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Climate Education Leadership Team (CELT)

ABOUT

Educate the Future, Protect the Planet.

There is growing interest in climate education, across all subjects and grade levels. The Climate Education Leadership Team (CELT) is a group of over 30 teachers and school administrators leading the way on climate content and climate education in NYC Public Schools.

MISSION

Support NYC Public Schools to integrate full and equitable climate education across areas of study and school culture.

GOALS

Identify how climate education supports academic learning outcomes across subjects
Support citywide and Mayoral goals for climate action, as established in PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done (2023)
Establish a citywide network of peer advisors to mobilize staff and students in all school communities
Design and lead citywide climate-focused Professional Learning opportunities, with content created by teachers for teachers

DELIVERABLES

Develop and/or evaluate lessons, modules, and/or units related to climate change education
Identify opportunities for climate content in alignment with local and New York State Standards
Plan and implement professional learning for climate education

CURRENT MEMBERS

Co-Chairs:

Sean McFadden, Eagle Academy for Young Men II
Jackie Davis, The Marie Curie School for Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions
Deborah Reich, World View High School
Jonathan Schulman, P.S. 116K Leadership through Multimedia And The Arts Magnet School
Shakira Provasoli, P.S. 333 Manhattan School for Children
Sarah Slack, J.H.S. 223 The Montauk

NYCPS Central and District Staff:

Meredith McDermott, NYCPS Office of Energy & Sustainability - Director; CELT Facilitator
Thaddeus Copeland, NYCPS Office of Energy & Sustainability - Deputy Director; CELT Facilitator
Kailyn Fox, NYCPS Office of Energy & Sustainability - Education and Training Manager; CELT Facilitator
Keith Wynne, Community School District 14 - District Achievement and Instructional Specialist; CELT member

Click each heading below for the full list of 2025-26 members.

Elementary School

- Jessica Chi - Archer Elementary - Science Teacher
- Joan Christou - New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math High School - 5th Grade Teacher
Susie Harter - Waterside Children's Studio School - General Education Teacher
Bianca Leone - P.S. 127 Aerospace Science Magnet School - 4th/5th Grade, Middle School Math, Kindergarten Physical Education Teacher
Amber Morone - Hunters Point Elementary School - 5th Grade Teacher
Shakira Provasoli - P.S. 333 Manhattan School for Children - Elementary - General Education Teacher
Shaina Ramos - P.S. 257 - Elementary, Bilingual Special Education Teacher
Jeanne Salchli - The Children's Lab School - 3rd-5th Grade Science Teacher
JoEllen Schuleman - P.S. 199 Jessie Isador Straus - STEM Teacher
Jonathan Schulman - P.S. 116K - Leadership through Multimedia And The Arts Magnet School - Civics English Language Arts Social Studies / History Teacher
Barbara Wlazlo - P.S. 038 The Pacific - Elementary, 5th Grade Math Teacher

Middle/Junior High School

Johanna Josaphat - The Urban Assembly Unison School - Reading Intervention, French, Cooking Teacher
Stephen Kos - M.S. 245 The Computer School - Science, Earth Science, Robotics Teacher
Erin Laraway - I.S. 75 Frank D. Paulo - Social Studies, Special Education Teacher
Sarah Slack - J.H.S. 223 The Montauk - Science Teacher
John Ottomanelli - The Clinton School - 7th Grade Math Teacher
Debbie Ogendengbe - M.S. 129 Academy for Independent Learning and Leadership
Rose Ventimiglia - J.H.S. 167 Robert F. Wagner - Science ICT Teacher

High School

Bernadine Akukwe - Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day High School, Chemistry, Ecology, Anatomy & Physiology Teacher
Aaron Bell - Maspeth High School - AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, Aquatic Ecology Teacher
Victor Bonini - New York Harbor School - Special Education Math Teacher
James Booth - Queens High School for Language Studies - Biology, Environmental Science, and Health Teacher
Jerry Citron - Stuyvesant High School - Science Teacher
Catrice Davis - Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem
Jackie Davis - The Marie Curie School for Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions - Coordinator of Student Affairs
Leovie Diaz - New Utrecht High School - Biology, AP Environmental Science Teacher
Ramona Fittipaldi - Young Women's Leadership School - AP Calculus, Geometry Teacher
Prince Johnson - Food and Finance High School - AP African American Studies, Government, Economics Teacher
Jazmin Jurado - P.S. Q177 Robin Sue Ward School - Digital Media, Science, Special Education Teacher
Diana Lennon - Brooklyn Technical High School - Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sustainability Teacher
Anny Lopez - Eagle Academy for Young Men II - Living Environment/Biology Teacher
Katie McCarthy - Sunset Park High School - Environmental Science Teacher
Sean McFadden - Eagle Academy for Young Men II - Science Teacher
David Sczesnak - Fort Hamilton High School - Special Education, Earth Science Teacher
JoEllen Schuleman - P.S. 199 Jessie Isador Straus - STEM Teacher
Theresa Stanley - Quest to Learn - Chemistry, Environmental Science Teacher
Duane Thakurdeen - Eagle Academy for Young Men II - Earth Science Teacher
Lynn Tiede - Columbia Secondary School - Government, History, Economics Teacher
Adam Zaid - The Queens School of Inquiry - Climate, Personal Finance, Mathematics Teacher
Colby Zentner - High School of Economics and Finance - Second Language Teacher

CELT was created in partnership with Office of Energy & Sustainability and Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Learning.

Thank you to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services-Division of Energy Management for their generous support of all school-based members of the Climate Education Leadership Team. These dedicated teachers have full-time commitments to students all across NYC, and funding supports additional time and further professionalization of climate education.

Need Help Incorporating Climate Education Into Your Classroom?

The Climate Education Leadership Team (CELT) wants to be a resource to help you integrate Climate Education into your lesson planning, resource development, community partnerships and hosting Climate Action Days.

Check out our resources for climate education here.

Educators sit at tables during a presentation, looking at a PowerPoint presentation with climate education resources listed.

Join our 2025-26 Climate Education leadership team

Teachers and administrators, join our Climate Education Leadership Team (CELT) to expand climate education and earn per session!

We're looking for dedicated teachers and administrators to help us activate climate education in NYC classrooms across all five boroughs. We support climate education by creating turnkey resources for teachers, designing and facilitating trainings for teachers and administrators, and expanding partnerships with community-based organizations. Join our team to lift up and strengthen climate education in NYC.

The 2025-26 application has closed.