Brittany Carriero, who has held leadership roles in the Sag Harbor School District since 2013, is expected to be named the new principal of Pierson Middle and High School on Thursday at a meeting of the Sag Harbor School Board, the district announced Tuesday. Laura Westhoff will be appointed dean of the middle school until a new middle school assistant principal is hired.
Ms. Carriero has been the Pierson Middle School principal since 2018, and was the middle school assistant principal from 2013 to 2018. Ms. Westhoff has been with Sag Harbor since 2016 as a math teacher.
"With the promotion of our current Pierson High School principal to superintendent of schools, Mr. Jeff Nichols, the board felt it was in the best interest of our students, staff, and community to return to a single principal for our secondary school, with Ms. Carriero leading the helm," Brian DeSesa, the school board president, said in a statement. "We are very excited to begin the new school year with our full leadership team in place and to also welcome Ms. Westhoff to that team."
Mr. Nichols said Ms. Carriero's "leadership experience, knowledge of our students and school community, and her genuine passion for education make her an ideal fit for our district."
Her background is in special education, physical education, and middle school teaching. At Pierson, Ms. Carriero has been known to focus on social and emotional well-being as well as opportunities for academic enrichment.
Ms. Westhoff worked in various capacities in Westchester school districts prior to coming to Sag Harbor in 2016. She holds bachelor's degrees in mathematical science and English literature and rhetoric, and a master's degree in teaching mathematics and adolescence education.
According to a press release, Sag Harbor will hold a search for a new middle school assistant principal. "The search will be conducted in line with the district goals, taking into consideration various factors, including experience and diversity, to ensure the ideal candidate is hired," the district said in a statement.
