Mr. Braun cherishes watching his athletes improve throughout the season, hoping they keep this work ethic in mind while playing. This expectation is part of his overall goal as an educator: to instill respect in his students, a value he hopes will stay with them for their entire lives. As he learned from a young age, it is crucial to conduct yourself in a positive manner. He says, “It costs nothing to be kind.”

“I know that I’m typically terrifying to most people who see me,” Mr. Braun said. “But I also think that anytime anyone gets to sit own and talk to me, or gets to know me, they realize that I’m not quite as scary as my persona seems, that I’m here to be helpful for people.”

Aeriell Clem

By Andrew An

With only 10 minutes left of your lunch period, you decide to review your math notes before the test. But your iPad starts glitching: Desmos won’t load, apps start disappearing one by one, and suddenly you’re sweating like you just ran a marathon. In a panic, you rush over to the IT room, leaping over freshmen like they’re hurdles and sliding under legs like in Subway Surfers. Then, a new face appears: Ms. Aeriell Clem, South High’s newest technology specialist.  And before you can even explain what’s wrong, she’s already swiveling her chair toward your iPad, her steady smile diffusing your crisis.

 As a child, Ms. Clem developed an interest in technology while helping her dad at his computer store. “I worked with him, and I got quite interested in the floppy disks. And then my dad brought me home my own Commodore 64, which is way beyond your guys’ time,” said Ms. Clem. “I used to be able to take those apart and put them back together with my eyes closed.”

After graduating high school in 1996, she entered college without a set path, often switching majors and working in the car and boating industries. She later joined Local 3 as an electrical apprentice, doing data work for AT&T. After becoming a mom to two boys, she took on part-time workshop projects like making cards, but even then, “I needed to do something, I didn’t want to stay home forever,” said Ms. Clem. She eventually moved from Queens to Long Island, where she found an opportunity at John Clenn High School. “One of my neighbors was like, ‘Hey, we’re looking for teaching assistants in our school’, and I was like, ‘all right’, so I went in part-time.” From there, she worked 10 years at John Glenn before arriving at Great Neck South High.

Ms. Clem views her job as more than just a library job. “The most rewarding part is being able to lend my experience and skills on to the next staff, teacher, student, and even sometimes custodians—passing along what I know and… making them feel better about themselves.” Her winding path has shaped the advice she now gives her own children. “I don’t say that everybody has to go to college, but I think everybody needs a skill,” Ms. Clem said. She encourages students to find something they genuinely enjoy and pursue it, whether it’s through college, trade schools, or even online certifications. “If college isn’t for you, then figure out something you like and learn it,” she said. Reflecting on her own journey, she hopes others won’t feel pressured to keep jumping from one path to the next the way she did. “Here I am, late in life, finally landing on a career I could have done in the beginning,” Ms. Clem said.

In addition to her interest in technology, Ms. Clem has experience in wrestling, tracing back to her high school years. “Back then, I was not allowed to compete, so I was kind of like in the background, training with the guys,” said Ms. Clem. She admired female wrestler Helen Maroulis because Maroulis proved that women can compete in sports with men. This hobby eventually influenced her two sons, who are currently D1 wrestlers at Sacred Heart. But beyond wrestling, she emphasizes the idea of work ethic and being true to yourself, instilling that value in both her own children and students at South High: “Be unique. Be you always and put your best effort first.”

Ms. Jaclyn Citarella

By Renee Chou

On summer mornings, you might find Ms. Jaclyn Citarella on the beach of Fire Island with a whistle around her neck, surveying the waves as a lifeguard. For nine years, she has not only kept beachgoers safe, but also taught children how to swim, a role she says mirrors her passion for teaching. “I enjoy the process of helping build up skills and then eventually seeing the moment where kids or students are finally able to do something on their own,” she explained.

Ms. Citarella grew up in West Islip on Long Island. She stayed close to home for college, earning a biology degree and then a graduate degree in teaching from Stony Brook University. While in college, she discovered her love for teaching through lab and classroom assistance. “Even when my schedule was super busy, I still looked forward to these experiences,” she said. That hands-on exposure helped her decide to pursue a career in education. 

In addition to lifeguarding, she teaches Inquiry Through Chemistry, Forensics, and Anatomy & Physiology here at Great Neck South High. Her favorite part of teaching is getting to know everyone. She emphasizes that a good teacher needs both technical skill and genuine care. “You have to want your students to succeed, even if maybe they’re not super into it themselves sometimes,” she said.

