Business Administrator / Board Secretary
Mr. Pepe returned to Dunellen to serve as the School Business Administrator/Board Secretary in December, 2022, just under five years after moving on from his position as the district bookkeeper to become an Assistant Business Administrator in Edison. After a year and a half gaining valuable experience working in a very large district setting, Mr. Pepe obtained his first School Business Administrator position in Watchung Borough, a small K-8 district. Prior to his first stint working in Dunellen, Mr. Pepe had served as a middle school math teacher, high school math teacher, curriculum supervisor, director of curriculum, and supervisor of funded programs. He strives to use his curriculum and instruction background to inform his approach to managing the business office in a manner that is supportive to students and educators.
Mr. Pepe currently resides in Flemington, NJ, with his wife Tara and their three boys. He has a masters degree in educational administration from Georgian Court University and a bachelor's degree in mathematics education from The College of New Jersey. He has served in a variety of volunteer positions including youth baseball coach, PTO board member, and treasurer for the Somerset County Association of School Business Officials, Hunterdon Central Band Parent Association, and Cub Scouts Pack 30.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Ms. Meagan Drapkin is honored to be the new Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Dunellen Public Schools. Ms. Drapkin is and will always be a teacher first and her vision has always been "Student Centered...Equity Driven." Ms. Drapkin began her teaching career in 2006 as a 3rd grade teacher in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District and then transitioned to the Lakewood Public School District where she served as a 3rd grade SIOP teacher, interventionist for all areas, literacy coach, and K-12 data coach. During her time in Lakewood she became Wilson Level 1 certified and received her Dyslexia Practitioner Certification. Ms. Drapkin then moved to the Manchester Township Public Schools, where she became an interventionist and Assistant to the Principal at Whiting Elementary School. In the summer of 2019, Ms. Drapkin entered educational leadership in the Keyport Public School District as the Supervisor of Language Arts and then the Director of Curriculum and Instruction/Supervisor of PreK.
Ms. Drapkin received her undergraduate degree from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and teacher's certification. While in her first year of teaching, she pursued her Masters of Science in Sports Psychology from Capella University and believed that more high schools would have a need for sport psychologists in the future. However, as a new teacher she was provided with the opportunity to learn about and write curriculum, and that's when she realized her love for strong instructional practices and guiding students to take risks and achieve was her true passion. After completing her Masters, Ms. Drapkin received her Supervisor certification from Georgian Court University in 2013 and her Principal certification from Rowan University in 2018. Ms. Drapkin prides herself on being a listener and learner in the ever-evolving and changing educational world.
While education is one of Ms. Drapkin's passions, she also makes sure to enjoy activities and spend time with the people she loves. You can find her spending time with her family and friends as well as dog, Maverick. She also loves running and competing in races varying from a 5k to a half marathon and cheering on the Atlanta Braves. Ms. Drapkin is looking forward to her new endeavor here in Dunellen and getting to know all of the students, staff, and community members.
Director of Accountability
Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth has been in education for over 23 years and she has proudly worked in the Dunellen School District for 17 years. During this time she has served as John P. Faber Elementary Assistant Principal, Lincoln Middle School Principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, District Testing Coordinator, Anti-Bullying Coordinator, ESEA Grant Coordinator, Director of Grants and Program Accountability, and now Director of Accountability.
Before her career in education, Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth worked for an accounting firm while managing a service business and being a proud mom of four children. Connecting with students and parents has been a passion for she served as PTO president, PTO treasurer, Scout leader for both boys and girls, softball coach and CCD teacher. Her accounting experience has given her a great foundation to successfully manage budgets and is currently on the executive board of the Middlesex County Curriculum Council. She is a member of ASCD and NJAFPA.
Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth is a proud graduate of Kean University where she received both her undergrad in Education and graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Master's degree in Educational Administration. She is also certified in Wilson Language System and is a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner (W.D.P.). Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, experiencing different cultures, and food and wine tasting.
Her personal and educational experiences have provided Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth the opportunity to connect with students, parents, teachers, and administrators in a positive and successful manner to support the well being of the Dunellen community. Mrs. Hoy-Weiberth believes all students will become independent learners who will strive for achievement and empowerment to reach their personal goals. It is our goal to provide them with the knowledge and confidence to achieve their goals.
