Croton-Harmon Hires New Director Of Pupil Personnel

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — In anticipation of Karen Gatto's retirement, Croton-Harmon school officials have hired Rachel E. DePaul in Pupil Personnel Services.

She will begin Jan. 3 as assistant to the director and then assume the director's role when Gatto retires Jan. 21 after 10 years with the district.

DePaul comes to Croton-Harmon from the Mount Vernon City School District, where she spent all 15 years of her career in education. Most recently, she held the position of Interim Director of Special Education this semester, having previously served as the Assistant Director of Special Education in Mount Vernon since 2015.

Before 2015, she worked as both a Special Education teacher and the Administrator of Mount Vernon’s Extended School Year Program.

During her time in Mount Vernon, she pioneered the Remedial Action Plan, which established a reform and improvement framework by identifying key systematic approaches to the delivery of special education services and developing a team of skilled instructional support coaches that assisted in implementing enhancements to classroom instructional programs, Croton-Harmon officials said.

DePaul said that when she began her career in education as a classroom teacher, she quickly realized that children didn’t all learn the same way and decided that she wanted to specialize in working with diverse learners.

“I saw how some students excelled while others struggled, not necessarily because they didn’t have the ability to learn, but because they needed to learn differently,” said DePaul. “I developed a passion for meeting the needs of these at-risk students, so I went back to school for my Master’s in order to focus on this area of education.”

Croton-Harmon officials said that in bringing this intensity to Croton-Harmon schools, DePaul has expressed her desire to build upon the district’s “very strong structure” to further develop and sustain an inclusive learning environment that not only provides for the educational needs of all students, including those with disabilities, but also addresses their social and emotional needs. She is also eager to meet with and hear from the principals, as well as parents, about what is working well and where there may be room for improvement or new ideas.

“Rachel has a genuine passion for promoting students’ academic, social and emotional well-being,” said Superintendent Dr. Deborah O’Connell. “I have no doubt that her leadership will help further distinguish Croton-Harmon as a district that meets the needs of all learners and provides true educational equity for all students."

In addition to her Masters of Science in Childhood Education and Students with Disabilities from Mercy College, DePaul also holds a Masters of Science in Public Administration from National University and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College, which she expects to complete in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Council for Exceptional Children as well as the Westchester Alliance of Black School Educators.

DePaul lives in lower Putnam County with her husband and two children, both of whom are attending college.

“We also wish Karen all the best in her retirement and thank her for all she has done for students and their families," O'Connell said.