Ampark Principal

Assistant Principal

Assistant Principal

Pupil Accounting Secretary

Hello! I’m so pleased to be joining this amazing team as your new school secretary. I bring over four years of administrative support experience, five years as a paraprofessional, and more than a decade of volunteer service as a youth leader in my local community.

As a proud mom of four wonderful children, I enjoy decorating, arts and crafts, and finding creative ways to brighten our school environment. I’m truly enthusiastic about contributing to our school’s welcoming and dynamic atmosphere!

Parent Coordinator

Family Worker

Supervising Aide

School AIde

School Aide

PreK Teacher

I have been teaching at AmPark since 2006 and am a founding teacher. I have taught Pre-K-1st grade here at AmPark. I am currently an Adjunct Professor for an ECCE graduate Program since 2018 here in the Bronx . I have also made math videos for a WNET educational program called “Let’s Learn” and I have also been the UFT Chapter Leader for over a decade here at AmPark. I have 3 children, 4 mini Doxies, 2 cats and 24 chickens.

PreK Teacher Assistant

Hi! This is my 10th year at AmPark! I enjoy working with kids and using my experiences to better others. My current interests are gardening and cooking. When I'm not working I am enjoy vacationing and relaxing on the beach.

PreK Teacher

Hello, my name is Milvaris Salazar. This is my third year teaching at AmPark Neighborhood School as a Pre-K teacher. I started my teaching journey as a substitute teacher for 2 years in the Bronx area teaching grades 3k-5th grade. I was born in Lowell, Massachusetts but moved to New York when I was 10. I attended Hunter College where I graduated with a Bachelor’s  degree in Sociology and I'm currently working towards my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. In my free time I like to do nails and sing karaoke.

PreK Teacher Assistant

Hello! My name is Ms.Ionny, and I have been a paraprofessional at Ampark Neighborhood School since 2017. I am currently the classroom Para for Prek2 and have enjoyed being so for the last 7 years. Before joining the teaching field, I was a stay-at-home mama to my four wonderful children. Still, I knew that once I could rejoin the workforce and return to school to finish my degree, I wanted it to involve early childhood education. While my passion has always been working with children, I also enjoy spending quality time with friends, family, and my three marvelous cats!

Kindergarten Teacher

I currently teach Kindergarten. I have been an early childhood educator for 11  years. I joined the Ampark community in 2017. I am originally from Hillburn, NY. I received my bachelors in Music from Clark Atlanta University, a Masters in Music Management from William Paterson University and a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College. I am currently working on my School Leadership certification through CITE/Russell Sage. I have worked as an adjunct professor at Lehman College, and have been featured on WNET  educational program “Let’s Learn.” When I am not working, I am spending time with my family, serving as President of my sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, listening to music, working out, and bowling!

Kindergarten ICT Teacher

It is a pleasure to introduce myself! I am a NYC Bronx Native, and Graduate from Lehman College’s Masters in Early Childhood and Special Education program. I am celebrating my 7th year at AmPark. As a dedicated special education teacher, I enjoy incorporating hands-on activities and projects in the classroom. I believe learning should be both meaningful and fun! When I am not teaching I am exploring the outdoors and spending time with family.

Kindergarten ICT Teacher

Hello everyone! This is my fourth year teaching, and my first year at AmPark. It has been amazing to be welcomed into this community. I have been having a wonderful start to the year here. I love anything to do with animals and nature, and I have had many adopted animals!

Kindergarten Paraprofessional

K-1 Bridge Small Class Teacher

Hello! I'm thrilled to be a part of the Ampark community! With experience in Pre-K, Kindergarten, self-contained, and art classrooms, I love creating a space where creativity, inclusivity, and joy lead the way. I'm passionate about art, especially painting, and recharging in nature through hiking and sports. I'm excited to alongside the children grow, learn, and make great things happen together at Ampark!

Small Class Paraprofessional

Hello, my name is Ashley, I have worked at AmPark for 11 years. I enjoy working with my students and creating new memories and shaping their minds so that they can be the best. I am a mommy of two beautiful spunky girls ages 6 and 2. I am currently completing my masters in Early Childhood education to become a teacher hopefully here at AmPark! 

1st Grade Teacher

I am pleased to say that I have been working with children for more than 30 years in a variety of settings. For the past 17 years, I have taught kindergarten. This is my first year teaching first grade and I LOVE it! I had the pleasure of joining the AmPark family 18 years ago. Oh, how time has flown! 