Ms. Citarella’s approach to learning is interactive and engaging. In her chemistry class, she often introduces activities before explaining the topic. Technology also plays a key role, with simulations that help students visualize complex concepts. 

Outside of school, she enjoys reading, visiting coffee shops, and walking along the beach near Robert Moses, even in cooler weather. Recently, she graduated with her master’s in teaching and just celebrated her promotion to Chief Lifeguard. She noted, “It’s been a fun year professionally, and I’m just excited to keep growing, both in and out of the classroom.”

Mr. Daniel Graham

By Maya Arama

Mr. Daniel Graham was once a student at South High School who seized classroom opportunities that others underestimated. The singular math class he took at the age of 16 made a lasting impression on him. While he was just a junior, he was set on what he would be in the future. He’s turned that aspiration into a reality, having taught math for over 11 years now.

It was an average day in math class when Mr. Graham realized he was especially good at helping his classmates. “I always found a different way to explain and connect with my classmates,” said Mr. Graham. And from then on, it clicked; he was going to be a math teacher. To achieve his dream, he has studied at SUNY Cortland for his undergraduate studies and the New York Institute of Technology for his graduate studies. Immediately after his schooling, he started working in New York City, teaching math to middle school students. He chose to work there instead of on Long Island or elsewhere because of the many employment opportunities such an extensive school system provided. Mr. Graham found it particularly valuable to start off with experience under his belt, to know where he stood in education, and to be exposed to as many different things as possible.

While working in New York City, Mr. Graham noticed that the student population was much denser there than in Great Neck. This obstacle made classroom management, which Mr. Graham found himself excelling in, a top priority. The most important thing he discovered about teaching is to understand that not all students can understand the same content in the same way. “I’d say for me personally in math class, it’s being able to explain things multiple ways and [have] different approaches so students can see [content] from different angles to help make [it] click for them,” he said.

Mr. Graham’s favorite part of his job is helping students see connections between math problems and the real world. He’s found that this teaching method captures students’ attention, just as it did with his classmates in high school. He incorporates current events, sports, and celebrities into his lessons so that students find them more interesting than they find letters, signs, and numbers. He finds it especially rewarding to help struggling students finally understand a concept and see the confusion on their faces fade. 

Mr. Graham not only brings sports into his lessons, but he also enjoys sports in his personal life. He has a passion for playing golf, as well as watching football and baseball, all activities that allow him to spend time with his friends. His favorite teams have always been the Jets and the Mets. In addition to his friends, Mr. Graham also values his family. As an uncle to two kids, he supports his niece and nephew whenever he gets the chance, going to their cheerleading, dance, and T-ball events.  

Mr. Graham’s commitment to family and teaching doesn’t stop during breaks. Over the summer, he participates in a five-week teaching program, goes to his parents’ pool, and spends even more time with his family. He also enjoys traveling; he’s been to South Africa, the Caribbean, Paris, and half of the states in America. His favorite experience so far has been a ten-day Safari trip, but his favorite place is the Caribbean for its calm beaches.

Mr. Graham’s experiences as a student and teacher have taught him to be open to possibility, whether that entails following a new diet—as I later learn that he does—or tackling the many confusions that students have. “All students can learn,” he says. “You just have to figure out the how—how you get them there.”

Mr. Mark Kagiwada

By Surabhi Deitz

He can be seen subbing a class, helping out at the gymnasium, or browsing the shelves at the local shoe store. Mr. Mark Kagiwada, the newest addition to South High School’s physical education department, believes in encouraging students to maintain health and athleticism throughout their lives.

In middle school, Mr. Kagiwada looked up to his physical education teacher, who taught him for all three years. When he entered high school, his wrestling coach was a new source of inspiration, which “planted the seed for me wanting to do physical education,” he said. 

Mr. Kagiwada’s own physical fitness journey started in middle school, when he took up soccer and wrestling. When he entered high school, he stopped playing soccer and focused his attention on wrestling. He was a varsity wrestler all four years of high school. “When you’re a freshman or a sophomore on varsity, you’re going to be at a slight disadvantage compared to other older kids, so it’s a lot of learning. Learning how to “swim” at that level […] it’s just an experience of learning how to fit in with that group of varsity athletes.” Now, as a teacher, he continues his fitness journey by going to the gym and playing basketball or football with friends.

