Blind Elementary/Middle School
Contact
BEMS Office
PH: 904-827-2739
Health Care Center
PH: 904-827-2410
VP: 904-201-3910
Transportation
PH: 800-992-8747
Kramer Hall
(Elementary Dorm)
PH: 904-827-2736
Cary White Complex
(Middle School Dorm)
PH: 904-827-2851
LInks
assistant principal
Ellen Fertsch
Ellen Ferstch began her career as a classroom teacher in New Jersey, working in elementary, middle and high schools. During her 10-year tenure in the Northeast, she led an initiative with the Hispanic Family Center to create and maintain programming, outreach, and services among the school, the center, and the community. In 2016, Ferstch joined FSDB as a teacher in the blind middle school (now BEMS). She was named FSDB Blind Middle School Teacher of the Year for the 2020-21 school year. The same year, she was appointed assistant principal for BEMS, where she oversees academic education for blind/visually-impaired students.
Master of Arts, Educational Leadership, Rowan University
Bachelor of Arts, English, Rutgers University
Empowering families and their children is crucial to their success.
Elementary School Teachers
Dawn Parke
Kindergarten
Karen Schulz
1st Grade
Marcella Carpenter
5th Grade
Mary Bilancio
2nd Grade
Carla Ferber
ESE 3-5
Middle School Teachers
Barbara Kirkpatrick
ESE
Julia Mangan
ESE
Leslie Costello
Music
Hilary Norman
Technology
Laurie Wohl
Music
BEMS Specialists & Support Personnel
Cheryl Burgess
Administrative Assistant
April Wallace
Braille Specialist (Elem)
Mike Zuaro
Educational Diagnostician
Sydney Kabrich
Instructional Assistant
Keesha Patterson
Instructional Assistant
Joy Carriger
Librarian
Laura Pamer
School Counselor
Jacquelyn Gehrsitz
Associate Teacher
Leah Belger
Braille Specialist (Middle)
Amy Hendricks
IEP Coordinator
Jaime Maravia
Instructional Assistant
Graciela Quintanilla
Instructional Assistant
Mark Largent
Math Specialist
Silke Parl Douglas
Psychologist
Mary Hanson
Speech Language Pathologist
Samantha Tate
Associate Teacher
Fernanade Fortun
Coord. of Behavior Support
Brenda Brown
Instructional Assistant
Tiffany Meharg
Instructional Assistant
Tara Ragone-Dougherty
Instructional Assistant
Elisha Zuaro
Reading Specialist
D.J. Prater
Technology Specialist
Tania Dulin
Braille Production
John Barnocelli
DSI Coordinator
Sanni Elison
Instructional Assistant
Charlene Myers
Instructional Assistant
Heather Roberts
Instructional Assistant
Karen Kolkedy
School Counselor
Fabian Quintanilla
Technology Teacher