Director of Special Services
Dr. Tarah Santaniello is proud to serve as the Director of Special Services for Dunellen Public Schools. Dr. Santaniello started her career in education as a School Psychologist working at Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner, NJ. After spending eight years at Voorhees High School, she transitioned to educational leadership and became the Supervisor of Special Education (6-12) in the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District. Dr. Santaniello joined the Dunellen team in 2022 and is eager to support the district through her belief that all students deserve to have access to great teaching and learning. She takes pride in the Dunellen community and is dedicated to enhancing the special education program for all students.
Dr. Santaniello attended Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, where she graduated with honors in Psychology, Education, and Human Behavioral Development. Dr. Santaniello began her graduate studies at Rowan University where she earned graduate degrees in School Psychology. During that time, she interned at Rutgers University working on the Developing Safe and Civil Schools project under the direction of Dr. Maurice Elias. That work focused on fostering a positive school climate for students, staff, and families. Dr. Santaniello is a life-long learner and in 2018 she earned her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Her dissertation was entitled "Active parental involvement and college and career readiness: A qualitative study." Dr. Santaniello’s research focused on the parental perspective on school collaboration, social-emotional learning, and college/career readiness for high school students.
Dr. Santaniello is a native of Hunterdon County, NJ, where she lives with her husband, Brian (also an educator), and their two children. As a family they enjoy being active and supporting the athletic teams that Brian coaches. She enjoys attending live concerts, going to the beach, and cooking. Dr. Santaniello is proud to serve the Dunellen community!
Coming Soon!
Principal, Dunellen High School
Mr. Lynch is proud to have served as the Principal of Dunellen High School for the past decade. He has been in education for 30 years, with experience as a teacher at North Brunswick Township High School, St. Mary Regional High School (South Amboy), and John Witherspoon Middle School in Princeton. Mr. Lynch has always had a passion for connecting with students outside of the classroom and he has advised various clubs and activities and coached multiple sports over the years, including basketball, softball, and tennis. For the past 15 years, Mr. Lynch has been in Dunellen, serving first as the Assistant Principal of Dunellen High School, then as the Principal of Lincoln Middle School, and finally as the Principal of Dunellen High School.
A proud graduate of Rutgers University, Mr. Lynch earned his Bachelors degree in History/Political Science and Masters degree in Educational Leadership. Growing up with a father in the U.S. Army, he was fortunate to have had the opportunity to live all across the United States and overseas. Mr. Lynch enjoys spending time with his wife, Carla, a preschool director, and 4 children, who are in high school and middle school. In his free time, he enjoys coaching his children in various sports, reading, traveling, hiking, and playing with the family dog, Harper.
Mr. Lynch’s educational experiences have afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with various groups of people in a positive, supportive manner in seeking to increase student achievement and well-being. He holds the belief that all students can learn with the support of an encouraging community, responsive teachers, and a learning environment that provides for their needs on a daily basis. Dunellen continues to provide this for its students, while preparing them for life after high school in an ever changing world.
Assistant Principal, Dunellen High School
Cuyler Tobin has worked as an educator in the Dunellen School District for over 20 years, and he is in his eighth year serving as the Assistant Principal at Dunellen High School. In addition to his administrative position, he is also the district School Safety Specialist and co-teaches the Leadership 4 Life course with Mr. Lynch and Mr. DeNapoli. Prior to his time as Assistant Principal, Mr. Tobin served as a Mathematics Teacher at Lincoln Middle School and Dunellen High School for 13 years, starting in 2002. In 2003, Mr. Tobin took over as the Head Coach of the DHS Boys Varsity Tennis Team and enjoyed 14 years of being in that position. In the fall of the same year he began coaching the Girls Varsity Tennis Team and had the pleasure of maintaining that position for 13 years.
Mr. Tobin’s educational background includes earning a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Rutgers University in 2001. A year later, he was hired as a Math teacher at Dunellen High School. In 2012, he enrolled in Rowan University’s Masters program for School Administration, earning his Master of Arts in School Administration in 2014. Shortly thereafter, he was hired as the Assistant Principal of Dunellen High School, where he has continued to appreciate his growth as an educator.
