La scuola faculty
The Heart of a School
At La Scuola, we believe that faculty is the heart of a school. Our teachers and administrators bring not only technical expertise and impressive credentials, but a demonstrated caring and compassion for our students. In addition to helping the students discover knowledge, our faculty instills a love of learning that inspires them daily and stays with them well after graduation.
Our Teachers
Like our student body, our faculty includes American and international members. They are native speakers of the main language in which they teach and they are skilled in guiding students to learn in two languages. Those who received their educational training in Italy must also hold the appropriate credentials required by the Ministero dell’Istruzione, Universita’ e Ricerca (MIUR), and are required to have verbal and written fluency in the English language. Teachers who received their educational training in the United States are required to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in the subject area, as well as pedagogical training. Several members of the faculty hold terminal degrees from both European and American universities.
Preschool & Elementary Teachers
Stefania Stipo
Elementary School Coordinator
Deputy Head of School Ad Interim, Elementary School Italian, History and Geography
Laurea in Lingue e Let straniere/ MA in inglese ed informatica/Masters Laurea in Lingue e Letterature Straniere Moderne, Tor Vergata Univ. Rome, Italy
sstipo@lascuoladitalia.org
Maria Cinquemani
Preschool Coordinator
Kindergarten Italian
Diploma Maturità magistrale, Istituto Magistrale Agrigento, Italia
mcinquemani@lascuoladitalia.org
Daniel Bellissimo
Elementary School Italian as a New Language
BA in Scienze della comunicazione, Univ. di Perugia, Italia
dbellissimo@lascuoladitalia.org
Francesca Vicchio
Elementary School Italian, History and Geography
Laurea Triennale in Filosofia/CEDILS/Laurea Magistrale in Filologia e letteratura italiana/Master post-lauream in Progettazione avanzata dell’insegnamento della lingua e cultura italiane a stranieri, Univ. Ca’ Foscari, Venezia, Italia
fvicchio@lascuoladitalia.org
Piera Bonerba
Preschool and Elementary School Art
Laurea magistrale in Scenografia, Accademia di Belle Arti, Roma, Italia
pbonerba@lascuoladitalia.org
Elena Sartor
Preschool Creative Movement & Music
Laurea in Letteratura. Universita’ Ca Foscari
esartor@lascuoladitalia.org
Stefania Clementi
Preschool and Elementary School Counselor
Laurea in Psicologia dello Sviluppo e dell’Educazione, Univ. La Sapienza, Roma, Italia/Post Graduate Advanced Certificate in Special Education–Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brooklyn College, NY.
sclementi@lascuoladitalia.org
Laura Rottino
Elementary School English, Science and Social Studies
BA in General, Special and Early Childhood Education, St Joseph College, NY/MA in Literacy Education, Hunter College, NY
lrottino@lascuoladitalia.org
Riccardo Catalano
Technology
Laurea in Scienze dell’Educazione, Universita’ di Genova, Italia
rcatalano@lascuoladitalia.org
José Rubiera
Elementary School Physical Education
BA in Physical Education, Long Island University, NY
jrubiera@lascuoladitalia.org
Alyssa King
Elementary English 1st-2nd Grade
Certified Teacher, Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Hunter College (Grades 1-6). City University of New York, Hunter College, NY
aking@lascuoladitalia.org
Emanuela Costa
Elementary, Math and Technology 3rd/4th/5tn Grade
BA in Social Science; Master’s in Legislazione Scolastica e Managment della Negoziozione, Universita’ di Perugia, Italia
ecosta@lascuoladitalia.org
Francesca Lanza
Kindergarten English
BA in English Literature /MA in Childhood Education, Adelphi University, NY
flanza@lascuoladitalia.org
Antonia Di Maggio
Elementary School Italian, History and Geography
Diploma Magistrale, Palermo, Italia
adimaggio@lascuoladitalia.org
Devon Luckey
Elementary English Teacher
dluckey@lascuoladitalia.org
Brenda Quattrini
Elementary School Music and Performance Coordinator
Laurea in Performance Cum Laude, Conducting , Opera Conducting, Piano, Conservatory of Music “San Pietro a Majella,” Napoli, Italia/Piano Master, The Catholic Univ. of America, Washington, D.C.
bquattrini@lascuoladitalia.org
Middle & High School Teachers
Anthony Martire
Upper School Coordinator
High School English & Social Studies
BA, Italian Studies/Comparative Literature, University of California Santa Barbara; MA/PhD in Italian Studies, University of California Berkeley.
amartire@lascuoladitalia.org
Eva Giannini
Middle School Coordinator
Middle School and High School Italian
BA, Lettere Moderne at Bologna University; MA, Italian Literature, University of Bologna, Italia; MA in Philosophy, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK; Ballet teacher diploma, Russian Ballet Association; Graham technique teacher diploma, Martha Graham Contemporary Dance School, New York, NY
egiannini@lascuoladitalia.org
Daniel Bellissimo
Middle School and High School Italian as a New Language
BA, Scienze della comunicazione, Univ. di Perugia, Italia
dbellissimo@lascuoladitalia.org
Andrea Minardi, PhD
High School Science
Laurea Triennale, Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie , Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Laurea Magistrale in Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie; PhD Agrisystem – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
amindardi@lascuoladitalia.org
Eve Bromberg
Middle and Upper School American History, College Advising
BA, Philosophy, Kenyon College; MA, Liberal Studies, The Graduate Center CUNY.
