Along with the first day of school, Sept. 1 brought some new faces to Munsey Park Elementary School, including born and bred Long Islander, Brian Nolan, who started his new position as assistant principal.
Earlier this year, the Manhasset Board of Education authorized an additional resource to address the more rigorous curriculum initiatives and supervisory responsibilities for the two elementary schools and created a shared resource.
Both Shelter Rock and Munsey Park Elementary School have two of the largest elementary school enrollments in Nassau County. Munsey Park Assistant Principal Theresa Curry has now split responsibilities between Munsey Park and Shelter Rock schools. This allows the building administration more time to supervise and evaluate new curricular initiative (mathematics, reading and writing), as well as the daily operation of each building.
Nolan grew up in Locust Valley, where he graduated from Locust Valley High School in 1998. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education (N-6) in 2002 and his Master of Science degree in special education (K-12) in 2004, both from C.W. Post. In 2010, Nolan completed his Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership, which yielded his New York State School Building Leader and School District Leader licenses.
With a father who was a high school math teacher in the Glen Cove schools and a mother who was a school nurse at Locust Valley Intermediate School, it is easy to envision the influences that propelled Nolan into the field of education, which was “always a dream” for him.
While in high school, he volunteered at the Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club in Locust Valley in the athletics department assisting with sports programs and in the Learning Center working with kindergarten through 12th grade students, providing homework support. Nolan’s volunteer efforts have continued throughout the years, as an EMT-CC and a member of the Locust Valley Fire Department for nearly two decades, including eight years as chief. He is also an elected trustee of the board of education in Locust Valley.
After spending the first two years of his teaching career as a leave replacement special education teacher in Locust Valley, Nolan spent nine years working at the New York City Department of Education as a self-contained classroom teacher in special education at PS/IS 499—The Queens College School for Math, Science, and Technology in Flushing. At PS/IS 499, Nolan worked collaboratively with professors from Queens College while teaching middle school grades and coteaching math classes.
He maintains a special interest in the benefits of co-teaching in the classroom environment. His publications include “Critical Media Literacy Study for 8th Grade Special Education Students,” in the Reading and Writing Quarterly Journal.
Nolan is pleased to be working with the Principal of Munsey Park Elementary School Jean Kendall who has been “very supportive” and promotes a “team-like atmosphere.” He says he takes pride in his organizational skills, loves a challenge, and feels “lucky to be working in a school district that embodies the direction and goals that you want.” Nolan and Curry will work together under the new plan to execute the rigorous new curricular initiatives.
He looks forward to meeting all the students as he visits the classrooms to ensure high-level teaching throughout the school.
Nolan has a 7-year-old daughter, Olivia, and is recently married to Margaret, who works in the health care field.