Mr. Kagiwada is also an avid shoe collector, with over 200 pairs. 35-40 of those shoes are just for wrestling. He started the collection while working at a shoe store in college. “I’m drowning in shoes,” he said. His collection contains vintage, discontinued, and rare shoes of many kinds, and he donates his extra shoes to the schools where he coaches.

Mr. Kagiwada’s goals include becoming a full-time PE and health teacher and a wrestling coach. He is passionate about lifelong fitness and is currently exploring colleges to pursue a degree in health. “[If] you stay consistent and build up a foundational, fundamental strength, by the time you reach your old age, you will not suffer as many injuries or health problems.”

Ms. Marie Lolis

By Elaine Bai

Biology. Musical theatre. Chemistry. Journalism. You might be one of the people who feels life is like a thousand-piece puzzle. You might be tired of testing more and more new pieces, only to realize that none of them are quite right. That was Ms. Marie Lolis’s journey. She explored many paths, each of which taught her something about herself. Yet it wasn’t until she stepped into Great Neck South High as the newest Special Education Office Assistant that she really knew what she wanted to do.

Before Ms. Lolis found her puzzle piece, she explored a variety of interests in college. At first, she wanted to be an earth science teacher, yet after trying chemistry and geology, she switched tacks. In the end, she realized, “I like to write. I like to research. And most importantly, I like talking… to people, hearing their perspectives on things.” So, she joined Stony Brook University’s magazine and majored in journalism there. Those same skills became the foundation for her future in education.

Beyond her career, Ms. Lolis draws much of her identity from her family. Having emigrated from Greece, her grandparents influenced her from a young age. “They raised families, they raised me—I think there’s a lot of value in that hard work,” she said. Because of this, Ms. Lolis is a very philanthropic person who always does her best to help both students and her family, especially her younger sister. She spends much of her time mentoring her sister and cousins in the same way that her grandparents once did. “I’m trying to help them avoid the mistakes  I made when I was in school,” she said. She brings that same mindset to her teaching as well, always motivating her students and helping them with whatever they need.

Her advice to students is rooted in personal experiences, including a few lessons learned the hard way. In high school, she joined many activities, including DECA, the Jazz Choir, chamber choirs, and the musical. However, she discovered her love for writing only after joining the magazine in college. With these experiences, she advises students: “Don’t follow what other people are doing. If you’re joining a club just because you think it’s good for your resume, you’re not passionate about it. You have to look at what you want to do and get involved in that. Do what you’re passionate about and what you like. Don’t follow everyone else.”

Mr. Jon Maccarello

By Ivy Li 

A shiny coin jingles against the keys in his pocket. Clink. Since he was seven, Mr. Jon Maccarello, the newest addition to the social studies department, has carried a coin older than himself wherever he goes. 

“I asked [my grandma] what it was. She’s like, I have no idea. And so back then, I had to go to the library, and I would research, research, research.” He said. “It was honestly that experience of going back and researching an actual artifact and holding it and feeling it that made me interested in anthropology.” 

That early curiosity led Mr. Maccarello to pursue anthropology in college. While working as a teaching assistant, he fell in love with educating students. He was referred to the social studies department at Stony Brook University, and the rest is history.

Now, in his eighth year of teaching, Mr. Macarrello’s passion for education has deepened with the birth of his first daughter. “It is probably the most impactful thing that I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “When I come into the classroom, and I do what I do every day, it’s for her too,” 

Teaching world history to ninth- and tenth-graders, Mr. Macarello keeps his fascination with coins alive. “[The original owners of the coin] experienced pretty much everything that we talk about in history class,” he reflects. With approximately 50,000 of them in his collection, his favorite is the Saint Gaudens double eagle, an American coin. 

“It’s seen the rise of the Roman Republic, the fall, the Dark Ages, the Black Death, and ended up in my pocket here.” 

Mrs. Megan Muttee

By Sofia Gurtman

Goat’s eye, frogs’ legs, snails, and crickets. While these may seem like ingredients meant to be placed in a witch’s cauldron, they are actually all foods that have been consumed by South High’s newest World Language department member, Mrs. Megan Muttee. 

