School Board Celebrates Seven Retirees with Collective 177 Years of Service

(PHOTO: Board of Ed President Jennifer Boyle (top right square) on the June 16, 2020 board meeting call.)

Recently the Rye Board of Ed celebrated seven faculty, staff, and administrators who are retiring from the Rye schools. We thought the combined 177 years of service warranted some attention, so we are sharing the comments made by Board of Ed President Jennifer Boyle.

MyRye.com wishes the seven straight “A”s in what lies ahead.

“June 16, 2020 Board of Education Meeting

Tonight we would like to take a few minutes to honor and recognize those faculty, staff, and administrators who are retiring from the Rye City School District at the end of this school year. Together, they have spent a collective 177 years at the RCSD. We will miss their wisdom and experience, and we wish them all the best in their journeys ahead.

Michele Ahern

Michele Ahern is retiring from the Rye City School District on June 30 after 19 years.

She joined the District as a school nurse in 2001 and has worked in the High School, at Rye Country Day, and at Resurrection School. Prior to coming to Rye, she worked for 3 years as a Registered Professional Nurse at the Westchester Medical Group’s Department of Pediatrics while simultaneously working as a school nurse at the Holy Rosary School in Port Chester. From 1994 to 1997, she was the school nurse at Sacred Heart in Greenwich. In the 1990s, she was a school nurse substitute in the RCSD, and the Harrison and Port Chester Schools.  She began her nursing career as a team leader/head nurse at NYU’s Intensive Care Unit.

Her nursing degree is from the St. Vincent’s College of Nursing in Los Angeles, CA.

Tracey Barnett said of her, “Michele Ahern has navigated through the ever-changing demands of the nursing world.  Her underlying dedication to the field and her students/patients always resulted in the utmost care of those who needed it. Michele’s caring demeanor and welcoming approach to her craft is something that can never be taught clinically as it is internal and part of who she is as an individual.”

In her retirement letter, Michele said, “I have enjoyed my many years working in the Rye City School District and look forward to my retirement to spend time with my family and travel.”

David (Dave) Ball

Dave Ball is retiring after 29 years, having joined the District in 1991 as a year-long leave replacement social studies teacher at Rye High School after completing his student teaching at Rye High. He joined the RMS faculty as a full-time social studies teacher in 1992. In his time in Rye, he has coached wrestling, baseball, and football and served as director of Intramurals and as a team leader.

Prior to joining the District, Dave was the Western Operations Manager for U.S. News and World Report, an account executive for RR Donnelly and Sons in Los Angeles, and Director of Sales for a graphics company in New York.

Dave has a B.A. from the University of Richmond and an MA in Teaching from Manhattanville College.

Rye Middle School Principal Dr. Ann Edwards said of him, “Dave Ball is a crossword puzzle aficionado! I always admired how quickly he could polish off a crossword puzzle while peering over his glasses during lunch duty.  The kids were well-supervised and the puzzle was conquered.  Mr. Ball has a passion for studying history and his students benefited greatly from this.“

In his retirement letter, Dave said, “RCSD was the only place I ever wanted to teach. Maybe because it was my alma mater, and my parent’s alma mater, or maybe because someone from my immediate family, or a relative, has been in the Rye Schools either as a teacher or student since the cornerstone at the entrance to RHS was laid. Luckily, my nieces and nephew will keep the streak alive…It has been my honor and a privilege to be a teacher at Rye.”

Todd Beaney

Todd Beaney is retiring after 32 years in the Rye City School District. Todd joined the District in 1988 as the Assistant Jazz Ensemble Director, a computer lab assistant, and a classroom substitute teacher. Since that time, he has worked as a shared teacher in the Middle and High School, teaching 14 different classes and student lessons. In his time in Rye, he created, implemented and taught 5 electronic music classes. He has worked for 30 years on High School and Middle School music productions, playing piano or keyboard in 75 shows, and directing 65 shows. He has been the Director of the RMS sixth grade chorus for the past 26 years, and of the High School vocal ensemble for the past 12 years. He served as the Music Department Chair for 3 years, directed the Jazz Lab Band for 9 years, and spent 10 years as the Assistant Jazz Band Director. He also coordinated the student musical performances at graduation for 25 years.

Todd has a BA in Music from Princeton University, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from McNeese State University, and a Master of Music in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music.

Rye High School Principal Pat Taylor said of him, “Todd Beaney has demonstrated through his years in education his gifts of being able to share a love of music with many students.  As a choral director and director for the Vocal Ensemble, he has nurtured student talent to be shared with the larger community in concerts and through his annual visits to nursing homes.  Todd has encouraged aspiring musicians to learn to compose and create their own pieces of music in the digital world.  Todd has also shared his own talents when he serves as an accompanist in concerts and for musical theater.  Todd will be difficult to replace.”

Rye Middle School Principal Dr. Ann Edwards said of him, “Todd is a gifted musician who not only masterfully accompanied musical productions but also composed beautiful music. His compositions often transported me to a magical place of serenity.  I will miss Todd’s presence in our world of music. “

In his retirement letter, he said, “I count myself fortunate to have had a rich and varied career…I have appreciated the opportunities to work with our middle and high school students, share music with them and help them grow and develop as musicians, as citizens, and as people of character.”

