Carpentieri to become next elementary principal

By LIAM MAYO
Posted 6/16/21

ELDRED, NY — Michael A. Carpentieri was not the only applicant for the Eldred Central School District Elementary Principal. But at the end of the application process, he was the only one anyone wanted.

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Carpentieri to become next elementary principal

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ELDRED, NY — Michael A. Carpentieri was not the only applicant for the Eldred Central School District Elementary Principal. But at the end of the application process, he was the only one anyone wanted.

“He rose to the top,” said superintendent Dr. John Morgano. “It was unanimous that we wanted Michael.”

Carpentieri will be taking over as principal from Scott Krebs, who will fill the newly created position of director of instructional services. Carpentieri has taught since 2010 in the Chester Union Free School District in Chester, NY. There, he taught several different grades at the elementary level and is currently teaching a self-contained dual-grade classroom with fourth- and fifth-graders. He has also taught at the middle school level.

While Carpentieri started out teaching in general education, he felt a “magnet draw” towards teaching in special education. He talked of visiting the care center, where his mother worked when he was young, and seeing her work with mentally disabled adults as an early indication of that draw. “It’s always resonated with me to help those who are not always able to help themselves,” he said.

Throughout his teaching career, Carpentieri has also taken the opportunity to learn. He has received two masters’ degrees from Iona College, a Masters of Arts in Teaching in 2010 and a Masters of Education in Literacy and Special Education in 2013. He recently graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration and Leadership.

While this will be Carpentieri’s first position as a principal, it will not be his first experience with leadership. He has served in the military for over a decade, deploying to Afghanistan in 2008-09 and serving currently with the New York Army National Guard in the rank of major as a distribution and integration branch chief.

Carpentieri does not connect his military service to his time as a teacher. He does, however, say that his time in the military has taught him leadership skills. He’ll bring these skills to his new role as principal, leading a team collaborating together to solve a problem is a universal leadership experience, whatever the context.

In talking of Carpentieri, Morgano praises his military background together with his stellar academic record. He said that having Carpentieri as principal and having Krebs in a new position is essential for him to realize his plans for the district.

“I’m looking to make Eldred number-one in the county and beyond,” he said.

Carpentieri’s goals are more limited, though no less important: he aims to make the elementary school “a safe and fun environment, where a child feels like they can learn.”

“I’m elated to be the next principal at the Mackenzie school,” he said. “I’ll be a visible and approachable leader who has an open-door policy.”

Education, Principal, Eldred Central School District

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