Meet Our Administrators
(201) 974-2000, x 2089
Ms. Jennifer Montesano assumed the role of Superintendent of Schools on November 1, 2017.
MS. GRACE YEO
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/BOARD SECRETARY
(201) 974-2008
gyeo@sboe.org
Ms. Yeo received both her B.S and M.S. in Accounting from St. Peters University in Jersey City and resides in Secaucus with her family.
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
driser@sboe.org
Dr. Riser began her educational career as a Secaucus High School biology teacher in September 2000 and taught science for 13 years in the district. She earned her B.S in Biology at Stockton University, her M.S. in Anatomy/Physiology at Rutgers University, her Ed.D. in Supervision in Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and her principal's certification through the Foundation for Educational Administration in 2017. In 2008, using the work from her doctoral dissertation, she published a book - Enacting Inquiry-Based Science Curricula: A Comprehensive Middle-School Study.
Dr. Riser resides in Rutherford, NJ with her husband and two children.
cdevito@sboe.org
Mrs. Carrieann (Malanga) DeVito joined the Secaucus School District on April 2, 2018 as the Director of Special Services.
Mrs. DeVito began her career as both a general and special educator before joining the child study team as a learning consultant.During her tenure as a learning consultant, Mrs. DeVito earned a scholarship to obtain her Orton Gillingham teacher certification through Fairleigh Dickinson University. She was an active member of the I & R S Committees and sought to help struggling readers in both the general and special education settings.
Her path in school leadership began in Haworth where she was the Supervisor of Special Education for the past three years. During that time, Mrs. DeVito was an active member of the HEPAC (Haworth Parent Advisory Committee). She was also responsible for bringing an Orton-Gillingham Satellite Center to Haworth in order to help teachers earn certification in the program without traveling to the campus.
Mrs. DeVito earned her BA from Caldwell University in 1997 and her MA in 2005 from Montclair State University. She returned to Caldwell University in 2010 in order to earn her certifications in administration. In addition to her Orton-Gilligham Teacher Certification, Mrs. DeVito has also earned her Dyslexia Specialist Certification at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Mrs. DeVito is excited to be a part of the Secaucus Community and looks forward to helping all students succeed.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, SUPERVISOR OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
(201) 974-2029
cvoorhees@sboe.org
Mr. Charles Voorhees is SPSD’s Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Health. He was hired by the SPSD in 1995 as a High School Math teacher. Mr. Voorhees was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1998, and served as a Character Education Coordinator from 2005 to 2011. In 2011, Mr. Voorhees was appointed to his current position.
Mr. Voorhees has served as the Head Coach of the Secaucus High School Football team since 1999 and in 20 seasons has 119 wins and 80 losses with six consecutive league championships - from 2006 to 2011. Mr. Voorhees has been honored as Coach of the Year for the BCSL, NJIC and Hudson County, and was named Athletic Director of the Year in 2015. He is a member of the NJSIAA Football Committee and the Chairman of the NJIC Football Committee. He is also a member of the NJIC Realignment Committee and the NJIC Facilities Committee. Mr. Voorhees was an Assistant Football Coach for Secaucus High School from 1988 to 1990, St. Peter’s Prep in 1991 and Jersey City State College in 1992.
After graduating from Secaucus High School, Mr. Voorhees attended Muhlenberg College where he received his B.A. in Accounting. While at Muhlenberg, he was a four-year varsity letterman in football and was a member of the Centennial Conference Championship teams in 1983 and 1986. He was nominated First Team All Conference as a Running Back and was given the Most Courageous Player Award in 1986. Additionally, during his time at Muhlenberg, he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and Vice President of the college’s Chess Club. Mr. Voorhees has two masters degrees: the first is from Jersey City State College in Mathematics Education, which he received in 1994 and the second is from Saint Peter’s College in Administration and Supervision, which he received in 2002.
Before beginning his teaching career Mr. Voorhees worked at Hartz Mountain Industries as a Project Manager and is a member of the Carpenter’s Union Local #6 and Local #253.
Mr. Voorhees resides in Midland Park; he is married to his wife Teresa and has two sons, CJ and Eric.
VALENTEMr. Robert Valente became a Principal in August 2013 and Principal of Huber Street School in July 2018. He began his teaching career in April 1999 at a charter school in Jersey City as a Fifth Grade teacher. Mr. Valente returned to his hometown of Secaucus in September, 2000. During his 13 years as a teacher at Clarendon School, he taught Grades Four and Six, and was hired to be the very first Math Coach in the school’s history .
Mr. Valente has coached middle school basketball and high school softball. He resides in Secaucus with his wife, two children, and dog.
