Amazing New Staff

It has been a busy summer! The Ellington Public Schools has welcomed many new members to the family. Check out their bios below and when you see them in the halls, give them a warm Ellington welcome!

-Scott Nicol, Superintendent

Ryan received his bachelor’s degree from CCSU in 2007 and has been working in schools as a behavior intervention specialist while coaching high school athletics and being a mentor to students grades 6-12 in communities such as Hartford, East Hartford, Bloomfield, Suffield, and South Windsor.

Ryan is committed to encouraging, empowering, and supporting all students that he could work with. Over the past 14 years, Ryan has been trained in several techniques and interventions that he can apply in group, or individual counseling sessions with students. Additionally, his coaching background has instilled him with strong leadership and organizational skills, empathy and compassion for self and others, and a strong work ethic. Having the ability to relate to every student is something that Ryan has strived for when he goes into new experiences.

Ryan received his master’s degree from CCSU in 2022 and is excited to start his journey as a High School counselor. Ryan is married to his beautiful wife, Debbie and has 2 beautiful daughters Rylee, 4 and Carmela, 2. Ryan enjoys spending time with his family going on hikes, visiting amusement parks, and traveling the World as much as possible. Ryan loves dogs, Duke Basketball, the New York Jets, and the Boston Red Sox. Ryan has 1 older brother, Kyle who lives in Baltimore with his wife and son and is a successful author and radio host.

Ryan is thrilled to be working this year as a school counselor and he looks forward to building strong, and lasting relationships with the staff, students, and their families.

My name is David Bradbury Jr. and I am from Deep River Connecticut. I graduated from Valley Regional High School, from there moving on to Franklin Pierce University on a basketball scholarship, where I double majored in History and Secondary Education. On top of being a teacher, I am also currently the head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Portland High School. Coaching and teaching is a passion of mine and I look forward to getting the opportunity to become a part of the Ellington community.

Courtney Heuitson will be working at Ellington High School this fall as a 9th grade school counselor. Prior to coming to Ellington, Courtney worked at Conard High School as a 9-12 counselor for seven years before working as a 9th grade transition counselor for the past six years. While in West Hartford, Courtney also coached field hockey, basketball, and softball before “retiring” to start her own family. She’s been a Link Crew advisor and member of the Safe School Climate, Welcoming Schools, Crisis Intervention, and Student Success teams. Outside of school, Courtney lives in South Windsor with her husband and three children. When she’s not acting as her children’s personal chauffeur, Courtney enjoys traveling and being outdoors. She is excited to be working in Ellington this fall and can’t wait to meet all her new colleagues and students.

Yori was a Life Skills classroom teacher for Woodstock Academy/EASTCONN Cooperative Program for 15 years. She also was an Autism program teacher in Norwich last year. She received a B.A. in English from Yokohama City University and M.S. in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University. Yori has experience in Unified Sports and Unified courses and is looking forward to the new opportunities at Ellington. Yori has recently got married to Craig and they enjoyed their honeymoon to Kyoto, Japan this summer. They also had a traditional Japanese wedding at a shrine. They live in Mansfield with Yori’s 2 daughters and a dog, Juno. The house is located on top of the hill where you can look down the valley of Willimantic, and you will often find Yori and Craig (and Juno) in the gardens and backyard. They own folding kayaks and most of the evenings are spent on the water. They also enjoy going on road bikes. Yori is really looking forward to coming back to the high school setting and to meeting all of you!

This year is Matthew’s tenth year of teaching. He graduated from CCSU in 2013 and did his student teaching in Ellington. Throughout his tenure, Matthew has taught a wide range of courses like Manufacturing, Graphics, Engineering, and Construction. Matthew moved to Ellington two years ago with his wife and son. He looks forward to becoming an intricate part of the community by educating the next generation. In his free time, Matthew likes to be outside hiking, landscaping and riding his ATV.

Mr. Manger is excited to join the Ellington High School team as a science teacher. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2018 with a BS in biology, but always enjoyed teaching peers and students. In 2020, Mr. Manger came to Ellington High School as a building substitute, where he assisted in several long-term positions and began to build relationships with the Ellington community. Mr. Manger is thrilled to be working with the science team and the rest of the EHS family on building another great year for our students!

Kate McLellan is excited to be joining the Ellington High School team, teaching special education reading. Prior to coming to Ellington, she taught grades 4/5 special education at Stafford Elementary School. Kate has also taught Pre-K in Enfield, and HS aged students at a residential program in Boston. She has a dual certification in elementary and special education, and is currently working towards her masters in literacy. Kate has four children that grew up participating in the Ellington Youth football and cheer programs. Go Roadrunners! Ellington has become a second home to her and she is excited to be able to continue to be a part of the community in this new role.

Renee will be starting her 18th year of teaching high school math, after completing 17 years teaching at Bolton High School. She is a mom of 2, with a kindergartener and a 4th grader attending Center School. Renee loves all things Harry Potter, Disney World, and Peloton.