ebromberg@lascuoladitalia.org
Beatrice Paladini, PhD
High School Math and Physics
Laurea in Fisica, Univ. di Milano, Italia/PhD in Physics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
bpaladini@lascuoladitalia.org
Stefania Clementi
Middle School/High School Psychology
Laurea in Psicologia dello Sviluppo e dell’Educazione, Univ. La Sapienza, Roma, Italia/Post Grad Advanced Certificate in Special Education-Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brooklyn College, NY
sclementi@lascuoladitalia.org
Nels Pierce
High School Art
BA in Fine Arts, Univ. Milwaukee, WI/MFA in Fine Art&Painting, Parsons’ School of Design, NY
npierce@lascuoladitalia.org
Violaine DiMalta
Middle School and High School French
Master of Art in Teaching: English Language & Literature, Montpellier University,France
vdimalta@lascuoladitalia.org
Jose M. Pietri-Coimbre
Music
BM, music performance, violin, and voice, Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music; MA in music performance, Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, CUNY.
jcoimbre@lascuoladitalia.org
Chiara Di Paolo
Middle and High School Science Teacher
cdipaolo@lascuoladitalia.org
Michael Prater
Head of School ad interim
High School English and Social Studies
BA, History, Queens College (NC); MA, Social Studies, Columbia University
mprater@lascuoladitalia.org
Flora Ghezzo, PhD
High School Italian and Italian as a New Language
Laurea in Lettere, Ca’ Foscari, Venezia, Italia/PhD in Italian Studies, Rutgers Univ., NJ, Post Doctorate in Italian Studies, Columbia Univ., NY
fghezzo@lascuoladitalia.org
Mattia Roveri
High School History and Philosophy
Ph.D. in Italian Studies, University of St. Andrews (UK); Triple Masters Degree in European Humanities, Università di Bergamo (IT), University of St. Andrews (UK), Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen (DE); BA, Lingue, Letterature e Culture Straniere, Università di Bergamo.
Alba Lombardini
Middle School World History & Geography
BS, Education, Universita’ degli Studi di Milano; Bachelor in Social, l’Istituto Scientifico Eugenio Medea of Bosisio Parini;
alombardini@lascuoladitalia.org
José Rubiera
Middle School and High School Physical Education
BS in Physical Education, Long Island University, NY
jrubiera@lascuoladitalia.org
Joe Sheppard
High School Latin
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Latin and English, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand); Ph.D. Classical Studies, Columbia University.
jsheppard@lascuoladitalia.org
Vanessa Williams
Middle School English, 12th Grade Civics
BA, Political Science, The College of St. Benedict; Juris Doctor, The University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity, Bethel University; Doctor of Philosophy, Fordham University.
vwilliams@lascuoladitalia.org
A Word
From Our Head of School
As the only preK-12 Italian/English school in North America, La Scuola is unique in what it offers to families wishing to cultivate life-long learners in an atmosphere of friendship and inclusion. More than an Italian school, La Scuola prides itself on being an international community that is accessible to all, endowed with an abiding respect for the great principles of Renaissance genius. Students will continually benefit from the vastness of ideas, imagination, and innovation that Italy has exchanged with the world; and they first encountered it here, in New York City.
– Michael Prater
Head of School Ad Interim
Administration
Head of School
Michael Haley Prater
Ad Interim
mprater@lascuoladitalia.org
Deputy Head of School
Stefania Stipo
Ad interim
sstipo@lascuoladitalia.org
Director of Business and Operations
Noubar Torossian
ntorossian@lascuoladitalia.org
Enrollment Representative
Gemma Richardson
grichardson@lascuoladitalia.org
School Counselor
Stefania Clementi
sclementi@lascuoladitalia.org
Executive Assistant, Lower School
Paola Serrone
pserrone@lascuoladitalia.org
Executive Assistant, Upper School
Stefano Lanfredini
slandfredini@lascuoladitalia.org
Facility Services
Ismael Ruiz
iruiz@lascuoladitalia.org
Trustees
La Scuola is governed by an independent Board of Trustees comprised of educators, parents, alumni, and leaders representing a variety of industries.
Chairman
Massimo F. D’Angelo, Esq.
Partner, Akerman, LLP
Vice Chair
Diego Rodino di Miglione
Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield
Treasurer
Joe Morandi
Morgan Stanley
Secretary
Lucia Carbone, PhD
Curator of Roman Coins, American Numismatic Society
Members
Marco Bianchi
Head of Futures, FlexTrade Systems
Alfredo Maria De Falco
Head of Corporate and Individual Solutions, Unicredit SpA
Matteo Dolci
Chief Operating Officer WP USA
Maria Fiorini
President and CEO,
Maria Fiorini Ramirez, Inc
Valentino Gallo
Partner, Javalyn Partners LLC
Dominick Golio, MD., M.B.A
Gian Maria Magrini
Portfolio Manager, Bardin Hill Investment Partners
Joe Morandi
Morgan Stanley
Fabio Santucci
President of Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA)
Nicola Tegoni
Esq: Partner, Dunnington Bartholow & Miller, LLP
Francesca Verga, MD
Surgery Center Michele Verga, MD, PC
John M. Viola
Alesssandro Zamperdri
Real Estate Developer
Ex-Officio
Minister Fabrizio Di Michele
Consul General of Italy in New York
Michael Prater
Head of School, ad interim
Stefania Stipo
Deputy Head of School, ad interim
Nationalities Represented
year Established
Student-to- Faculty Ratio
after-school programs
Connect With Us
Location: 12 E 96th St, New York, NY 10128
Telephone: (212) 369-3290