Dr. Garzon began her career in the Jersey City Public School District as an elementary education teacher and continued to take on multiple roles such as K-8 curriculum coach, mentor, staff developer, NJDOE achievement coach, and NJEA/ECET2 presenter. During her tenure in the district, she was selected as the 2016 New Jersey Governor’s Hudson County Educator of the Year and the National VIP Women of the Year. Dr. Garzon was chosen as a Teach to Lead recipient and served as a subcommittee member to revise the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
Dr. Garzon received a Bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University, a Master’s degree from New Jersey City University, and a Doctorate from Seton Hall University.
Ms. Christine Candela is a graduate of The College of New Jersey where she pursued a double major in English and Secondary Education. She then earned her M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from Montclair State University. She was hired in 2001 by the SPSD where she taught both middle and high school English.
In 2010 she was selected as Secaucus Middle School’s Teacher of the Year and became the Freshman Transition Coordinator at the high school. For the next four years she taught all levels of high school English, including Advanced Placement Literature and Composition, and was the co-advisor for the Class of 2014.
Ms. Candela was the District Supervisor of English and Social Studies for four years and was appointed as Middle School Principal July 2018.
Mr. Steven Viggiani became principal in July of 2014 and principal of the High School in July 2018. He is a certified Learning Disabilities Consultant and was previously a member of the Child Study Team at Secaucus High School and Middle School. At the same time, Mr. Viggiani served as a district technology coordinator for the special education department. Earlier in his teaching career he taught at both the elementary and high school level as a special education teacher.
Mr. Viggiani resides in Emerson; he is married and has two daughters.
MRS. AMANDA WARGOCKI
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, HIGH SCHOOL
(201) 974-2856
Mrs. Amanda Wargocki is a graduate of the Ramapo College of New Jersey where she majored in History and Education. She then earned her Master’s degrees in both Educational Technology and Educational Leadership from Ramapo College. She was hired in 2009 by the SPSD where she taught both middle and high school Social Studies.
In 2015-2016 she was selected as Secaucus Middle School’s Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Wargocki was also the Class of 2011 and the Class of 2015 advisor and the Head Varsity Softball Coach. She has also been a guest speaker at the NJEA Convention, at Rutgers University for the National Council for Social Studies and her students were recently featured in an HBO documentary about the events of September 11, 2001.
Mrs. Wargocki was hired as the Secaucus High School Assistant Principal in 2018.
Mrs. Amanda Trombetta is SPSD's Supervisor of STEM. She also serves as a member of the Hudson County Schools of Technology Board of Education. Earlier in her career she served as a high school mathematics teacher.
Mrs. Trombetta was hired in 2009 by the SPSD and taught mathematics for five years at the high school level. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics at Montclair State University, and her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Learning at William Paterson University. At the graduate level her concentration was in teaching elementary children mathematics and her thesis research focused on teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities.
Mrs. Trombetta is a Secaucus High School alumna and resides in Secaucus with her husband Michael and three children, Peyton, Michael, and Joseph.
MRS. CHRISTINA WISWESSER (CALABRESE)
SUPERVISOR OF GUIDANCE
(201) 974-2039
Mrs. Christina Wiswesser (Calabrese) is a 2004 graduate of The College of New Jersey where she pursued a double major in English and Secondary Education. She then earned her M.A. in Counseling from New Jersey City University in 2009 and earned an endorsement to teach Psychology.
Mrs. Wiswesser was hired by the SPSD in 2004 where she taught high school English until 2009. In 2009, she transitioned into the role as a high school/middle school guidance counselor. In 2011, she became a full time high school guidance counselor.
She was also the Head Varsity Cheerleading coach at SHS for ten years.
Mrs. Wiswesser was hired as the Supervisor of Guidance, Business, Family/Consumer Science, Music, and World Language in 2018.
Mrs. Wiswesser resides in Pompton Plains with her husband Jason and one son, Justin.
MS. ALLISON CUNNIFF
SUPERVISOR OF HUMANITIES
(201) 974-2050
Ms. Allison Cunniff graduated Saint Peter’s University in 2005 with a major in English Literature and a double minor in Secondary Education and Mathematics, and in 2010 with her Masters in Educational Leadership.
Ms. Cunniff completed her student teaching in Secaucus in 2004 and was hired by the Secaucus Public School District in 2008 as an English teacher for the Middle School and High School. Ms. Cunniff taught all levels of ELA including Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition. Ms. Cunniff was the Secaucus Middle School Teacher of the year in 2013 and previously served as the advisor for MS Drama Club, MS Character Club, Class of 2014 advisor, and MS Girls Soccer Coach.
Ms. Cunniff was hired as the Supervisor of Humanities in 2018.
DR. JEROME KAISER
Dr. Kaiser started his career in education as a physics professor at the University of Texas at Arlington in 1986. He transitioned to the business world to lead information systems organizations and projects for pharmaceutical, financial services and technology companies for 20 years. In 2012, Dr. Kaiser returned to education and physics as a teacher at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, and as an instructor and curriculum writer for the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning.
Dr. Kaiser holds BSc and PhD degrees in Physics from the University of East Anglia in the U.K.