Mrs. Muttee, who describes herself as “just a boring mom,” fell in love with Latin when she went to Rome during her junior year of high school. “I was in the Colosseum, and I’m in the Roman Forum, and I’m looking at all of these buildings and all of this stuff that I had spent the last six years of my life learning about. And I was like, this is amazing,” she said.  At that moment, she decided that if she were going to pay to learn about something, Latin would be it.

Mrs. Muttee, one of six children, grew up in a family of teachers. “My older sister, my younger sister, and two of my sisters-in-law were all teachers,” she said. Yet, upon entering Hofstra to earn a Classics degree, she was sure that teaching as a career was completely out of the picture. She feared that teaching would be too much work and that students would be challenging to bond with. Pile on a fear of public speaking, and one can begin to understand her original dislike for the profession.

Mrs. Muttee graduated from CUNY Hunter with a master’s degree and a plan to become a museum curator, but that didn’t work out due to student loans. She needed a job, and when a subbing opportunity came her way, she took it. Mrs. Muttee ended up in a Latin class, subbing for her former Latin teacher, Mr. Whalley, who had a significant influence on her decision to become a Latin teacher. “He always knew how to make it feel a little bit silly,” she said. Mrs. Muttee hopes to infuse this approach into her teaching. 

Once Mrs. Muttee began interacting with students and teaching them about the culture that had such an impact on her, she abandoned her fear of public speaking and decided to pursue teaching after all. Mrs. Muttee worked in New York City for seven years with the Department of Education, and then at North Shore High and Middle School for two years. 

A large part of learning Latin—in addition to learning the language itself—is learning the culture, which Mrs. Muttee recognizes. “I think that it’s so important to make sure that there’s fun and games and silliness and culture infused into everything, so that you can always be learning something about these really interesting people that shaped so much of what European society looks like today,”  she said. 

Mrs. Muttee hopes that students remember her as “somebody that cares about who they are as people and what affects them, and their place in the larger school community and world.”

Ms. Amanda Reilly

By Lucas Lin

The rhythm of waves crashing and seagulls squawking by the ocean; fishermen reel their rods while people dig into the sand for crabs; cold wind blows past you every few seconds, the only thing making the hot, sticky sand tolerable. You see a family plucking crustaceans from the shore and dropping them into a bucket. As you squint your eyes and expel the sun’s glare, you realize it’s Ms. Amanda Reilly, the new guidance counselor at South High, raising and cleaning oysters as part of a volunteer project.

Ms. Reilly has a deep connection with the ocean, and she is now giving back to it. “I grew up on the water, and I live near the water now on the South Shore. I don’t fish as much as my kids and my husband do, but going in the boat, the clamming, the oysters, that’s all a part of our life,” she said. In May of this year, Ms. Reilly joined the Great South Bay Oyster Project, a volunteer-powered organization through The Cornell Cooperative’s SPAT program. The project aims to filter and maintain the cleanliness of the Great South Bay by restoring the oyster population.

Ms. Reilly attended a Long Island high school, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for her undergraduate degree, and Fordham University for her graduate degree, where she was enrolled in a school counseling program. According to Ms. Reilly, she planned out her career path by high school. “I had a really good relationship with my high school guidance counselor. I wanted to be able to impact and touch the lives of a lot of people, so I was debating originally becoming a psychologist or a school counselor.” She decided on school counseling because it offers broader outreach to the community. The best part? Ms. Reilly still keeps in touch with her high school counselor. They both work in Long Island districts, so they see each other during meetings. Both are passionate about their work and strive to make an impact on their communities.

Ms. Reilly’s goal for the school year is to build a strong connection with her students. “I want to make sure that students know that I am here to support them no matter what, through everything, through the ups, the downs, and to make the office a welcoming place,” she said. According to Ms. Reilly, the most fulfilling aspects of being a school counselor are making an impact on students’ lives and helping them plan their college lives. “Let’s plan your life for the next four years. Let’s look at this in a different way. Where do you want to live for the next four years? Where do you want to put down roots somewhere else? It’s so cool to explore all these things and these places,” said Ms. Reilly. 

Ms. Reilly’s message for students is to become more involved in the school community and not to stress over test scores. “I really encourage students to join things that they like, that they want to be a part of,” she said. “Looking back, I don’t remember every test grade that I got in tenth grade, chemistry, or whatever class, and that doesn’t define me.” 

