Cheltenham School District recently announced that Dr. Stephen Catrambone has been named director of special education, effective July 6.
From the District’s announcement:
With nearly two decades of experience in innovative building and special education leadership, Dr. Stephen Catrambone has been named director of special education at the Cheltenham School District, effective July 6, 2023. Catrambone’s appointment gained board approval at this week’s legislative meeting. Dr. Catrambone fills the role of the retired Dr. Beverly Gallagher, who had served in the position since 2015.
“I’m looking forward to the next step in my career,” Dr. Catrambone said. “I want to give students the best experience possible along their educational journey.”
Dr. Catrambone comes to Cheltenham after serving as the special education director in the Philadelphia School District’s network five. In that role, Catrambone worked with supervisors and principals to maintain special education programming implementation across 17 schools.
Before being an administrator in Philadelphia, Catrambone served as principal of Mary C. Howse Elementary, a 600+ student K-5 school in the West Chester Area School District for 12 years. During this tenure, Dr. Catrambone maintained the district elementary emotional support program and the school housed the Chester County Intermediate Unit early intervention program for four years.
Dr. Catrambone started at the West Chester Area School District in 2007 as a supervisor of elementary special education, a post he would hold until 2010. As supervisor, he partnered with teacher liaisons and principals to ensure the effective implementation of special education programming in five schools.
An adjunct faculty member at Immaculata University and University of Phoenix, Dr. Catrambone graduated from West Chester University with a bachelor of science in education. He earned two master of science degrees from Nova Southeastern University: M.S. in educational leadership and administration (2002) and an M.S. in special education and teaching (2000). In 2012, Dr. Catrambone finished his doctoral work, earning a degree in educational leadership and administration from Immaculata.
Dr. Catrambone resides in West Chester with his wife Jenna and is the proud parent to three adult children and one son-in-law.
In other news, CHS students (and Wyncote alum) Amelia Fishman and Charlie Sywulak-Herr developed a place-based, environmental curriculum for the FarmerJawn Community Supported Agriculture space on the Elkins Estate.
From the District’s announcement:
For their senior project, CHS students (and Wyncote alum) Amelia Fishman and Charlie Sywulak-Herr have developed a place-based, environmental curriculum for the FarmerJawn space on the Elkins Estate. The seniors collaborated with Wyncote third grade teacher Deb DiBattista to create the tailor made, hands-on experience in which four classes of Wyncote students participated on Tuesday morning.
Students visited six stations where they learned about native and invasive species in relation to the effect weeds have on growing healthy produce; the three essential elements to a habitat and how deer populations can change over time; the importance of water in an ecosystem, what critters rely on it, and what can cause negative changes to water; how to perform water tests; and made observations on different types of seeds and leafy greens.
All stations included hands-on activities for third grade students to grasp environmental concepts. To understand native and invasive species, students weeded invasive grass from lettuce beds on the farm. To understand how deer populations change over time, students played “Oh Deer!” a rock, paper, scissors-like game. Students gathered in small groups to complete a scavenger hunt to find different plants and items in nature. DiBattista taught students about the importance of watersheds and performed a water quality test on Tookany Creek. Students gathered in the greenhouse to learn about different types of seeds and got to sow their own plants. Finally, students tasted a variety of leafy greens and made observations on their taste and texture.
For photos of the event, you can click here.
Feature photo courtesy of CSD, Rikki Rosenthal