Schalmont is excited to announce our new school leaders who our students and families will be seeing a lot of soon!
⭐ Emily Rose – Assistant Principal, Jefferson Elementary
⭐ Meghan Holdsworth – Assistant Principal, Schalmont Middle School
⭐ Kelsey Heck – Assistant Principal, Schalmont High School
⭐ Alisa Balestrino – K-12 Assistant Principal, Student Support Services
“We are incredibly excited to welcome these amazing educators to Schalmont,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reardon. “Their shared passion for working with students and families make them a perfect fit for Schalmont. Our students will see them in our hallways and classrooms, looking to build connections to better help them.”
Mrs. Rose will help lead Jefferson Elementary after recently working for Berne-Knox-Westerlo CSD, where she served as a Social Studies and a Special Education Teacher. During her time in the district, Mrs. Rose also served as a Team Leader, Committee on Special Education Chair, Assistant Technology Coordinator, Mentor, and Summer School Principal.
“A resident of Schalmont, Emily is extremely excited to be a part of our school community,” said Dr. Reardon. “Though she doesn’t officially start until September, Emily has been working at Jefferson in the afternoons and off hours from the moment she was hired, ready to hit the ground running. Her passion and enthusiasm for her work already shows!”
Mrs. Holdsworth will help lead Schalmont Middle School after recently working for Albany Academy, where she served a leadership role as the Director of Student Services. Previous to Albany Academy, Mrs. Holdsworth worked for Lansingburgh CSD where she worked closely with Middle School students as a School Counselor.
“It was immediately clear to our committees that Meghan would be a perfect addition to Schalmont Middle School,” said Dr. Reardon. “Her energy, commitment, and focus on creating a student-centered culture fits in perfectly with our Middle School.”
Mrs. Heck will help lead Schalmont High School after recently working for Amsterdam CSD, where she served as a FACS Teacher, Club Adviser and Curriculum Leader. Mrs. Heck was also a highly recommended district and building intern at the Middle School, served as a Summer School Principal, and led district efforts focused on student mental health and wellness.
“Kelsey’s varied perspectives and focus on collaboration, hard work, and commitment to being visible make her a natural fit for Schalmont High School,” said Dr. Reardon. “I have no doubt students and families will appreciate her energy and focus on strengthening a positive school culture.”
Mrs. Balestrino will help lead Academic and Instructional Support Services districtwide after recently working for the Poughkeepsie CSD, where she served in a similar capacity as Coordinator of Student Services. Previously, Alisa worked as a teacher in the Pine Bush CSD and Green Chimneys School. She has extensive experience building special education programming, particularly for students who possess significant behavioral and social/emotional needs.
“Alisa joined Schalmont on July 1 and has already worked closely with our Extended School Year Summer program while familiarizing herself with Schalmont’s Special Education systems and procedures,” said Dr. Reardon. “She’s dedicated to working collaboratively with faculty, staff and families to ensure a consistent, fair, individualized program is in place for all our students.”
Welcome to Schalmont! #sabrepride