Mr. Anthony Rivera

By Emily Zhang

Stepping into his office, visitors immediately notice the welcoming design, faintly reminiscent of a child’s dentist’s office. To the left are two cushioned blue chairs, neatly arranged beside a small table, decorated with colorful candy. A slight awkwardness lingers in the air, but he dispels it with an encouraging nod. A polished nameplate sits at the front of his desk: Anthony Rivera, Chairperson of World Languages & ENL.

As a student, Mr. Rivera had initially set his sights on a career in science. After high school, he began college as a forensic science major with a minor in chemistry. “I was doing well until I reached organic chemistry… it was a bit challenging,” he recalled. Around that time, a memory resurfaced of his high school Italian teacher, who had once commented that he would make a great language teacher. Influenced by those words, Mr. Rivera shifted his career path, graduating from Queens College with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature and Language. He then went on to complete his master’s in foreign language education at Hofstra University and earned an Advanced Certification in ENL instruction. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Rivera has been driven by his desire to be a role model for his students. “I was one of the only Hispanics in my school district,” he said. “So that kind of pushed me to say, you know, I want to be an agent of change for other Hispanic students, or for students who speak various languages.” As both a teacher and department chair, he aims to empower students to experience a language not only through vocabulary and grammar but also through culture. “It’s one thing to study a language and learn the mechanics of it,” he explained, “but it’s another thing to learn the language through the lens of the people who live and breathe and speak that language every day.”

This year, Mr. Rivera teaches AP Spanish and Spanish III, taking a holistic approach to evaluating his students. “Something that I always try to bring to the classroom is various modalities in which [students] can show that they are engaged and willing to learn… It’s not just this way or the highway.” He hopes that his classes can become a place where students feel comfortable and open to learning. 

Outside of school, Mr. Rivera enjoys spending time with his friends and family, going on walks with his two dogs, and dancing. “It brings me a lot of joy to listen to music and connect to the words, [which I] express through dance,” he said. He prefers upbeat styles like merengue, bachata, and reggaeton.

Mr. Rivera describes teaching as a “shooting star,” reflecting the ups and downs of his work. “Teaching is a revolving door forever. Students change, standards change, life events change, and we have to be able to adapt to those environments,” he said. “[But] the students are fantastic. Not only do I feel like they want to learn from me, but I’m also learning a lot from them as well, and the ideas they bring to the classroom really inspire me to continue doing what I’m doing.”

Mr. Michael Rodin

By Sofia Tse

Did you know 81% of teens graduate high school without knowing how to boil noodles? Do you ever wonder if you’ll be part of this statistic? Have no fear, Mr. Michael Rodin is here! With his friendly demeanor and warm smile, he welcomes students with special needs with a scent of Italian food from a classroom beside the library.

Mr. Rodin is a new teacher’s assistant in the Special Education department at South High this year. Working with ninth- and tenth-graders in the academic skills classes, he aims to help students perform at their best. Mr. Rodin was inspired to become a part of South High by his former high school football coach, Coach Jim Morrow, the current South High Special Education Chairperson, and his mother, who works for the GNTA (Great Neck Teachers Association).

Before coming to South High, Mr. Rodin worked with special needs students at Nassau BOCES where he interacted with students of varying learning capacities. There, he reinforced his belief that learning extends beyond the classroom. “It’s more than just teaching. It’s about showing students life skills: how to cook, communicate, and achieve their goals.”

Mr. Rodin became interested in special education through personal experience. He has a cousin who has nonverbal autism. “Seeing her grow, learn, and overcome challenges inspired me to pursue this field.” His family has also played a significant role in Mr. Rodin’s positive attitude in life and work ethic. He said, “[They] have always pushed me to be my best and to stay positive,“ an attitude he tries to incorporate in his classroom. According to him, the most essential qualities for a special educator are a positive attitude, a patient mindset, and a joyful approach to teaching.

There are not many things Mr. Rodin values more than improving students’ confidence and grasp of learning. “When a student struggles with a concept and then finally understands it—that moment of realization—it’s an incredible feeling,” he said. “You can actually see their confidence grow.”

Outside of school, Mr. Rodin likes to teach football and cook, the latter of which he learned from his grandma. To him, “[Cooking is] something that brings my family together.”

In the coming years, Mr. Rodin said, “My goal is to understand each student’s individual needs and make their experience at South High as positive and successful as possible.” Above everything, he wants his students to remember him as a compassionate educator. “I [hope to make] learning enjoyable, engaging, and worthwhile.” 