I am a mother of two amazing children, married to a wonderful man, and reside in Connecticut. I love hosting gatherings, at home and in school. Teaching has always been a passion and still continues to bring me joy each day.

1st Grade Teacher

Hi! My name is Priya Cassidy. I have been part of the AmPark community for 17 years. This will be my 18th year here at AmPark! AmPark has been a home away from home for me and I am grateful for all the opportunities I have had to teach alongside a wonderful community of educators and families. I live in NJ, where I reside with my husband and 9 year old daughter. I enjoy traveling with my family and friends, eating delicious and diverse cuisines, reading, and dancing!

1st Grade Teacher

I grew up in Queens, NY. I currently teach 1st grade as a Special Education teacher. I’ve been teaching at AmPark since 2018. I received my Bachelor’s in Childhood Education from Hunter College and Early Childhood Education from Mercy College. When I am not working, I enjoy traveling with my family and attending live shows.

2nd Grade Teacher

Hello! I am pleased to introduce myself  as one of the second grade teachers at AmPark. This will be my 9th year teaching for the NYCDOE. This is my third year at AmPark. I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies at Iona College, now University. I received a Bachelors in Early Childhood & Childhood Education and my Masters in Special Education and Literacy. 

I love to make connections with my students. My goal is to have students foster a love of learning, to build confidence, independence and to work as a team. I love to read and spend time with my family.

2nd Grade Teacher

Hello my name is Dan and I joined AmPark 8 years ago, 12 years of teaching in total! Over the years I have taught 5th, 4th and now I’m currently in the land of 2nd grade. Originally from Long Island, I made the transition to “upstate” after earning my undergrad from SUNY Oneonta and my masters from Mercy. I also moonlight as an Athletic Director at a high school in Westchester in the afternoons. My wife and I currently live in Westchester with our yellow lab Vinny. When not teaching or coaching you can find me traveling the world to Scuba Dive (I have logged in over 100 dives and just completed my advanced open water certification). This is because in my own opinion there is no greater thrill than being 80 feet underwater and seeing the world in a completely different perspective. It also provides a nice escape from being a die hard Jet and Islander fan - which brings little joy!

2nd Grade Teacher

I was born and raised in the Bronx. I grew up in the Amalgamated community. I graduated from Hunter College with a degree in Sociology, afterwards I attended Lehman College, where I earned my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. I have been teaching for 6 years. I have a dog named Yuki, who is my sassy child. I enjoy going out to eat, watching the latest anime show and playing video games. My favorite color is purple, just like AmPark!

2-3 Bridge Small Class Teacher

Hello my name is Indira Silva and this year marks my 11th year teaching Special Education.Before entering the classroom, I worked in Early Intervention providing ABA services to young children and their families. This experience deeply shaped my belief that every child is unique- with their own strengths and unlimited potential. 

I am a mom to an amazing 7 year old girl and a sweet toy poodle. Family time is my favorite-especially when it involves Disney Magic!

2-3 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

Hi, my name is Mercedes. I have worked at AmPark since 2015. I enjoy working with my students and building positive relationships. When I am not at Ampark,  I am a mother and wife and I invest my time taking care of my husband and three kids. Fun fact: one of my daughters graduated from Ampark, and another is currently enrolled!

2-3 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

Hi! My name is Tracy, I have worked at AmPark for 14 years. I enjoy supporting my 1 to 1 students with learning to read and write. When I am not at Ampark, I enjoy going to church and serving my community with events like feeding the poor. I love listening to worship and praise music. My favorite shows are Wheel Of Fortune, Jeopardy, and Daystar Christian Station. 

2-3 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

Hello! My name is Grisel Ovalles, I joined Ampark 6 years ago, supporting our amazing students. When I’m not at work, you can find me enjoying nature or spending time with my family.

2-3 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

3rd Grade Teacher

With 39 years of experience in education, I began my teaching career as a paraprofessional in 1988. Throughout my journey, I have had the privilege of teaching students in PreK through 8th grade, but my heart truly belongs to 3rd and 4th grade. That's why I was so excited to join the team at AmPark, where I get to share my love for learning with my 3rd grade students.

Outside the classroom, I have a passion for travel, and I’ve been fortunate to visit many countries around the world. However, Egypt holds a special place in my heart as my favorite travel destination. I am the proud mother of two children, a daughter and a son, and my heart belongs to my twin grandchildren, who bring me so much joy and inspiration. I am excited about the year ahead and look forward to all the adventures and growth we will experience together in the classroom.

