SSCS welcomes three new teachers, a familiar face in a new teaching role and a Teacher Assistant to our staff for the 2025-26 school year. Let’s meet them.
Cyle Conley, Secondary Business Teacher
Cyle Conley is officially taking on a new role at SSCS this school year as Secondary Business Teacher. Conley is an SSCS alumnus, a longtime coach, Teacher Assistant, volunteer, and former local business owner who has consistently demonstrated his commitment to our students, school, and community.
Over the past decade, Conley has served SSCS in many capacities. He began as a substitute teacher and recess aide, later becoming a full-time Teacher Assistant where he worked closely with students, teachers, and families to ensure every child received the support they needed to succeed. In addition, he has been a dedicated coach, leading teams in boys varsity soccer and junior varsity basketball, while mentoring athletes both on and off the field.
Beyond education and athletics, Conley brings valuable experience as a local business owner. For eight successful seasons he operated Dairyland, a Sharon Springs favorite, where he learned firsthand the importance of leadership, organization, and community service. These experiences, combined with his ongoing pursuit of a master’s degree in Business and Marketing Education at SUNY-Oswego, have prepared him to serve our district in new and exciting ways.
Kelsey Girard, Physical Education Teacher
Kelsey Girard is our new Physical Education Teacher. A native of Cherry Valley-Springfield, Girard grew up immersed in athletics playing soccer, basketball, and softball, developing an early passion for teamwork, sportsmanship, and wellness. Following high school she pursued an associate’s degree in Physical Education from Herkimer County Community College, and a bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Utica University, where she is now completing her master’s degree. Prior to joining SSCS she served as a long-term substitute teacher in Health and Physical Education at Milford Central School District, where she designed engaging lessons, adapted instruction to meet student needs, and created a safe, positive learning environment. She has also coached fifth and sixth grade basketball and soccer as well as serving as Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach.
Nicholas Barbara, Science Teacher
SSCS is proud to welcome Nicholas Barbara to our faculty for the 2025–2026 school year. Barbara brings a wealth of experience in Science, Special Education, and Career and Technical Education (CTE), along with a proven commitment to helping students thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Barbara began his teaching career through the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, serving as a Special Education and History teacher at Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts in the Bronx. From there, he transitioned to McKinley High School in Buffalo, where he has taught horticulture and career and financial management courses in both general education and differentiated settings.
In Buffalo, he expanded the horticulture program into a rich, hands-on experience for students, including hydroponic gardening, animal husbandry, carpentry, and landscape design. He also connected students with the community through projects such as the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival, Plantasia, and collaborations with the Buffalo Zoo. His leadership extended beyond the classroom as an advisor for Future Farmers of America (FFA), a member of the Site-Based Management Team and Wellness Committee, and an assistant coach for Girls Varsity Softball.
Barbara holds a master’s degree in Teaching Exceptional Learners (Grades 7–12) and certification in Plant Science (CTE) as well as Students with Disabilities (7–12 Generalist). His background reflects a unique blend of academic rigor, hands-on skill development, and a strong commitment to student success.
McKenzie Rivenburgh, Second Grade Teacher
SSCS is proud to welcome McKenzie Rivenburgh to our elementary school teaching staff for the 2025-26 school year. Rivenburgh recently earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University and holds her New York State teaching certification for Grades 1-6 education. While this is her first year as a classroom teacher, she brings with her a wealth of experience, having spent the past eight years as a Teaching Assistant in several school districts, including Voorheesville, Middleburgh, and Cobleskill-Richmondville.
During that time, she supported students in both general education and therapeutic learning environments, always with a focus on creating safe, welcoming classrooms where students can grow academically and emotionally. She has worked with students of all abilities, adapting lessons, supporting literacy and math instruction, and helping children build confidence through trauma-informed practices, positive behavior supports, and social-emotional learning. In addition to her classroom experience, Rivenburgh has completed training in Responsive Classroom practices, Crisis Prevention Intervention, and Executive Function strategies – tools that will help her meet the diverse needs of our students here at SSCS.
Keri Maldonado, Teacher Assistant
SSCS is proud to welcome Keri Maldonado to our staff in a new role as a Teacher Assistant for the 2025-26 school year. In that role she will team with various teachers to support academic efforts and learning in our SSCS classrooms.
