Greenwich Schools Names New Special Education Program Coordinator

Information via Greenwich Public Schools

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones announced on Monday that Daniel Katz has been named special education program coordinator for the district, effective later this month.

Katz replaces Krystina Dawson, who recently departed GPS to become the district mental health supervisor at Trumbull Public Schools.

Katz will be responsible for meeting the needs of students with exceptionalities; providing support to special education teachers and parents through planning & placement team meetings; supporting and providing professional development trainings; coordinating with special education teachers and/or general education classroom teachers to ensure equitable access to curriculum; and supervising the District evaluation teams. He will report directly to Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports Dr. Stacey Heiligenthaler.

"We are excited to welcome Mr. Katz to the department of special education and student supports," Heiligenthaler said in a news release. "He brings with him a vast knowledge, from both public and specialized school programs, that will support special education programming for all students in our district."

Katz comes to GPS from Cooperative Educational Services’ Therapeutic Day Program in Trumbull, where he served as the program administrator since 2019, contributing to strategic planning and leadership team initiatives.

From 2014 through 2019, he was first a school counselor, life coach and college coach, before becoming the director of guidance and then dean of students at the Spire School in Stamford, an independent, therapeutic day school for intellectually capable students in Grades 6-12 who struggle academically, socially and emotionally.

Katz’s prior experience also occurred at Wilton High School and Norwalk High School.

"I am thrilled to be joining a community that prioritizes high expectations for all learners," Katz said in a news release. "As an educator, I aspire to meet the diverse needs of all students and look forward to collaborating with both in-district and out-of-district programs to facilitate meaningful learning opportunities for our students."

Katz holds a master's degree in counselor education from Fairfield University. He earned his administrator certification and Sixth Year Degree in educational leadership from Sacred Heart University.