3rd Grade Teacher

I am originally from Brooklyn, NY but now a proud resident of the Bronx where I live with my daughter. I have been teaching for 13 years in both charter and DOE schools. I am excited to join the Ampark family!. When I am not teaching, I am dancing, going to see broadway shows and chasing after my toddler! 

3rd Grade teacher

Originally from Suffern, NY, I have been a teacher for the NYC DOE for over 28 years! I graduated cum laude from SUNY Geneseo, and received a masters in elementary education from Lehman College. I began my teaching career at PS 96 in the Bronx, then taught at the Special Music School in Manhattan, and have been teaching at Ampark for the past 15 years. I live in Northern Westchester with my husband Michael, my son Freddie, my daughter Sasha, and my two dachshunds Schnitzel and Strudel! In my spare time I am a total foodie! I love to travel, sightsee, and try delicious foods from all over the world! I am also addicted to seeing Broadway shows! My favorite food is sushi and my favorite color is periwinkle blue. Go Ampark Owls!

4th Grade Teacher

Hello, my name is Melissa McFadden and this marks my 20th year of teaching and my first year of teaching at AmPark. I was born and raised in the Bronx.  I am a “Dance Mom” to a teenager and a 27 year old.  I have two wonderful cats, Tara and Jax. I enjoy reading, binge watching television and being a "foodie."

4th Grade ICT Teacher

Hello!  My name is Wandiza Williams and I joined the AmPark community in 2017 as a 5th grade ELA/SS teacher.  Currently, I am teaching 4th grade.  With over 20 years of teaching experience in the vivacious Boogie Down Bronx, I bring passion, creativity, and dedication to the classroom every day. I earned National Board Certification in Literacy-Reading/Language Arts and a Master’s Degree in Urban Childhood Education from Adelphi University.   My training in Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education (CRSE) from New York University equips me to lead, promote, and advocate for cultural equity, diversity, and social justice in and outside the classroom.  I am a self-proclaimed “book nerd” and diverse children’s book collector.  My goal is to highlight awareness of who is represented, underrepresented, and misrepresented to elevate the voices of untold stories through literacy, discussion, and acts of service.  Outside of the classroom, I am a proud and devoted wife with an adult daughter and twin teenagers.  My family is everything to me.  I put the “lit” in literacy and keep the lights on to read for both students and teachers.  Sharing my passion for literacy, diversity, and education is at the heart of everything I do.

4th Grade ICT Special Education Teacher & IEP Teacher

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and have been teaching throughout New York City for the last 20 years. I have been teaching at AmPark since 2012 in various roles. I am currently working as our IEP teacher and providing reading intervention and ICT support in our 4th  grade ELA classroom. When I’m not at work, I enjoy running around to various sporting events with my husband, three children and our English Bulldog, Ruby.

4-5 Bridge Small Class Teacher

Hey families,  I am super excited to be at AmPark Neighborhood School and to have the opportunity to teach the next generation. I am originally from the Bronx, New York, and I have been teaching for 10 years. The reason I chose this career is simple: I always wanted to be the teacher I wish I had. I truly love teaching and believe that all children can learn and thrive through love and encouragement. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year with your children and to partnering with you to make this a meaningful and joyful experience for everyone.

4-5 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

4-5 Bridge Small Class Paraprofessional

Hey, I’m Zach! I’ve been part of the AmPark family for five years and love being around our awesome community. I studied Criminal Justice at Monroe College, and when I’m not at school, you can usually find me deejaying and keeping the good vibes going!

PK-5 Music Teacher

Hello! I am the music teacher here at AmPark. I have had the honor of teaching here at AmPark since its founding in 2006. It’s been a great ride! My philosophy is that children learn music best  by making music. Therefore, kids spend their time in the music room doing lots of singing, lots of movement activities to music and lots of  playing on our percussion instruments. You’ll be hearing from us!

PK-5 P.E. Teacher

Hi there! I  have been teaching Physical Education and Health Education here at AmPark for over a decade.  I went to St. Joseph’s College of Maine for a Bachelors in Physical Education and graduated from Lehman with my Masters in Health Education.  When I am not at school, I am camping, hiking and exploring the world 

K-5 ENL and 1-5 Science Teacher

Hello! My name is Erin Gaggin and I have been part of the AmPark Community for almost 10 years!  Since starting here, I have been in early childhood classrooms and recently became the Science and ENL teacher for the school.  This is a new role that I love! 

