The Massapequa School District announces the appointment of two administrators for the 2025-2026 school year. Yvonne Knott is the district’s new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and General Administration, and Katherine Kirscher takes on the role of Curriculum Associate for World Languages and ENL.
Ms. Knott enters her 16th year in the district and was previously the Director of Information Management and data protection officer. She also served as Executive Assistant to the Principal at Massapequa High School and Berner Middle School. Prior to Massapequa, she was an Assistant Principal of Kings Park High School and spent a decade as a general music teacher in Brentwood.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Kings College, a master’s degree in special education from Dowling College and her administrative certification from the College of New Rochelle. Ms. Knott expressed her gratitude to the Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. William Brennan for entrusting her with this very important role.
“I am honored to take on my new role as assistant superintendent for human resources,” Ms. Knott said. “My goals include strengthening recruitment and retention efforts, and fostering an inclusive and positive work environment that supports the success of all. Throughout my career, I have been driven by the belief that people are at the heart of every successful school system.”
Ms. Kirschner comes to Massapequa from the Herricks School District where she was a member of the World Language Department for nearly two decades. Over the last eight years, she was also a teacher in their Spanish Language Immersion program, New York State’s only fully articulated, K-12 dual-language program in which students learn academic content in both English and Spanish. She led the curriculum writing of the seventh, eighth and ninth grade program and has presented at national and international language immersion conferences. Just recently, she was recognized as Teacher Leader of the Year, an award presented by the New York State Association of World Language Administrators.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from American University in Spanish studies and secondary education, a master’s degree in teaching English to Speakers of other Languages from Queens college and administrative certification from SUNY Plattsburgh. In Massapequa, Ms. Kirschner looks forward to collaborating with a department of committed and dedicated teachers and contributing to the breadth of cultural events that have historically supported the district’s world language learners.
“I’m really enthusiastic about joining a district with a well-aligned and articulated world language curriculum, and creating global citizens of all our language students,” she said. “I’m honored and excited to be so warmly welcomed into the community.”