Outside of school hours, Mr. Tobin loves spending his time with his wife and three active boys. He has made sure to incorporate his family into the community of Dunellen as much as possible, having experienced this small town as a second home of his for the past 20-plus years while forming many life-long relationships with members of the town. His children look forward to coming to watch football and basketball games and have seen some of the wonderful productions from the drama and music departments. They also know that Dunellen Bagel is the best place to get breakfast!
Mr. Altmire has nearly twenty-five years of experience in the field of public education as a teacher, coach, and administrator. He has been a building principal for the past fifteen years.
Mr. Altmire has been employed by the Dunellen Board of Education for almost his entire career and has served as both elementary principal and as principal of Lincoln Middle School for the last nine years. He has truly taken pleasure in serving the community of Dunellen for this length of time in multiple capacities.
Mr. Altmire's primary goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for students to attend during their challenging middle school years, with a focus on academic performance and an optimal learning environment. The culture at Lincoln Middle School is a caring and positive one, which he takes great pride in!
Lauren Caulfield
Assistant Principal, Lincoln Middle School
Coming Soon!
Principal, Faber Elementary School
Mr. Tennant is in his 22nd year as an elementary school educator. He is a passionate elementary school administrator with an extensive history of dedication to the Dunellen Public Schools. Upon graduating from King’s College, he began his career as a 3rd grade teacher at Emerson Community School in Plainfield, NJ, where he taught for four years. He joined the Dunellen School District for the 2004-05 school year and taught 4th grade at John P. Faber Elementary School. Fourth grade is admittedly his favorite grade to teach! After teaching 4th grade for eight wonderful years he became a Basic Skills Instruction (BSI) teacher for grades K-2, working closely with the K-2 teachers to further his knowledge of the early elementary curriculum. During that time he received his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Kean University.
In 2015, Mr. Tennant left the classroom and transitioned into an administrative role, becoming the Instructional Supervisor at Faber School. Shortly thereafter, in 2016, he was promoted to John P. Faber’s Assistant Principal. These were very formative years in his growth as an educator as they provided a solid foundation for quality leadership in both elementary curriculum and decision making. In 2020, he was honored to step into the role of Principal at John P. Faber Elementary. It has been his passion to work with Faber’s Faculty and the Dunellen Community to help all students reach their full potential. His educational experiences have afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of people, to meet the common goal of increasing student achievement and student well-being. He strives to provide a safe, engaging, educational environment for the youngest students of Dunellen School District.
Along with his teaching and administrative roles Mr. Tennant has been active in coaching several of Dunellen’s Varsity Athletic Programs. He was the Head Coach for the Girls Varsity Soccer Team from 2014 to 2017 and was instrumental in bringing a Boys Varsity Soccer Team to Dunellen. He was the Head Coach during its inaugural year, 2018 and coached for two more years before hanging up his cleats.
Assistant Principal, Faber Elementary School
Mrs. Moody began her career in education in 2005 after graduating from Caldwell University. She began teaching history at a charter high school in Jersey City. After three years her desire to move into public education landed her in East Orange, NJ. Mrs. Moody worked for the next 8 years at Cicely Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts teaching middle and high school history. Here she had a unique opportunity to loop with her students from grades 6 to 11. When those students were graduating high school she felt it was time for her to “graduate” too. As luck would have it, a middle school in Plainfield only 5 minutes from her home was looking to revamp the history department. In 2015 she took the job as the 8th grade history teacher at Hubbard Middle School.
For the next 4 years Mrs. Moody began implementing change for the history department at Hubbard Middle School. She not only taught students she began teaching the teachers. She grew into a teacher leader and was awarded a full scholarship at Kean University to receive her masters in Educational Leadership. She was also selected to participate in a teacher leadership program with Kean University, Plainfield Public Schools, and Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools. In 2019, Mrs. Moody transitioned out of the classroom to become an Instructional Coach and for the next two years she served as the Literacy and Social Studies Coach for the school.
Stuck at home during covid Mrs. Moody began updating her resume and sending it out. In 2020 she made her way to Dunellen. She secured the job as the Faber Assistant Principal. For the past 3 years Mrs. Moody has made Faber her home and loves the charge of caring and educating the students at Faber.