I am also the mother of three wonderful (and energetic!) kids and married to an amazing husband.  We enjoy spending time together with family and friends.

K-5 Writing & Library Teacher

My name is Scott Jeremiah Davis and I have been a teacher in NYC for 26 years.  I have been teaching at AmPark since 2013 mostly as a  third and fourth grade classroom teacher.  This year I have been given the opportunity to support learning in  literacy and writing through a library cluster position.  I incorporate social-emotional learning into my lessons, including the RULER approach, mindfulness strategies, having a growth mindset, and the 7 Habits of Happy Kids.  I love the challenge teaching provides and continually grow and learn a lot to become a more effective and well-rounded educator each school year. I try to engage the students in learning and focus on students giving their best efforts, bringing enthusiasm  and curiosity to learning and learning from one another.  I am excited to teach EVERY student at AmPark this school year!  I hope to make a positive difference for students in their academic progress and their social emotional development.

Occupational Therapist

I am pleased to introduce myself as one of the Occupational Therapists at Ampark. I completed my masters degree at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. I have been working as an OT for 14 years, 12 of those years at Ampark. I take tremendous pride in watching my students grow, mature, and develop new skills! I appreciate the hard work that my students invest to be the best that they can be!

Occupational Therapist

I am happy to introduce myself as one of the occupational therapists at Ampark.  This is my third year at Ampark, but I have been working in NYC Public Schools for 16 years.  I received my undergraduate and master's degree at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.  I work with students of all ages.  I love to help my students strengthen and develop the skills they need to succeed in their classroom environment.  Watching my students gain confidence in their abilities and advocate for themselves is my favorite part of this position.

Speech-Language Pathologist

Hello, I am one of the speech-language pathologists at Ampark.  I am originally from Buffalo, NY. I attended undergraduate at University at Buffalo and received my master’s degree in Communication Disorders at Mercy College.  This is my tenth year as an SLP and 9th year with Ampark. I currently live in Westchester with my husband and have a baby on the way! We enjoy going upstate, hanging out with friends/family, and trying new restaurants on the weekends.

Speech-Language Pathologist

I am one of the speech-language pathologists at Ampark. I am originally from Westchester NY. I attended undergraduate school at Iona College and received my master’s degree in Communication Disorders at Mercy College. This is my ninth year as an SLP and my 4th  year at Ampark. Over the course of my career, I have also worked with children ages 2-5 as well as middle and high school students. 

Physical Therapist

I am Ampark’s school physical therapist. I live in Cortlandt Manor, NY with my husband, 17-year old daughter, 14-year old son, yellow labrador, and two cats. I completed my undergraduate degree at Southwestern University in the Philippines and my doctorate degree at Utica University. I joined NYC DOE in 2004 and have worked with pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle school students over the years. I am an itinerant therapist and I travel between 4 other schools. I am grateful to be a part of the Ampark family since it first opened.

3-5 Guidance Teacher

My name is Melissa Valerio and I have been an educator for over 20 years. This is my 5th year at AmPark and I am very happy to be a  part of the SEL Team.  I started my career as a 4th grade teacher and in my time there quickly became aware of the lack of attention given to the social and emotional needs of children and how children’s mental health played a vital role in learning. Recognizing that I had much to learn about social emotional learning, I pursued a degree in School Counseling to enhance my teaching skills.  This experience led me to refocus my career on helping children as a School Counselor. My goal was to impact student success and learning through supporting children’s social and emotional needs and I have been doing so ever since! When I’m not in school my great loves are my family, baseball (LGM), yoga, and music.

K-5 Guidance Counselor

K-2 Social Worker

I am so happy to serve as a Social Emotional Learning team member and Social Worker at AmPark. I have served NYC DOE schools for over 19 years. In my role I provide multi-tiers of support for students in the form of SEL assemblies, groups and individual counseling.  As well, I supervise Master Level Interns that help bring to life various groups like Kindergarten Mindfulness, 1st grade Career Group, 2nd grade Beautiful Me group,  3rd grade Kindness Club, and the 4th grade Community Service Group.  

School Nurse

School Safety Officer

I’ve been at AmPark for many years. I enjoy exercising and watching anime in my free time. It’s my joy to help keep AmPark a safe and welcoming place for everyone.