Faculty

Our outstanding teaching staff is the heart and soul of an Elmwood Franklin School education. They hold the key to unlocking a lifelong thirst for knowledge, and they stimulate creativity and freethinking. A teacher's influence is far-reaching and lifelong, especially in these, the most formative years in your child's education. Elmwood Franklin is proud of its faculty as educators and as caring role models. Our faculty has an average of fourteen years teaching at EFS.

Prep & Lower School

Prep

Beginners
Scott Lawson (2017)
B.A. SUNY Fredonia
M.S. SUNY Fredonia

Marny Saldanha (2005)
B.A. Ohio Wesleyan University​
M.S. SUNY Buffalo

Prep I
Joy Cianciosa (2001)
B.S. Daemen College

Kym Harris (2018)
B.S. SUNY Buffalo
​M.S. SUNY Buffalo
​
Katie Stewart (2017)
B.S. Chestnut Hill College

Prep II
Jenna Evaldi (2013)
B.A. SUNY Buffalo
M.S. Medaille College
​
Maggie Dirrigl (2013)
B.S. Canisius College
M.S. Canisius College

​Caroline Pierce (2016)
B.A. University of Denver
M.S. Ed. Canisius College

Lower School Homeroom Teachers

Grade 1
​Katie Holmberg (2011)
B.S. SUNY Fredonia
M.Ed. University of NC at Charlotte

Judy Jurnack (1979)
B.S. Daemen College

​Grade 2
Shannon Victor (2000)
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.Ed. Buffalo State College

Katie Williams (2019)
B.A. DePaul University
M.A. DePaul University

Grade 3
Kate Lynett (2011)
B.S. Medaille College
M.S. Medaille College

​Kathleen McIntyre (2006)
B.A. SUNY Buffalo

Grade 4
Christine Marth (2015)
B.A. SUNY Buffalo
M.S. Medaille College

Leigh Mikulka (2008)
B.A. College of the Holy Cross
M.S. Ed. Canisius College
​

Prep & Lower School Specials

Art
Amy Hartman (1998)
Lower School
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.S. Buffalo State College​

Athletics and Physical Education
Emily Beckwith (2015)
Athletic Director
Prep and Lower School
B.S. SUNY Brockport
M.S. SUNY Brockport

Joseph Aquino (2016)
​Prep and Lower School
B.S. St. Bonaventure University
M.S. Canisius College

Peter Johnson (1996)
​Prep and Lower School
B.S.E. SUNY Cortland
M.S. Canisius College​

Drama
Christine Cooke-MacVittie (2004)
Drama Director
B.F.A. SUNY Buffalo
M.Ed. Medaille College

Foreign Languages
Tammy Bingel (2009)
Spanish (Prep II and Lower School)
B.A. Canisius College
M.S. Canisius College

Sarah Gower (2020)
French (Prep II and Lower School)
B.A. Assumption College
M.A. Middlebury College

Qian Pieri (2018)
Mandarin (Prep II and Lower School)
B.S. Tsinghua University, Beijing

Jenna Piazza (1996)
Spanish (Prep II and Lower School)
B.S. SUNY Oswego
M.S. Daemen College

Library Media Specialist
Joan Good (1998)
B.A. St. Jerome’s College
B.A. Boston College
M.S. Canisius College
M.L.S. SUNY Buffalo

Literacy Specialist
Michele Kulpit (2011)
B.S. Daemen College
M.Ed. Buffalo State College
Literacy Specialist Certification

Mathematics
Alyssa Charles (2006)
Grades 2-8
B.S. John Carroll University
M.S. Buffalo State College

Music
Will Murrett (2014)
Music Prep II-4, Chorus Grs. 4-8
B.A. Canisius College
M.S. Medaille College
M.S. Canisius College

Cheri Truax (1989)
Instrumental Music and Band Grs. 4-8
B.M. University of Miami 
Frost School of Music
​
Science
Steven Rao (2003
Grade 3
B.A. Kalamazoo College
M.S. Audubon Expedition Institute

Katherine Leigh Cooke (2020)
Grade 4
B.S. SUNY Geneseo
M.Ed. University at Buffalo

Technology/Robotics and Coding
Cheryl Colpoys (2004)
B.A. Canisius College
​M.S. Buffalo State College

Upper School

Athletics and Physical Education
Emily Beckwith (2015)
Athletic Director
Dean
B.S. SUNY Brockport
M.S. SUNY Brockport

Joseph Aquino (2016)
B.S. St. Bonaventure University
M.S. Canisius College

Peter Johnson (1996)
B.S.E. SUNY Cortland
M.S. Canisius College​

Art
Amy Hartman (1998)
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.S. Buffalo State College​
​
English
Jennifer Brady (2020)
5/6 English
B.S. Canisius College
M.S. Buffalo State College

Christine Cooke-MacVittie (2004)
Drama Director – Upper & Lower School
English, Public Speaking – Upper School
New Faculty Mentoring Coordinator
B.F.A. SUNY Buffalo
M.Ed. Medaille College

Joan Good (1998)
Grammar
B.A. St. Jerome’s College
B.A. Boston College
M.S. Canisius College
M.L.S. SUNY Buffalo

Mary Lou Hutton (2020)
7/8 English
B.S. D'Youville College
M.A. D'Youville College

Foreign Languages
Tammy Bingel (2009)
Spanish
B.A. Canisius College
M.S. Canisius College

Sarah Gower (2020)
French (Prep II and Lower School)
B.A. Assumption College
M.A. Middlebury College

Qian Pieri (2018)
Mandarin
B.S. Tsinghua University, Beijing

Jenna Piazza (1996)
Spanish
B.S. SUNY Oswego
M.S. Daemen College

History
Dee Drew (1985)
B.A. Ithaca College
M.Ed. Cortland State University
​
Jonathan Garra (2008)
B.A. Canisius College
M.S. Buffalo State College

Learning Specialist
Margot Vincent (1993)
B.A. Colgate University
M.Ed. SUNY Buffalo

Library Science
Joan Good (1998)
B.A. St. Jerome’s College
B.A. Boston College
M.S. Canisius College
M.L.S. SUNY Buffalo

Mathematics
Claire Barry (1999)
Math Coordinator
B.S. SUNY Fredonia
M.Ed. SUNY Fredonia

Alyssa Charles (2006)
B.S. John Carroll University
M.S. Buffalo State College

Steve Szymkowiak (2013)
Dean
B.A. Boston College
M.S. Canisius College

Music
Will Murrett (2014)
Chorus
B.A. Canisius College
M.S. Medaille College
M.S. Canisius College

Cheri Truax (1989)
Instrumental Music and Band 
B.M. University of Miami 
Frost School of Music

Science
Steven Rao (2003)
B.A. Kalamazoo College
M.S. Audubon Expedition Institute

Katherine Leigh Cooke (2020)
B.S. SUNY Geneseo
M.Ed. University at Buffalo

Technology/Robotics and Coding
Cheryl Colpoys (2004)
B.A. Canisius College
​M.S. Buffalo State College