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Dan Ceaser
School Director
Dan
Ceaser is a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School
of Education, as well as the Fisher School Leadership Institute
at the Haas School of Business at the University of California,
Berkeley. He also studied at the American University School
of Education and Colorado College. In 2002, Dan was one of
twelve teachers selected to serve on the inaugural Teacher
Advisory Team for The Washington Post’s Newspaper
in Education Program. As a teacher, Dan taught 8th grade
American History at Paul Independent Public Charter School,
was awarded New Teacher of the Year at Bruce-Monroe Elementary
School, and implemented after-school college essay writing
programs at Eastern and Coolidge High Schools. In addition,
Dan served as a Workshop Director for College Summit, Chair
of the Teach For America D.C. Corps Member Advisory Council,
and has consulted on curriculum design for high performing
public schools nationwide.
Dustin
Mitchell
Chief Operating Officer
Dustin Mitchell is the Chief Operating Officer of KIPP
Tech Valley. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Dustin is responsible for the day to day operations
of the school in the areas of finance, transportation,
food service, and technology, with a commitment to integrity
and sound management practices while serving
our students,
parents,
and visitors. Dustin is dedicated to the simplification
of processes and strives for constant improvements in effectiveness
and efficiency. Dustin has almost a decade of technical
and operational experience in Capital Region schools, with
half of that being in the charter school arena. He is a
member of both the International Society for Technology
in Education (ISTE) and the New York State Association
for Computers and Technology in Education (NYSCATE).
Leah
Perkins
Instructional Leader
Leah
Perkins has been an elementary school teacher for over six
years. She began her teaching
career
as a volunteer for
Junior Achievement in the Bronx, NY. A graduate from St.
Rose College with a B.S. in Elementary Education, she is also
currently a Masters Degree candidate in art education
with a focus on technology from Phoenix University. Leah
has developed several web
quests,
which were aligned and embedded to the curriculum
and led to increased levels of student achievement.
The Bronx, NY native believes academic excellence can be
obtained by any student and that a teacher should expect
more from a student than a student
can believe is possible.
Matthew Ely
Instructional Leader
Matthew Ely began his budding education career as an America Reads literacy tutor in Western New York. He facilitated tutoring in all subjects to a team of 6th graders, concentrating on literacy skills. While attending the State University of New York at Brockport Matt served as a Resident Assistant and was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Society. More recently Matt traveled to South Korea to teach English as a Second Language. In addition to his scheduled classes, he offered private tutoring and assisted several business clients with technical translation. When asked about his views on education he deferred to the words of Fredrick Douglass, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
Greg Miranda
Instructional Leader
Greg Miranda is a graduate of the University at Albany, receiving his Bachelor’s of Arts in Mathematics in the spring of 2005 as well as his Master’s of Science in Secondary Education in the fall of 2006. During his years at SUNY Albany, Greg worked at the Office of Academic Support Services as a math tutor and mentor for the students in the Educational Opportunities Program as well as a project coordinator for the National Summer Transportation Institute in 2006. This proud Bronx native is currently living his childhood dream as a math teacher by serving, teaching, and preparing the young leaders of tomorrow at KIPP: Tech Valley Charter School.
Jeff Miller
Instructional Leader
Jeff Miller is a 5th grade Reading Teacher at KIPP: Tech Valley. He attended the University at Albany as a Presidential Scholar, and spent a year studying English and Irish Literature at Oxford University, U.K. After returning, Jeff received a B.A. in English Literature and his M.S. in English Education from Albany. Jeff is committed to sharing his enthusiasm for reading with his students and believes that effort, curiosity, imagination, support and dedication are the 5 keys to academic success.
Sibyl Athimattathil
Instructional Leader
Sibyl Athimattathil is the 5 th and 6 th grade Writing teacher at KIPP: Tech Valley. She has received her Masters degree in Education from the College of St. Rose and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Oswego State University. Sibyl is dedicated to Middle School students and has been an English teacher in the Arbor Hill area for 2 years. She strongly believes in the importance of education, which she regards as a responsibility that society owes to itself.
Mary Wallace
Community Liaison
Mary graduated from Russell Sage College in Albany, New York with a degree in Liberal Arts. She has over twenty years experience working with children and families as a youth counselor for the NYS Division for Youth and a Child Care Superviosr at Parsons Child and Family Center. Most recently, Mary owned and operated Noah’s Ark Family Day Care. She is a current board member of the Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council.
