Meet our New Teachers!

My name is Sarah Barry and I am very excited to join the staff here at John Jay High School.  I am a Special Educator who will be teaching Resource Room and co-teaching Biology.  I have been in education for many years- most of those years with the New York City Department of Education.  I also spent some time teaching in Brisbane, Australia.  I received my undergraduate degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and my Master's degree from CUNY Hunter College.  When I am not teaching, I am chasing after my two young sons and pursuing a PhD at Fordham University. 

Dr. Costa completed both his doctoral and master’s degrees at St. John’s University in Queens, and his undergraduate education at SUNY New Paltz. Prior to coming to Katonah-Lewisboro School District, he trained for 3 years in child/adolescent clinical psychology at Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Medical Center/Zucker Hillside Hospital, as well as various public elementary and secondary schools on Long Island. His areas of expertise include working with youth who experience anxiety and depression using research-based approaches. You can find Dr. Costa in the JJHS Counseling Center. He is excited to join the KLSD community to work with all of the JJHS students, families, and faculty!

Hi everyone! My name is Rebecca Davidson, and I am a school counselor at John Jay High School. I am so excited to join such a collaborative, supportive, kind, and caring community of educators, students, and families, and I couldn’t be happier to have landed in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District! I am coming to JJHS after 5 years in the NYC Department of Education, working as the Counseling Department Chair at The Brooklyn Latin School, a specialized public high school in Brooklyn. Previously, I received my master’s degree in counseling at Hunter College, and my undergraduate degree at The University of Delaware. I am originally from the Boston area, and I recently moved from Manhattan to Connecticut with my husband and 15 month old daughter! From being in the district for only a few short weeks, I can already feel the warmth of the community and I’m thrilled to be a part of it! Please feel free to stop by my office at any time to say hello!

Nathalie Dembelé is a native speaker of France. She moved to the United States in her early teens and went to the Lycée Français of NY. She graduated with a business degree from Fordham University and earned her teaching credentials from Manhattanville College. 

Passion-driven, she will draw on personal experience to create more authentic and real world lessons infused with 21st Century issues and tasks. She is looking forward to connecting with your children. This year, she will be teaching 8^th grade, French 5, French 3 and 3H.

My name is Julia Fitzgerald, I am the new full-time registered nurse for John Jay High School. I grew up in Mahopac, NY and studied at Pace University where I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Throughout my college career, I learned hands-on care in many different hospitals and medical facilities throughout Westchester and NYC. After completing my degree, I went on to take the New York State boards to become a registered nurse. I began my nursing career as a medical surgical nurse at White Plains Hospital working with a variety of patients of all ages. Throughout the pandemic, I gained valuable knowledge from my experience in the field by treating those with Covid-19. During these difficult times I learned the importance of adaptability, teamwork and empathy. In addition to working in a hospital environment, I also have experience working per-diem for Affiliated Physicians where I performed screening for Covid-19 signs and symptoms, as well as Covid-19 testing. My love for health care and being part of a tight-knit community is a big part of my life. In my leisure I enjoy outdoor activities, baking, arts & science, and staying active. I am excited to be joining the Katonah-Lewisboro School District where I hope to make a positive impact on the school district as a whole.

Greetings! My name is Jared Henderson. I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Katonah-Lewisboro school district and community! I will be teaching Band, Music History & Theory, Jazz Band and Pep Band this year. My primary instruments are Bass and Tuba. I grew up in a small town in Oregon, and greatly benefitted from being raised in a tight knit community - which is one of the reasons I’m very excited to be teaching at JJHS. I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston for my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music Performance. I later attended CUNY Brooklyn College for my graduate certificate in Music Education. I lived in NYC for several years where I was very active as a professional bassist and have been fortunate to perform around the world. Prior to working at John Jay, I taught middle school band in Malden Public Schools (Boston, MA) and in the East Ramapo Central School District (Rockland County). Aside from music, I enjoy spending time with my family, gardening, hiking and running.

I am the new art teacher at John Jay High School and will be teaching Studio Art, Ceramics & Sculpture, and Drawing and Painting 2 this year. I am a John Jay High School graduate who grew up in Katonah, NY, and I am thrilled to be back and excited to get to know all our students and families. I received my BFA and MS in Art and Design Education with a concentration in drawing & painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. I have been teaching at the secondary level in Brooklyn for the past 2 years and am looking forward to being a part of this wonderful community.

Hi!  My name is Jen Luft.  I have worked within the Katonah-Lewisboro school district as a Physical Education teacher for several years, most recently at John Jay Middle School.  I am excited to be joining the high school PE staff this year, in addition to the middle school.  I attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where I was captain of the D1 women's soccer team, and I received my master's degree at Lehman College for Health Education.  Currently, I coach several youth sports teams for my 3 children.  I look forward to working with all of your children!