Some familiar faces are among the new faculty members joining Menands for the 2025-26 school year.
Deanna Hems is returning to Menands after a brief hiatus and Menands graduate Brianna Coughlin is joining the school faculty for the first time after teaching and serving elsewhere as a teacher. Joining them is veteran teachers Karyn Seymour and ConnieMarie Rao.
“It’s exciting to have so many familiar faces rejoining our family,” said Superintendent Jennifer Cannavo.
Hems, (her maiden name is Rigney) is returning to Menands as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher. Working with the Colonie Youth Center, she launched the PreK program several years ago before taking a leadership position with the Center and away from Menands.
“She is truly beloved by our families and has done an excellent job with the program over the years,” Cannavo said.
Coughlin (her maiden name is DiBiase) joins Menands as a fourth grade teacher with nearly two decades of experience as an elementary teacher and reading specialist in the Mohonasen Central School District.
A Latham resident, Coughlin is well-known in the Menands community for running the park program. She returned to that position this summer, Cannavo said.
She is a 1999 graduate of Menands’ eighth grade.
“It’s wonderful to be able to have a graduate return to the community that she has given so much to,” the superintendent said.
Rao joins Menands as the new music teacher. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in music including serving as an adjudicator with the New York State School Music Association and as a board member of the Homemade Theater where she also produced shows. Rao is a former music teacher in Westchester County.
She has a master’s degree in Education Psychology and Music from Marist College and is a doctoral candidate at Grand Canyon University.
Rao said she enjoys everything about teaching music, “making musical memories while inspiring, creating, and strengthening the natural musical gift all children have within them.”
Seymour is joining Menands as a grades 6-8 English language arts teacher. Most recently an instructional coach for Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES, she previously taught middle school in Albany and Amsterdam schools.
“She started as an elementary teacher but developed a true passion for middle school. We are excited to welcome her,” Cannavo said.
Two new classroom aides are also joining Menands for the school year. Michael Lombardo and Michael Palladino are aides assigned to the special education classrooms.