And if there is one thing that we could do for this teacher assistant, he said to “Put yourself in other people’s shoes and realize that not every day is going to be a good day. Be mindful and caring toward others.”

Mr. Luke Sulli 

By Iason Eglezopoulos

With a younger brother the same age as his students, former college track athlete Mr. Luke Sulli is the newest addition to South High’s science department. After graduating from college last May, Mr. Sulli now joins the staff as a ninth-grade biology teacher.

Originally from Seaford, Long Island, Mr. Sulli attended Adelphi University, where he completed a five-year program allowing him to earn his bachelor’s degree in biology and his master’s in teaching faster than the traditional route. Since high school, he has been interested in science because of its relevance to everyone’s life, but he gravitated specifically towards biology, as it was far less math-heavy. Influenced by stories his mother brought home from her college classroom and inspired by his high school science teachers, Mr. Sulli knew early on that he wanted to be a teacher. He has since proved himself right, as he feels that teaching provides him with the greatest sense of purpose. “I find that I’m my best self when I’m helping other people learn or get better at something,” he said. 

Mr. Sulli’s path to teaching was far from being only academic. Since freshman year of high school, the track became his second classroom. When he didn’t make the basketball team, he made the spontaneous decision to join track with some friends instead. Fortunately, he immediately excelled at the sport. In college, he ran D2 track, specializing in the 110m hurdles. By his senior year, he stepped up as captain, acting as a mentor before he even earned the title of “teacher.” “As a captain, you help all the younger athletes,” he said. Through this leadership role, he gained experience and realized that helping his teammates brought him the most satisfaction. This spring, he will once again run track from a new perspective—not as a runner, but as the middle school track coach. 

Just as Mr. Sulli connects to students through his experiences on the track, he finds common ground with them in everyday life. Recently being in his students’ position—for example, trying to sneak a look at his phone when the teacher is turned around—and having a younger brother who is currently a freshman makes the connection between Mr. Sulli and his students even clearer. Being relatively close in age is both a disadvantage and an advantage. His students are more likely to test his boundaries, but he also “understands what the students are talking about and the lingo that they use,” he said.

This connection with his students extends to the biology classroom, where Mr. Sulli strives to create a positive learning environment. His favorite teaching approach involves providing students with information and allowing them to work out the details together. He also greatly values the teacher-student relationship.  He said, “I like to have fun in my class. I like to bring everyone together and get to know everyone individually. I could stand to emphasize focus and discipline a little more, but I like to have a good time, and I feel like if I’m happy and upbeat, students doing the learning will be the same.” 

His primary goal is for students to remember his class fondly. “Even if the students don’t like biology,” he said, “I am hoping [that they] have a positive time and look forward to coming to class.”

Ms. Amanda Zolotin

By Tristan Lee

You may have seen Ms. Amanda Zolotin cheering at a concert or a baseball game. At South High, she brings that same enthusiasm to her work as a behavior analyst, supporting students who benefit from additional social, emotional, and behavioral support. With 18 years of teaching experience at North High School, she has transitioned from a special education teacher to a behavioral analyst who specializes in helping teachers develop strategies for students with diverse learning and behavioral needs. 

Ms. Zolotin began her teaching career at North Middle School, where she worked directly with students in special education. As she worked, her desire to better understand and support students grew stronger.  “I wanted to learn how to help them in a better way,” she said. Eventually, she followed her dreams and earned a degree in behavioral analysis at Hunter College in 2016. Now, Ms. Zolotin works in four Great Neck schools: South High, South Middle, Lakeville, and Parkville. Her job consists of observing students when needed and helping teachers develop strategies. “I really like working with staff and helping them. I enjoy teaching teachers new strategies that they use with their students, “she said.

This year marks her first at South High School. Although she’s in a new environment, she has adapted quickly. “Everyone’s been super nice,” she said. She finds all the students friendly and the staff extremely welcoming, and loves being here.

Outside of her professional life, Ms. Zolotin loves to go to concerts and see her favorite band,  Phish. She also loves relaxing at home and spending quality time with her family. One way she does this is by watching her uncle Lee Mazzilli, a professional baseball player who played in the 1986 World Series.

As she starts this new chapter of her life, Ms. Zolotin’s goal is simple: To help teachers and students, one classroom at a time.