Lynn Kraut

Lynn Kraut is retiring after 21 years in the RCSD where she has taught Rye High School and Middle School Orchestra since coming to Rye in 1999. She has acted as advisor to the High School/Middle School Music and Beyond club, served as the High School Music Dept Chair, and has shepherded countless numbers of students to NYSSMA competitions.

Prior to coming to Rye, Lynn  taught string instrumental music for 23 years in the Norwalk Public Schools, the Uniondale Public Schools, and the Indian River Central Schools. She has a Bachelors of Music from SUNY Potsdam and an M.S. from the University of Bridgeport.

Rye High School Principal Patricia Taylor said of her, “Lynn Kraut has been a gift to the orchestral program at Rye High School.  Through her nurturing and encouragement, students have matured into accomplished musicians.  Lynn has encouraged and supported students to challenge themselves in local, state and national competitions.   Lynn’s dedication and her love for her students will be greatly missed.  We wish Lynn the very best as she prepares for her next performance.”

Rye Middle School Principal Dr. Ann Edwards said of her, “Lynn was dedicated to her orchestra students. She was very proud of them and was always willing to help by adding their glorious sounds to special programs and moving-up ceremonies.  Mrs. Kraut was always eager to tell me about awards her students won or how they performed at NYSSMA.  I will miss these stories and Mrs. Kraut.”

In her retirement letter, she said, “I am extremely fortunate to have been able to teach a subject that has been such a huge part of my life. To share my passion for music with so many others for the past 43 years has been a true blessing.”

Dr. JoAnne Nardone

Dr. Nardone was the Principal of Milton School for 20 years. She came to the RCSD in 1999.  In her time as the leader of Milton, Dr. Nardone has overseen tremendous growth in school enrollment, a complete renovation of the school, and the hiring of nearly all of the current faculty and staff.

Dr. Nardone has a BA from Iona College and six Master’s degrees:

• An MS with a major of Elementary Education from Iona College,

• An MA in Education with a major in Spanish Literature from NYU

• An MA in Education with a major in Educational Administration, Human Resource Management and Organizational Development from NYU

• An MS in Education with a major in Teaching English as a Second Language from the College of New Rochelle

• An MS in Education with a major in Education for the Gifted and Talented from the College of New Rochelle

• A  Doctor of Education Degree in Administration and Supervision from Columbia University

Prior to coming to the RCSD, Dr. Nardone served as the Assistant to the Superintendent in the Hendrick Hudson School District.  She began her career working in a variety of positions in New York City as a teacher of elementary English as a Second Language and Spanish at PS 152, a Director of ESL and Foreign Language in District 8 in the Bronx, and as a Program Specialist from the New York City Board of Education.

Dr. Eric Byrne said of her, “While we know her Milton School family will miss her dearly, we fully support her decision, and wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement as she goes on to enjoy time with family and friends, and to pursue personal goals. It is rare in today’s educational world to meet someone with Dr. Nardone’s incredible level of education who chooses to stay working closely with our youngest learners. She has impacted so many families in wonderful ways as Principal of Milton School.

In her retirement letter, she said, “Serving the Rye Community as the Principal of Milton School for the past 21 years has been an honor and a privilege..I will miss the faces of our wonderful children. I always conclude my remarks to the Milton graduates with the sentence, ‘You will always be a part of Milton, and Milton School will reside in each of you.’ Milton School will always reside within me.”

Patricia (Pat) Taylor

Rye High School Principal Pat Taylor is retiring after 24 years with the RCSD: she served as Principal for 9 years, and as Assistant Principal for Guidance and Support Services for almost 10 years, and as a Guidance Counselor for almost six years.

In her time as the head of Rye High School, Mrs. Taylor has overseen tremendous growth in school enrollment, the completion of the science wing, and the hiring of many of the current faculty and staff.  Under her leadership, the school implemented new curricula in Mandarin, American Sign Language, Project Lead The Way, Computer Principles, and the new math pathways. She guided the adoption of the new, flexible rotation schedule to be implemented in September. She successfully shepherded literally thousands of students and families through the High School and college process.

Dr Eric Byrne said of her, “Mrs. Taylor has worked so closely with so many families in Rye as a counselor, Assistant Principal and Principal. She has led academic progress and focused on the well being of students through their high school years. Her years of service and impact on the Rye community will be appreciated long into the future.”

In her retirement letter, she said “my professional career has been dominated by the mantra ‘Is this in the best interest of students?’ It has been exciting to follow the direction led by these thoughts, but at this time I am ready for a new journey.”

Abby Tuttle

Abby Tuttle is retiring after 32 years in the Rye City School District, having completed her student teaching at Rye Middle School in 1989. She initially worked part-time at both the Middle and High School before moving to the Osborn School as a 6th-grade science and then as a classroom teacher, as 6th grade was taught at the elementary school at the time. She later joined the Rye High School and Rye Middle School faculty, teaching science, math, and then ELA. She served as a Team Leader and on the Literacy Committee during the 2019-20 school year.

She has a B.A. in English Education from Pace University.

Dr. Ann Edwards said of her “Abby loved teaching language arts. She captured student interest through relevant little stories that she told her students and even by doing cartwheels in front of the room! Abby loves to read and often suggested book titles to her colleagues and me.  I hope she continues to be an avid reader and writer through many happy and healthy years of retirement. “

She met her husband, Doug, when they worked on the same team to welcome the first 6th graders to the Middle School in 1992. In her retirement letter, she said, “Rye will always hold a special place in my heart….helping youngsters grow and learn has been our life’s pleasure.”