Former Stimson Middle School Special Education teacher, Dr. Marlee Rice, is now proudly serving as Assistant Supervisor for Data and Information Systems.
Before working in the South Huntington School District, Dr. Rice had prior experience teaching in New York City. Soon after being there, she felt that she wanted a district she could “grow her roots in,” and having been raised on Long Island, that community tie convinced her to return. She had her first interview in South Huntington coming from the city, and expressed that “the needs of the school and the vision of the school really identified with who I was as an educator.” She was eager and excited to be a part of the team and became a Special Education Science teacher and mentor at Stimson for seven years.
“One of the things that I gravitated towards was using technology to meet the needs of all learners,” shared Dr. Rice, who focussed her dissertation and study in technology. While working at the middle school, Dr. Rice facilitated the S.T.E.A.M. Club, as well as becoming a technology mentor. Now in her new position, the use of data to help support the goals and vision of the district really ties into her beliefs.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Rice was comfortable with her knowledge and understanding of technology. Being a technology mentor and now fulfilling her new role, she maintains the mindset of supporting the needs of each school building along with her own. She understands the need to “find creative ways to support everyone and make our students feel included and feel welcome in this online platform,” especially with the increased use of online forums and virtual learning.
Dr. Rice has much appreciation for her new position and the support she’s received from her community along the way. “There’s new and exciting things that come with this role,” she expressed. As a former teacher, Dr. Rice looks forward to expanding her scope districtwide, learning about the needs of each building and of students at all age levels. “My main goal is supporting our district in a cohesive way with integrating technology and making sure it’s purposeful, and it’s really about meeting the needs of our students and families,” Dr. Rice concluded.