Mrs. Sheree Nkata was born and raised in rural Montana before moving to Connecticut for college. She and her husband have been married for 18 years and they have a 16 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, Mrs. Nkata loves being outdoors and is passionate about sports, especially basketball, football, baseball/fastpitch and soccer. As a reading enthusiast, book shopping is one of her favorite hobbies. Mrs. Nkata earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and M.B.A. in Business Management & Marketing from Fairfield University. She completed Relay Graduate School of Education’s Alternate Route to Certification program. She did her residency with Achievement First Charter Schools and taught for four years with New Haven Public Schools before joining the staff at Ellington High School.

Jose began his career as a Spanish Teacher in 2015, after working in the private sector for over 10 years. He is a husband to his wife Maria, as well as a father to his two year old daughter Camila. Jose is an avid traveler and cook, and he enjoys learning about other cultures. He is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University, and he also completed graduate coursework at the University of Salamanca in Spain.

Bill Schultz will be joining Ellington High School’s science department after 19 years teaching in Enfield. He lives in Ellington with his wife and two daughters who recently graduated from Ellington HS. Bill enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, golfing, exercising, skiing, soccer, reading, and spending time with his family. He is originally from Chicago and moved to CT after college for a materials engineering position at an aerospace company. After 14 years there, he became a teacher via the CT Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program. He looks forward to bringing his passion for science to EHS.

Dan is proud to be joining the Ellington High School faculty for the 2022-23 school year as a Special Education Teacher. Dan brings 8 years of experience in education, with the last 5 being in the Hartford Public Schools as a Special Education teacher. He is currently licensed in the state of Connecticut for Special Education K-12, Athletic Coaching, and Adult Education. Dan obtained his Masters degree in Special Education and Interventions from Central Connecticut State University in 2021, and is a current member of the Council for Exceptional Children. Outside of his vocation, Dan is an avid Red Sox, UConn Huskies, and Cleveland Browns fan. When not watching sports, Dan can be found visiting one of Connecticut’s beautiful state parks, listening to the music of Bob Dylan, and looking for additions to his growing collection of Hartford Whalers memorabilia.

Felicia is extremely excited to be joining the Ellington school community as the new physical science and astronomy teacher! She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Science Education and Masters in STEM Education from Central Connecticut State University. Prior to her role here, she taught general science for eleven years in Windsor, CT. She has a passion for traveling, all things science related, experiencing new things and the beach. She is also married and has a son who is entering second grade.

Originally from Tolland, Connecticut, Patrick graduated from Tolland High School in 2010 where he played football. Patrick continued his education and football career at Western New England where he graduated in 2014 with his B.A. Secondary Education-History, and went on to receive his Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. Patrick spent the past eight years teaching history and coaching football at Springfield’s High School of Science and Technology in Massachusetts. He’s looking forward to being back in Connecticut and is excited to teach and coach football in Ellington. Patrick resides in Tolland with his wife, Emily, and daughter, Charlie.

Erica is the newest addition to the EMS math team. She comes with 19 years of experience teaching. She worked for Willington Public Schools where she served as the district’s math coordinator, middle school math teacher, as well as their previous math interventionist. She received her undergraduate degree from Elms College in mathematics and elementary education, her master’s at ECSU, and she recently finished her second master’s degree in educational leadership from CCSU. She has given professional development at regional and local levels on teaching mathematics. She brings with her an emphasis of incorporating projects and real-life connections to the classroom. Erica lives in Stafford Springs with her husband and three children where they enjoy camping and bike riding. She is excited to join the Ellington School Family.

Amy Hetherington-Coy is beginning this year as a seventh grade science teacher at Ellington Middle School. Previously, she taught sixth grade science at Ledyard Middle School. Amy is a proud UConn alumni, and credits her time at UConn for her passion for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) style instruction. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, spending time outdoors, and trying new recipes!

Dafne Hernandez is an energetic and experienced Spanish teacher. Before starting at Ellington Middle School, she worked as a Spanish teacher at Manchester High School. There she taught from novice to advanced proficiency level students. Dafne received her teaching certificate and has a Masters degree in Modern Language - Spanish from Central Connecticut State University. She also has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Dafne began her college education at the University of Puerto Rico and studied abroad at Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. She is culturally competent and a native Spanish speaker. Dafne is a Polyglot, knowing Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Italian. She has lived in Connecticut for over twenty years. She is happy to share Hispanic culture and teach Spanish to her students. In her free time, Dafne is an explorer, visiting places within the country and outside of the continent.

Kelly resides in Vernon with her husband, son (15), and daughter (11). Before coming to Ellington, she taught for 16 years in another district and is excited to focus on teaching science at EMS. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, reading, being involved in her parish, coaching her kids’ soccer or basketball teams, cheering her children on in their endeavors, and traveling to visit family who live afar.

