Ridgewood Public Schools: New RPS Teachers

Press release from Ridgewood Public Schools:

09/30/2021

This year, the District welcomed thirty new educators into the New Teacher Induction Program. Over the course of four years on the path to tenure, it is the goal of the District to provide sufficient support to develop excellent teachers who will be committed to the best interests of our students while growing into teacher-leaders who will advance the district's mission and vision.

I am excited to be starting my 17th year teaching Latin at Ridgewood. I was previously at Voorhees High School, but the Ridgewood language program has such a strong reputation that I was happy to join the team here. Latin has been a place where I have always felt a sense of belonging, and I look forward to passing that along to a new group of students. In addition to teaching, I'm involved in the National Latin Exam, American Classical League, and am working on an M.Ed. in learning design and technology.

Justine Capolongo, RISe Special Education Teacher, Benjamin Franklin Middle School
This is my sixth year of teaching, and I’m excited to begin my journey with the RISe program at BF. Along with education being a fulfilling career, I became an educator in honor of my late grandfather who encouraged patience and compassion. When I’m not at school, I’m typically at the lake or hiking with my two dogs, Lenny and Hank.
I am excited to be starting my 17th year teaching Latin at Ridgewood. I was previously at Voorhees High School, but the Ridgewood language program has such a strong reputation that I was happy to join the team here. Latin has been a place where I have always felt a sense of belonging, and I look forward to passing that along to a new group of students. In addition to teaching, I'm involved in the National Latin Exam, American Classical League, and am working on an M.Ed. in learning design and technology.

Justine Capolongo, RISe Special Education Teacher, Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Natalie Cardillo, Music Teacher, Ridgewood High School My name is Ms. Cardillo, and I am the new Choir Director of Ridgewood High School! I moved to the area from Baltimore, Maryland and am very excited to be back in the classroom and hear so many voices singing together again. When I was in high school, I had a fabulous choir teacher named Mr. Ehrlich who helped me find my passion for teaching and studying music. I hope to help my students develop a lifelong appreciation of music and continue making music professionally or just for fun. The RHS Music Department looks forward to performing for you this year!

Christa Darakjy, Science Teacher, Ridgewood High School

My name is Christa Darakjy (pronounced duh-rock-G), and I teach 9th-grade biology. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, and traveling. As a lifelong Bergen County resident, I am very excited to join the Ridgewood team!

Erica Hoff, Education Specialist, Orchard Elementary School
Christina Jannone, Health and Physical Education Teacher, Ridgewood High School
Laura Vargo, LDT-C, Ridgewood High School
I’m a Bergen County native and attended The College of New Jersey for my undergraduate degree and earned my Master’s in School Counseling at Montclair State University. I have been working as a school counselor and helping students with the college application process for over six years. In my free time, I love watching sports (go Yankees!), walking my dogs, and cooking. I also enjoy traveling and learning new skills; I recently started playing tennis and had a great time at the U.S. Open this past summer. I am passionate about my role as a school counselor because it is my goal to promote a supportive environment where students feel confident and connected to their school community.
Vanessa Veenstra, First Grade Teacher, Orchard Elementary School
My name is Vanessa Veenstra, and I am so thrilled to be a part of the RPS community. I had the opportunity to be a maternity leave replacement at Orchard School in the past, and I knew I was at a special school and in a special community. When I saw that I would have the opportunity to come back to Orchard, I knew I was joining a school community where everyone was so supportive and welcoming. I am very excited to be starting as a first-grade teacher at Orchard, and I am looking forward to seeing all the ways that I can grow as a teacher at Ridgewood Public Schools!
William Veres, STEPSS Coach, Special Programs, RPS
My name is Mr. Veres. One of my passions in life besides my family and being in the great outdoors is my career in special education. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. There have been teachers in my family, and I always respected the field. I always knew that I would have a career as a teacher, but I never knew that my life’s journey would lead me into the field of special education. Very few things bring me the joy I feel when I see students overcome struggles that they have and are able to generalize and apply learned skills across all aspects of their lives.
Rae Wine, LDT-C, Somerville Elementary School
My name is Rae Wine, and I am the PERL (Program for Emotional Regulation Learning) teacher in Somerville. I became a special educator almost seven years ago to help students of all abilities empower themselves as learners in their own unique ways. I could not be more excited to join the Ridgewood community, as I have heard that it is the best of the best! I am looking forward to learning more and more about this wonderful community and how it works together to support one another!

This press release was produced by Ridgewood Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.