Meet North Salem's new assistant principals

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - Two new assistant principals have been appointed in the North Salem Central School District.

Christopher Lupinacci will be assuming that role at the Pequenakonck Elementary School and Shereene Shames, who was already an assistant principal in a 10-month capacity at the North Salem Middle/High School, will be moving up one spot into the position vacated recently by Dr. Kathleen Murphy.

Murphy has taken a job with the Lakeland Central School District as its director of secondary education.

Dr. Roy Martin, who was PQ principal, is now principal of the Middle/High School. He replaces Vince DiGrandi, who resigned to become the superintendent of the Mahopac Central School District.

The North Salem Board of Education made the two new appointments at its July 1 reorganizational meeting. There was no public discussion preceding the vote.

It also accepted the resignation of Dr. Julio Vazquez, the district’s director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, at the meeting.

Vazquez, who had been with the NSCSD for 11 years, has taken a job with the City School District of New Rochelle as its new assistant superintendent for human resources.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Adam VanDerStuyf sent the following announcement to the school community:

“At its July 1 meeting, the North Salem Central School District Board of Education accepted the resignation of Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Dr. Julio Vazquez, effective June 30, 2026. Dr. Vazquez is leaving to assume the position of advancement within the City School District of New Rochelle. This is an exciting time for Dr. Vazquez as he transitions into a position that he's been aspiring to for several years. I will be working closely with the Administrative Council over the next several months to analyze the duties of all of our administrative positions so that the most appropriate recommendation can be made on how to effectively and efficiently fulfill the needs. In the meantime, I will serve as the primary point of contact for all things curriculum, instruction, and assessment related.”

The board also voted that Wednesday to elect Trustee Kurt Guldan as president. He had previously served in that role and had most recently been the board’s vice president.

Tapped as board vice president was Trustee Elizabeth Bridges.

The district has yet to announce Shames’ replacement.

It also reclassified Dr. Kelly Rudyk's title from director to assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services and human resources.

Lupinacci officially started on Wednesday, July 8. His tenure ends on July 7, 2030. He will be paid an annual salary of $149,000.

Appointed to a three-year probationary term, Shames’ new position as MSHA principal (12 months) started on Wednesday, July 1. Probation ends on Aug. 24, 2029. She will be paid $163,500 a year.

MEET THE NEW KIDS

Shames was appointed as a 12-month administrator, effective July 1.

She joined the North Salem school community in September 2025 as a 10-month administrator, bringing “a wealth of experience in curriculum, instruction, and educational leadership,” the district said.

Shames holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Manhattan University, a Master of Science in Adolescent and Special Education from Mercy University, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration from The College of Saint Rose.

She is certified in Biology (7–12), Students with Disabilities (7–12), and as both a School Building Leader and School District Leader.

Before joining North Salem CSD, Shames served as a high school science (Regents) and special education teacher with the New York City Department of Education and Mamaroneck High School before transitioning to the Mount Vernon City School District, where she worked as a middle school science (Regents) teacher.

In 2019, she was accepted into the NYSED P-20 Partnership for Principal Preparation Program, attended national conferences on leadership and whole-school reform, further strengthening her leadership expertise, and was appointed to Assistant Principal in 2020.

During her first year at North Salem, Shames “dedicated herself to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships with students, staff, and families,” the district said.

“Through collaboration with all stakeholders, she has helped cultivate a positive, student-centered school culture focused on the whole child’s academic, social, and emotional development. She has also led the implementation of systems and structures that strengthen school operations, improve collaboration, and position the school for continued growth and success,” it added.

Shames was also praised as “a strong advocate for collaborative leadership” and someone who “believes that schools thrive when educators, students, and families work together toward a shared vision.”

In a statement sent to Halston Media, Shames wrote:

“As I begin my second year at North Salem Middle High School, I do so with a heart full of gratitude and excitement. This past year has been an incredible journey of learning, growing, and building meaningful relationships with our students, staff, and families. I am grateful to be part of such a dedicated school community and look forward to continuing our work together. As we begin a new year, I remain committed to supporting our staff, strengthening the connections we’ve built, and fostering a collaborative learning community where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to grow. Together, we will continue creating a school where every student can thrive and every member of our community has the opportunity to succeed.”

A lifelong Westchester County resident, Shames moved to Mahopac in 2022.

She is married and has two children, a 16-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter.

Her hobbies include photography, video editing, event planning, cooking, and traveling.

Lupinacci, a Yonkers native and a Yorktown Heights resident, has been teaching for 20 years. He currently is a fifth-grade math teacher and a math coach teacher at PS/MS 498, The Van Nest Academy for Environmental Health Sciences and Technology in the Bronx.

Before that he taught all subjects to fourth through eighth graders at Sacred Heart in Highbridge, a Catholic school, in the Bronx, where he was once named “Teacher of the Year.”

That included teaching English Language Arts at the middle school level.

In 2014, he took a teaching job with New York City Public Schools, aka the NYCDOE.

Lupinacci also was an instructional coach, focusing on supporting mathematics instruction, coaching teachers, analyzing student data, and helping strengthen instructional practices across classrooms.

At Van Nest, he was recognized for his role in the implementation of the school’s new math curriculum, something that took three years to “get to a good point,” he said.

They measured that success, in part, via the results of state proficiency tests.

Lupinacci said that, under his watch, the proficiency scores rose from 37 percent to 60 percent.

In a letter introducing himself to PQ staff, Lupinacci said he was “incredibly excited to join the PQ family and support the ongoing successes that have made this school such an exceptional place for students, staff, and families.”

“From the very beginning of the interview process, I felt a genuine connection to the school community. Each conversation further confirmed that Pequenakonck was the perfect fit for me, as so many of Ms. Snowdon's values, vision, and commitment to students closely align with my own beliefs about education and leadership,” he said.

“As I begin this new chapter, I look forward to building upon the positive school culture that already exists while working collaboratively with all of you to ensure every student reaches their fullest potential. I believe that when educators are united by a shared purpose and supported through meaningful collaboration, incredible things happen for our children,” Lupinacci wrote.

The new assistant principal emphasized that no matter what role he’d served in, “developing strong relationships with students, families, and staff has always been at the heart” of his work.

“I believe that trust, respect, and open communication create the foundation for a thriving school community. Building authentic relationships allows us to celebrate successes together, navigate challenges as a team, and ensure every child feels seen, valued, and supported,” Lupinacci said, adding that his approach to leadership was “rooted in collaboration.”

“I view leadership as a partnership, and I am committed to listening, learning, and serving alongside you,” he told PQ staff.

When asked what else he would like folks to know about him, Lupinacci said he was a “huge Rangers fan.”

(Martin reportedly rooted for the Devils.)

He also loves to take the family to Disneyland and to cook.

Lupinacci and his wife, Annemarie, who is an accountant, have two children, ages 10 and 7.