Tara Gaiss named Pulaski principal, effective July 1; Beekman to retire
Tara Gaiss, currently assistant principal at East Northport Middle School, will move to Pulaski Elementary School in July, where she will replace Lori Beekman as principal. Photo courtesy of the NENUFSD.
At the March 19 board of education meeting Tara Gaiss was appointed the new principal of Pulaski Road Elementary School, effective July 1. She will replace the current principal, Lori Beekman.
Beekman is retiring at the end of the school year after 28 years with the district, 13 of which she served as principal.
Gaiss joins Pulaski Road Elementary with extensive administrative experience, serving this year as the assistant principal at East Northport Middle School and previously serving as the district’s K-12 Coordinator of Reading, AIS, RTI and MTSS for 14 years.
Prior to her time in administrative roles, Gaiss served as a reading specialist, literacy coach and an elementary school teacher. In these roles, she partnered with school counselors and teacher teams to enhance cross-content communication and monitor student performance, facilitated student-centered conflict resolution initiatives utilizing restorative and responsive practices, and facilitated professional learning opportunities for staff across the district to advance learning.
“Tara has been an important part of our administrative team for more than a decade,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dave Moyer said. “She was instrumental in identifying and leading the move to adopt our new elementary literacy curriculum and will bring that expertise with her to Pulaski Road and our elementary principal team. I am very proud of the job she has done this year at East Northport Middle School and am looking forward to watching her flourish in her new role.”
Gaiss holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of Vermont, a Master of Science degree in education and an advanced certificate in school building and district leadership from Long Island University.
“I am deeply honored and excited to join the Pulaski Road Elementary School community,”Gaiss said. “To me, early childhood education is about more than milestones; it’s about creating an environment where a child’s natural curiosity blossoms into a lifelong love of learning. I am proud to partner with our dedicated staff and families to foster a warm, engaging environment where every child feels valued, supported and inspired to grow each day.”
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