Skip To Main Content

Learning Office

The Somers Central School District focuses all efforts on ensuring that all students learn. As our graphic portrays, the center of our vision is the “whole child”. 

The Mission of our department is to engage our professional learning community in the development of standards-based curriculum and local assessments, implementation of best instructional practices and analysis of student learning data in order to plan appropriate response to student learning challenges.  We believe that these professional actions will help to engage students on a personal level, inspire their passions and ensure their success in a global society. 

Three questions guide our work:

  • What do we want our students to know and be able to do?
  • How do we know our students have attained the desired knowledge and skills?
  • What do we do when students struggle with or exceed our goals for them?

These questions focus our attention on developing clearly articulated curriculum documents, researching and studying best practices in curriculum development and delivery of instruction and analyzing student work and ongoing assessments for and of learning.

Our Vision is to build professional collaborative teams that share ownership in and responsibility for student learning in three main areas: 

  • 21st Century Knowledge and Skills
  • Social, Emotional and Physical Wellness
  • Global Citizenship

We Value relationships based on honesty, respect and integrity as we build a professional community that is driven by a sense of continuous improvement.  We celebrate the community around us and value their support and partnership.  We value the experiences that add "wholeness" to a child's formative years, especially music, art, physical education, social-emotional learning and exploration of personal interests. 

Coordination of the following programs is connected to our department:

  • Library Media Studies
  • Visual and Performing Arts
  • Social, Emotional and Physical Wellness
  • Instructional Technology
  • Professional Learning - including the oversight of professional evaluation and mentoring programs for new faculty and the work of Learning Coaches in each of our schools

Strong and consistent contact and communication with the Superintendent, district leaders, building administrators, and teacher leaders enables the work of our department to move forward in excellence.

It is a challenging but also an exciting time to be an educator. While we share our passion for content and subject with the students in our care, we are also responsible to equip them with the skills to become independent learners. Knowledge is available to all of us, all of the time. How we access that knowledge and use it to think critically, respond creatively, act collaboratively and communicate effectively is the challenge of the 21st Century!

somers whole child circle diagram

Contact Information

Tara Kearns headshot

Tara Kearns
Director of Learning - Secondary
914-277-3399 x5403

ET-Pic

Elizabeth Turner
Director of Learning - Elementary
914-277-3399 x5405

Kimberly Shaggura
Secretary to School Administrator
914-277-3399 x5400 

Mailing Address

Somers Central School District
P.O. Box 620
Lincolndale, NY 10540

International Baccalaureate Program Coordinators

Alison Scanlon

Alison Scanlon
SHS IB Diploma Programme Coordinator

Alison coordinates the International Baccalaureate DP program at the HS, identifying in-service learning opportunities for teachers; designing and running in-service courses for teachers; meeting with individual teachers and course groups to discuss implementation of TOK and ATL and interdisciplinary opportunities; disseminating information regarding logistics for testing sessions and uploading of examination materials; training and supporting teachers who use the IBIS system; meeting quarterly with building and district administrators to prioritize needs, identify opportunities, examine student data and trends, and examine scheduling needs; liaising with the public to promote the program; identifying, arranging, and coordinating official IB training opportunities for IB teachers, coordination and registration of payment for teacher trainings, and coordination of expenses for DP teachers.

Erin Stewart

Erin Stewart
SHS Middle Years Programme Coordinator

Erin facilitates professional learning experiences that promote an understanding of MYP ideals; supports staff in developing lessons, interdisciplinary work and assessments; identifies and coordinates training; maintains communication with administration, staff, and parents regarding information about the program; advises and facilitates the creation and updting of school policy that embody MYP ideals; works closely with all members of the professional learning team to support all students; manages trainings; prepares for the IB authorization and evaluation. Additionally, she helps with identifying, arranging, and coordinating official IB training opportunities for IB teachers, coordination and registration of payment for teacher trainings, and coordination of expenses for MYP teachers.

Jenna Schettino Headshot

Jenna Schettino
SMS Middle Years Programme Coordinator

Jenna facilitates professional learning experiences that promote an understanding of MYP ideals, supports staff in developing lessons, interdisciplinary work and assessments, identifies and coordinates training, maintains communication with administration, staff and parents regarding information about the program, advises and facilitates creating school policy that embody MYP ideals, works closely with all members of the professional learning team to support all students, manages trainings, prepares for the IB authorization and evaluation. She meets with district and building administration to identify the training an learning needs of the building to foster an environment that embodies the MYP framework and helps students prepare to be 21st Century Learners. Additionally, coordination and registration of payment, and coordination of travel expense reimbursement.