The White Plains City School District Board of Education appointed Dr. Karen Tesik as its new assistant superintendent for special education and pupil services at a board meeting last Wednesday. Dr. Tesik most recently served as the assistant superintendent for pupil personnel services for the South Orangetown Central School District and has over thirty years of experience in NYS public schools. She will begin working in the district on September 6.

“It is an honor to be joining the White Plains City School District,” said Dr. Tesik. “I am looking forward to building strong relationships with all members of our community and to truly support our vision to ‘unlock the infinite and unique potential of each student, every day.’”

Dr. Tesik began her career with over a decade of classroom teaching experience before taking on leadership roles such as instructional technologist and instructional coach for mathematics. She led South Orangetown Middle School as its principal starting in 2009, earning two designations as a National School-to-Watch Model School in 2015 and 2018.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tesik to the White Plains CSD family!” said Superintendent Joseph Ricca. “Throughout her career, Dr. Tesik has a demonstrated record of success in fostering meaningful, collaborative relationships focused on serving every student’s unique needs. Service and collaboration have been hallmarks of her professional career and we are very excited as she prepares to begin that work in service of our students and their families.”

In 2018, Dr. Tesik became the interim director for pupil personnel services (PPS) for South Orangetown, and she was promoted to assistant superintendent for PPS in 2021.

Her responsibilities in PPS included designing and developing a comprehensive model of support and services for students, school nursing, special education and launching a family engagement center. Dr. Tesik also led and oversaw a number of responsive services and collaborations for families and staff, including the creation of a food pantry for her district and a staff child care program.

She holds multiple degrees related to student services and school administration, including a doctoral degree in executive leadership with a focus on social justice, a master’s degree in instructional technology and a second master’s degree in school administration. She also holds a competency certificate in assistive and adaptive technologies.

She continues her teaching career as an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College, working with undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Tesik advocates for all students and aims to listen to and uplift student voices, increase student choice, and improve access to tools and supports that can support students in all areas of their education.