Liz grew up in Wallingford, CT and is a proud graduate of SCSU, where she obtained her B.A., M.S., and Sixth Year Certificate in School Psychology. She began her career at a private special education school, where she worked with elementary and middle school students for five years. Most recently, she completed a year-long internship in West Hartford. Liz is honored to be welcomed into the Ellington school community as a school psychologist. She is excited to fill a role that allows her to use her passion for psychology to help others and be part of a school family! Liz is married and has a 6-year-old lab/shepherd mix, Brady. In her free time, she loves to read, crochet, explore Connecticut’s state parks, and travel abroad.

Niko has been working in a public school setting since 1999, and found his passion for special education as time progressed. He worked with students receiving special education services as a para educator for 6 years, and is now entering my 10th year as a special education teacher at the middle school level. Niko has developed and implemented life-skills programming for students with severe disabilities, developed and taught language arts curriculum in a co-taught classroom, provided specialized reading, math, and executive functioning instruction, and most recently, developed and implemented programming for students with social-emotional challenges. Regardless of a student’s profile, there is always room for growth, and helping to realize that potential is the reason why he is working in this field is my passion.

Jennifer Melnick has been working as the Library Assistant at Ellington Middle School since 2016 and is excited to now be working as the school’s Library Media Specialist. After completing her first year in Ellington, Jennifer applied for and was accepted into the Master Degree program of Library & Information Science with a Media Specialist Certificate at Southern Connecticut State University. She completed her degree this past December. Jennifer has also worked in public libraries for almost 10 years. She is a member of the Connecticut Association of School Librarians and the American Association of School Librarians. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog, playing board games, and crafting. She is excited to continue working in the Ellington school district and is looking forward to fostering a love of reading in students.

Molly received her Bachelor’s Degree from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where she double majored in Elementary and Special Education. She also completed her Master’s Degree through Saint Joseph’s in Special Education with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Molly has spent the past three years as a Special Education Teacher in an elementary classroom for students with Autism and other complex needs. This summer, she has enjoyed spending time outside with family and friends, going to Red Sox games, and spending time on Cape Cod. Molly cannot wait for the school year to start and to meet my new students!

Emily graduated from Syracuse University this past spring. She studied inclusive elementary and special education and will now be a 6th grade math teacher at Center School. In her free time Emily enjoys reading, traveling and running. She is very excited to start her first year of teaching in the Ellington School District!

Tara Anderson comes to Ellington Public Schools with 23 years of elementary and special education teaching experience. She earned a M.S. Degree in Education (K-8 Science) from Walden University and a B.A. Degree in Elementary and Special Education from Marist College. After teaching for eight years in Newington, Tara taught sixth grade science in Rome, Italy at the American Overseas School of Rome. While living in Italy, she learned to speak Italian and also traveled extensively throughout Europe. Tara is married to Shane Anderson, who is also a teacher. They have three beautiful boys and an adorable rescue dog named Cali.

Hello! My name is Se’sha Johnson and I am one of the Second Grade Teachers at Crystal Lake Elementary. During the 2021-2022 school year, I was a Resident Teacher in the CT Teacher Residency Program working with 5th and 6th grade students in Mrs. Coachman’s Social Studies classroom here at Crystal Lake. This post-baccalaureate program is focused on diversifying the teaching staff across the state of Connecticut by offering an alternative route to certification. Prior to entering the CT Teacher Residency Program, I was a Preschool and Kindergarten Instructor for 8 years in East Hartford, CT and a Lead Early Childhood Teacher for 3 years in Hartford, CT. I have a passion for teaching students skills necessary for their social and emotional development and facilitating dynamic academic discovery. I am looking forward to collaborating with the staff and families within the Ellington community!

Alicia Dryburgh has been teaching in the special education field for just over 8 years. She earned her bachelors in psychology from UMASS Amherst and her masters in special education from Bay Path. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two young children. Alicia enjoys playing softball, gardening, and reading. Her family moved to Ellington last summer and are excited to continue to become part of the community.

Kate Papsun is thrilled to be joining Ellington Public Schools as a third grade teacher at Crystal Lake School. She grew up in Ashford, Connecticut and attended E.O. Smith High School. After graduating she pursued her passion for elementary education at the University of Connecticut. She received her Master’s Degree in 2008 and began her career in Manchester teaching first grade. Kate lives in Ellington with her husband, Andrew and her two daughters, Geneva and Nora. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her family, teach mandala painting, play piano and sing with the worship band at her church and read. She is honored to be joining a fantastic group of educators and is excited to begin the school year!

Katie Cafazzo is a speech language pathologist at Center Elementary School. She has a passion for language and communication in all forms. For the last eight years she worked as a speech therapist at a middle school and before that at a rehabilitation and long-term care nursing facility. Prior to attending graduate school and becoming a speech language pathologist, Katie was a middle and high school Latin teacher. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Connecticut. Katie is an avid reader and history buff who likes to go stand-up paddle boarding when the weather is nice. She is proud to be a wife and a mom to two wonderful kids.

Jennifer Brown, Coordinator of Human Resources

Email: jbrown@ellingtonschools.net
Website: www.ellingtonpublicschools.org
Location: 47 Main Street, Ellington, CT, USA
Phone: 860-896-2300