I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Nicole Stuto as Principal of Brookdale Avenue School. Mrs. Stuto comes to Verona with strong credentials and a commitment to educational excellence. She is highly regarded as a respected educator who exhibits leadership in all decisions she makes in the best interest of children. Her background in Reading and Writing Workshop, as well as her experience within the area of instructional coaching and technology infusion, makes Mrs. Stuto an excellent fit for Brookdale Avenue School and the Verona Public Schools.

Mrs. Stuto has dedicated herself for the past eight years in the Wyckoff School District. Over the past two years, Mrs. Stuto has served as a K-5 Instructional Coach in Wyckoff. While collaborating at both the building and district levels, Mrs. Stuto has encouraged and supported Professional Learning Communities, promoted the use of video for teacher reflection, led lesson study experiences in both math and science, and guided teachers in integrating multi-step and inquiry-based problem solving into the implementation of a new math program. As a Google Certified Educator, Mrs. Stuto has also supported fourth and fifth grade teachers in a 1:1 Chrome Book initiative over the past two years.

Mrs. Stuto began her teaching career in Wyckoff, where she taught both fourth and fifth grades. Over the course of six years as a classroom teacher, Mrs. Stuto served as a Curriculum Team Leader, where she led a committee of grade level colleagues to write and review new curriculum. As a member of the Gifted and Talented Steering Committee, Mrs. Stuto researched best practices for providing a continuum of services and presented identification and programming recommendations for the Board of Education. Mrs. Stuto also played a role in the district’s Scheduling Committee, which was directly responsible for maximizing collaborative planning time for all staff members, both within the schools and across the district.

Mrs. Stuto earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Elementary Education from Villanova University. She earned a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Leadership at Montclair State University. Mrs. Stuto resides in Emerson, NJ with her husband, Joseph.

As a lifelong learner, Mrs. Stuto constantly seeks new information and outlets to keep abreast of the constant changes in the field of education. She is currently researching and planning for Makerspaces in Wyckoff, while exploring best practices in STEAM education inclusive of the Next Generation Science Standards. Mrs. Stuto hopes to promote student achievement in Verona, a goal which she plans to accomplish by supporting staff and students in any way possible. Mrs. Stuto intends to visit classrooms and looks forward to getting involved within the town. “I am honored and excited to join the Brookdale Avenue School family,” said Mrs. Stuto. “I look forward to working closely with the staff, parents, students and the entire Verona community.”

The district will provide a transition plan with Mrs. Stuto and Mr. Rampolla over the next several weeks. During this time, she will have an opportunity to meet with staff, students, and parents of the Brookdale community as well as begin to understand all of our schools and staff in Verona. We will also be coordinating an evening parent coffee in June for parents to personally meet Mrs. Stuto prior to the end of the school year. Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Stuto to Verona.