PaliHi Welcomes Two New Administrators

Monica Iannessa and Grace LaTegola take a stroll around Palisades Charter High School as they discuss their new roles as director of student services and director of instruction, respectively.
” src=”https://palipost.com/story_photos/administrators.jpg” width=”199″ />

Monica Iannessa and Grace LaTegola take a stroll around Palisades Charter High School as they discuss their new roles as director of student services and director of instruction, respectively.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Drama teacher Monica Iannessa will no longer show students how to sing, dance and perform a scene on stage at Palisades Charter High School. Instead, she will keep track of whether they come to school every day and whether they behave themselves.
Iannessa has accepted Palisades High’s newly created position, the director of student services, and will be in charge of such tasks as attendance, admissions, discipline and student activities. She will report to the principal.
“I am serving my drama students still—just in a larger capacity,” she said.
A hiring committee consisting of eight staff members, administrators, parents and students chose Iannessa for the position. The committee also hired Grace LaTegola, an administrator from the Gilroy Unified School District, to replace Lauren Allen as the director of instruction.
“Ms. Iannessa knows the school and is well liked and respected by faculty, staff, students and parents,” said Principal Martin Griffin, who was hired in June. “Her organizational skills, articulation of her educational philosophy and strong desire to work as an administrator . . . made her a good fit for the position.”
Iannessa is taking on some of the job duties of retirees Margaret Evans, director of admissions and attendance, and Charlotte Atlas, director of compliance, discipline and facilities. School officials decided to reallocate Atlas’ and Evans’ job responsibilities and rename their positions.
In addition to the director of student services, school officials created a manager of operations position. That administrator, who is not yet hired, will report to the executive director and oversee operations such as technology, parking and transportation.
Iannessa has worked in education for 18 years and recently earned her master’s degree in education and an administrative credential from UCLA. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in liberal studies and gained her teaching credential at Chapman University. Before coming to PaliHi four years ago, she started the drama program at Chaparral High School in Temecula.
She said she decided to pursue administration because she had become interested in working on the school-wide vision. In the past few years, she expanded her role on campus by becoming involved in Dolphin Days, a summer freshman transition program, and by serving on the faculty senate.
This fall, “my goal is learning the best way to support the staff and serve the community,” Iannessa said. “I will be a ready and apt student.”
LaTegola brings 33 years of education experience to her position as director of instruction. In Gilroy this past year, she helped principals and teachers with curriculum and staff development in order to comply with No Child Left Behind and state requirements. Previously, LaTegola was an administrator for five years in the Grossmont school district (near San Diego), where she managed professional development, curriculum, leadership training and more.
While at Grossmont, she worked with Griffin, who was then the principal at Mt. Miguel High School and who encouraged her to apply at PaliHi.
“Her proven track record, passion for continuous school improvement, excellent communication skills and commitment to collaborative leadership made her the priority choice for the position,” Griffin said.
LaTegola earned her bachelor’s degree in education and special education from Bridgewater College in Virginia, a master’s degree in management from Lesley University in Massachusetts and her administrative credential from Cal State Fullerton. She started her career in Massachusetts as a special-education teacher in 1973 and was at the forefront of transitioning special-education students into mainstream classes.
At PaliHi, she will give teachers advice on how to improve classroom instruction and provide them with training opportunities.
“Curriculum is my first passion,” LaTegola said. “I like being able to help ensure that teachers are using the best practices and that students are receiving the best instruction possible.”