Blind Elementary/Middle School
BEMS NEWS
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.
Middle School Teachers
Wendy Pinkston
Mathematics
Ana Tutak
P.E. Teacher
Edith Stein
Social Studies
BEMS Specialists & Support Personnel
Cheryl Burgess
Administrative Assistant
Tania Dulin
Braille Production
Mike Zuaro
Educational Diagnostician
Zakiyyah Nation
Instructional Assistant
Tara Ragone-Dougherty
Instructional Assistant
Joy Carriger
Librarian
Jennifer Enache
O&M Specialist
Karen Kolkedy
School Counselor
Sanni Elison
Associate Teacher
Tristan Alfant
Braille Specialist
Amy Hendricks
IEP Coordinator
Keesha Patterson
Instructional Assistant
Heather Roberts
Instructional Assistant
April Wallace
Literacy Specialist
Carl Jacobson
O&M Specialist
Laura Pamer
School Counselor
Zakiyyah Nation
Associate Teacher
Sydney Kabrich
Coord. of Student Support
Kathy Almand
Instructional Assistant
Tiana Patterson
Instructional Assistant
Mary Lorraine Yetter
Instructional Assistant
Elisha Zuaro
Literacy Specialist
Cristina Sapp
O&M Teacher
D.J. Prater
Technology Specialist
Fernanade Fortun
Behavior Specialist
John Barnocelli
DSI Coordinator
Sharon DiMarco Adams
Instructional Assistant
Graciela Quintanilla
Instructional Assistant
Tammy Holcomb
Instructional Assistant (Library)
Joseph "Za" Alexander
Math Specialist
Silke Douglas
Psychologist
Fabian Quintanilla
Technology Teacher