Josef Martin Christ is a Middle/ High School Orchestra teacher at Carle Place. Mr. Christ initially studied Viola and Piano at the Luis Gianneo Conservatory of Music located in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Following this, he earned his associate degree in business administration from La Guardia Community College, where he was awarded the Thomas Samuels Scholarship. 

Mr. Christ continued his education at the Aaron Copland School of Music where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. While attending The Aaron Copland School of Music, he actively participated in various music ensembles such as the Aaron Copland School of Music Symphonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, String Ensemble, and Baroque Ensemble. Mr. Christ was awarded the Harry and Gerda Joseph Scholarship for his contributions towards positive change within the school. In 2020, Mr. Christ graduated with a degree in Music Education from Queens College. Presently, he is pursuing a Master of Science in Music Education degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music, and also actively performing as a member of the Queens College Choral Society.

Lora Elsirgany is Carle Place’s elementary strings teacher.  She has been teaching in Carle Place since 2000.  The following programs are taught under her direction.

Joseph Geluso is our band teacher at the Rushmore Avenue School. He is responsible for teaching all of the wind instruments as well as instruments of the percussion section. Performance groups include the Rushmore Concert Band and the Rushmore Jazz Ensemble. 

Simone Giacalone  has been teaching art for 20 years. This is his 6th year helping students improve their art skills at Carle Place. During the summer, I enjoy taking vacations to Disney World with my family and spending time at the beach.  I'm very proud to be a part of the Carle Place School District. 

You can visit my website at: https://sites.google.com/cpscloud.net/mr-giacalones-art-class/home

Kerri Hauff is Rushmore Avenue’s elementary general and vocal music teacher. Rushmore Avenue School offers general music classes for all grades 3 through 6th. She also teaches each grade level vocal music (chorus) as well as an after school select choir offered for the 5th and 6th grade. Each grade level performs at a winter concert and a spring concert. Ms.Hauff has been teaching music for 10 years. Prior to teaching at Rushmore, Ms. Hauff was teaching orchestra and general music in an arts concentrated middle school in Queens, NY for 4 years. She has also taught marching band at the competitive level in several school districts on Long Island.

She received both her bachelor's degree and master’s degree from Hofstra University with a focus in Music Education. Outside of music, Ms. Hauff has also taught globally! She taught English studies in Seoul, South Korea from 2017-2018. Ms. Hauff also has a deep love for the fine arts as well as she loves to draw and paint. She is looking forward to her career at Rushmore and spending it with the staff, students, and families within the Carle Place community.

Kevin Kavanagh (Drum Set) – Middle/high school concert band director, jazz band director and pep band coordinator at CPHS for the past 29 years. Over those years, Mr. Kavanagh’s bands have performed from Boston to the Bahamas. He has also taught private music lessons out of his home studio, preparing students for all kinds of musical situations. Mr. Kavanagh graduated from L.I.U. (C.W. Post) & the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. He studied classical percussion with Mr. Ronald Gould – principal percussionist with the NYC Ballet and studied drum set with Frank Bellucci and Dom Famularo. Mr. Kavanagh has performed live with many different pop, rock and jazz acts over the years and has also done some recording session work as well. 

Daniel Krause is a High/ Middle school Art teacher at Carle Place High School and is starting his 23rd year as a frog. Mr. Krause has taught all levels at Carle Place, including starting the Kindergarten Art Program. He studied Fine Arts and Education at Greensboro College and Dowling College and completed his masters at Touro College. He was fortunate to have participated in the “Epiphany '' senior art show at Dowling college. He has built sets for the Carle Place theater company for many years. Mr. Krause has had the privilege to work with many students behind the scenes building and painting the sets.  He also played collegiate level lacrosse and has coached various sports for the past 23 years. 

Jenique Nijboer is a Middle School/ High school teacher and has been a frog for 15 years. Ms. Nijboer has taught all levels of art in all of our schools. Prior to becoming an art teacher, Jenique spent 10 years decorating windows throughout NYC. Companies such as Barneys, Macys, Bergdorf Goodman and French Connection all relied on her creative vision and services.   A graduate of FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) & Adelphi University. Jenique decided to go back to school to become an art teacher so she could share her love of the arts with others. Inspired by her former art teachers at Hicksville High School she went on and made her dream into a reality. Jenique loves sharing her love of art  with the students at Carle Place and enjoys working with them hand in hand on a daily basis to be creative thinkers & makers.  Besides art Jenique loves to spend time with her family, travel and has a strange obsession for all things purple!

 Emika Smith is the music teacher at Cherry Lane Elementary and joined the Carle Place district in 2023.  She proudly inherited the Cherry Lane music program and is looking forward to continuing to instill a passion and love for music in the youngest students. Prior to teaching in Carle Place, Mrs. Smith taught music to grades K-8 at the Riverhead Charter School in Suffolk County. 

Mrs. Smith holds a MS Music Education from the Aaron Copland School of Music at CUNY Queens and a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from LIU Post. Mrs. Smith plays both clarinet and piano, and has performed in venues such as the Tilles Center,  the Staller Center, and Carnegie Hall. She has also traveled to China and Puerto Rico on two performance tours with the LIU Post Wind Symphony. 

Mrs. Smith is an active member of the NYS Council of Administrators of Music Education (NYSCAME), Kodaly Organization of New York (KONY NY), and the LI American Orff Schulwerk Association (LIAOSA). She is also a chairperson and active member of Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA). Most recently, Mrs. Smith presented a workshop to NYSCAME members on how to implement centers and group learning in the elementary music classroom. Mrs. Smith enjoys performing in numerous community bands and is looking forward to meeting new colleagues and fellow educators in Nassau County.