Meet Elmont Memorial High School’s new principal

New Elmont Memorial High School principal Marya Baker has met her staff and many students of her new school and is now looking forward to meeting the community as the 2023-24 school year gets underway.

“I’m excited to be a part of the life of the school community,” Baker said. “All of the wonderful activities and events that happen after school, I’m excited to have that opportunity to just jump right in and be part of that community.”

Baker’s addition to the Sewanhaka Central High School District is not the only new principal added to the district’s roster. Jennifer Alaimo joins H. Frank Carey High School as its principal this year as well.

However, Alaimo is not a new face for the community, having previously served as assistant principal at Floral Park Memorial High School.

A meet the principals event was held on Aug. 23, where about 150 community members including board members, parents, teachers and students met the Sewanhaka school district’s new principals.

Previously, Baker was the principal at Carol and Frank Biondi Middle and High School at the Rising Ground Agency in Yonkers for nine years. Before working at these schools, she worked as the principal of Opportunity Charter School in Harlem for six years.

A high need population was served at the Carol and Frank Biondi schools with individualized education initiatives supporting their learning programs.

“I was able to bridge a lot of the instructional gap and create a strong foundation for instructional work there,” Baker said. “But I also understood that our students, in conjunction with the academic support, they really needed a lot of therapeutic support too.”

As principal, she helped create programs and partnerships with social-emotional learning. She implemented K-9 and equine assisted therapy programs. The school was also able to provide support for its transgender population and create a space where students felt “seen, heard and valued.”

At Elmont Memorial High School, similar work has already been done. Baker hopes to elevate and refine the foundation built to support student needs.

“I love children, and I love being an advocate for children,” Baker said. “So, any opportunity to do that is a wonderful job to have.”

From a young age, Baker knew she wanted to be part of the education process for children. Her love of teaching and the impact that it has on children fueled her aspirations.

“It’s something that my family always said that I’d be really good at, and it took me a while to really understand what they meant by that,” she said. “You know I wanted to do some other things first, so I came into education a little bit later in my life.”

The lasting impact that education has on students’ lives was an important part of Baker’s decision to pursue a career here.

Baker received several degrees throughout her educational journey. She finished her undergraduate in 1990 at Avila College, now Avila University, and earned bachelor’s degrees in music and English. She earned a master’s in English from Northwestern University in 1991.

She earned her teaching certification in English from Pace University in 2005 through the New York City teaching fellows program. In 2007, she earned an administrator certification for kindergarten through 12th grade from the College of Saint Rose.

Prior to her work as a principal in Harlem and Yonkers, Baker worked as a English and literacy coach in Bushwick and the New York City school system for several years.

The new principal looks to create a vision for success with the community to bring into Elmont Memorial High School. for years to come with the community.

“We’re going to have an amazing year and I’m looking forward to it,” Baker said.