CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT: NEW DOCTORATES IN THE DISTRICT

(October, 2007--Riverhead, NY) The Riverhead Central School District would like to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievement of Ilene Chaftez, Nicholas Kardaras, Diane B. Scricca and Michael J. Winfield, who recently received doctoral degrees.

Dr. Ilene Chaftez
On August 2007, Ilene Chaftez was awarded an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Dowling College. Dr. Chaftez is a first grade teacher at the Riley Avenue School in Calverton, NY.

Dr. Nicholas Kardaras
Dr. Kardaras received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology this past June.

He also holds a Master's Degree in Social work from Stony Brook University, where he also works as an Adjunct Professor at the Health Science Center Graduate School, as well as having a BS from Cornell University.

Dr. Kardaras was asked to present his doctoral dissertation work this past August in San Francisco at the 115th annual American Psychological Association (APA) conference as one of the presenters in the Humanistic Psychology category. For his dissertation, Dr. Kardaras had created a therapeutic method that involved participants immersing themselves in ancient Greek philosophy via weekly philosophical readings, dialectal discussion groups, and philosophical meditation sessions that were based on the teachings of Plato, Pythagoras, Plotinus, and Parmenides. His mixed-methods study entitled "Beyond Reason: Transrational Contemplation and Greek Metaphysical Philosophy" incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methodology to assess the impact and benefits of this method on the participants of his study.

Riverhead High School's own Dr. Greenberger was Dr. Kardaras's 3rd member on his dissertaion
committee as an expert on Ancient Greek methods and practices.

In addition to being Riverhead High School's Social Worker and teaching at Stony Brook, Dr. Kardaras also maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Southold.

Dr. Diane B. Scricca
Dr. Diane B. Scricca, RCSD Superintendent of Schools, completed her work at St. John’s University in September, 2007. Her bachelor's degree was in Social Studies with a minor in Secondary Education. Her master’s degree was in Curriculum and Teaching with a minor in African History. Her PD Degree was in Administration and Supervision, and now her Ed.D. is in Educational Administration and Supervision.

The title of Dr. Scricca’s dissertation is Administrative Guidelines for Staff Development Based on Secondary-Teachers’ Learning Styles: Impact on Teachers’ Attitudes and Implementation. All of her degrees were from St. John’s. Dr. Scricca conducted her study for her Ed.D. at a Nassau County high school with 75 secondary school teachers.

In addition, Dr. Scricca has co-authored a book entitled Supportive Supervision: Becoming a Teacher of Teachers.



Congratulations to these dedicated educators!

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