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​

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
Amy Bourgeault (2017)
B.A. Canisius College
M.A. SUNY Buffalo

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

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​

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

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

Marigrace Papagni (1979)
French (Prep II and Lower School)
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.Ed. SUNY Buffalo

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
Alyssa Kipa (2000)
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.S. D’Youville College​

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 (Grades 5 & 7)
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
Peggy Fatin (1999)
English
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.Ed. Buffalo State College

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

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

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

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

Marigrace Papagni (1979)
French
B.S. Buffalo State College
M.Ed. SUNY Buffalo

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
Phyllis Siracusa (1993)
B.A. SUNY Buffalo
M.Ed. Columbia University

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 (Grades 6 & 8)
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
Jennifer MacDonald (2015)
B.A. Buffalo State College
M.S. Niagara University

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

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