Jasmine
VanBrunt
Instructional Leader
Jasmine graduated Phi Theta Kappa
and with honors from Hudson Valley Community College. After
graduation, she moved west to California, where she graduated
with a Bachelors Degree in English and a Bachelors Degree in
Ethnic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.
While attending Berkeley full-time, Jasmine not only interned
at Third World Women's Press, a small publishing firm that
represented literature from women of color, but worked for
the Oakland Athletics as well. Jasmine began her teaching career
as a Teach for America Corps member in the Bronx, where she
taught 7th and 8th grade Language Arts. Jasmine had the distinction
of being the only teacher in her grade level/subject area to
have 100% of her students pass the 8th grade New York State
English Language Arts assessment. Furthermore, Jasmine co-facilitated
professional development workshops on essay writing and curriculum
development. Jasmine then returned to the Capital District,
where she designed and taught a GED Preparation program for
the Albany Housing Authority. In the fall, she will be attending
graduate school where she intends to focus on social policy
in education. Jasmine is a firm believer that family plays
a major role in an individual's achievements and successes.
She attributes many of her successes to her two sons and husband.
Eric
Cocco
Instructional Leader
Eric Cocco has been a physical education teacher
for over five years. He began his teaching career in the Troy
City school district, and more recently taught students within
the city of Albany. During this time, he has gained experience
as a coach of several sports including middle school football,
volleyball, soccer and track. His undergraduate work was completed
at the State University of New York at Cortland where he obtained
a bachelors of science in Physical Education. He is also a
recent graduate from the College of Saint Rose with a Masters
of Education in Educational Administration.
Jeff Horne
Dean of Solutions
After graduating from Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, New York, Jeff attended Morehouse College of Atlanta University in Georgia. Instead of attending for his sophomore year, Jeff accepted a Production Assistant position on “Al Manahil”, an Arabic language educational television program shot on location in studios in Aman, Jordan. Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, School of Communications and Theater in 1994. While attending Temple University, Jeff worked in; the WKYW newsroom, the Nickelodeon production of “Finder’s Keepers” at WHYY, and as a Fashion Photographer Assistant at Strawbridge and Clothier Department stores.
Upon returning to Brooklyn, Jeff worked on
many film, television and theater productions such as Spike Lee's Malcolm
X, Robert Deniro's Bronx Tale, Martin Scorcesse's Age
of Innocence, and Carlito's Way with Al Pacino.
When the Teamsters Union went on strike Jeff found work in theater as a Stage
Manager for the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company's world tour
production of The Last Supper at Uncle Tom's Cabin/The Promised
Land (U.S., Canada, Italy). Jeff returned to work on several
television, music videos and films and earned a place on the Directors Guild
of America waiting list.
While recently living in Albany, Jeff has worked as an Independent Delivery Contractor for FedEx Home Delivery, a Financial Service Representative at Charter One Bank, a Teaching Assistant in the Albany City School District and an Administrative Assistant for the Research Foundation of SUNY.
Don
Applyrs
Library Media Specialist
Don
Applyrs, is a native of Queens, NY and a graduate of the
University at Albany. He earned his Bachelor’s
Degree in Information Science and Policy and a minor in Africana
Studies in 2003. His passion to be an educator and work with
information technology led to earning a Master’s Degree
in Information Science concentrating in School Library Media
also from the University at Albany in 2006. If that was not
enough, he is currently completing a second Master’s
Degree in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology.
Don believes that his biggest impact will not only be in information
literacy but also as a mentor to all students. “Working
as an Academic Counselor the past two years with the University
at Albany’s Office of Academic Support Services has really
helped me to work with students in ways I did not know existed.”
Don
has also been the recipient of numerous awards including
the University
at Albany President’s Leadership Award
for Distinguish Service, Who’s Who among Students in
America’s Universities and Colleges, Bette Knowlton Roe
Scholarship, and the Universal Church of Salvation Achievement
Award. He is currently a member of the Community Advisory Board
for the Capital District African-American Coalition on AIDS
and member of Metropolitan New Testament Mission Baptist Church.
Melinda Cruz
Office Manager
Melinda was born and raised in the Capital District, graduating from Linton High School in Schenectady. Ms. Cruz later attended Bryant and Stratton in Albany, New York for two years where she received her certificate in Office Administration . She has almost a decade of experience working in and managing administrative offices in the Capital District. She is also the proud parent of a current KIPP: TECH VALLEY student.
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