Sue Sortino will be retiring from Gaynor at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Sue has been an integral member of the Gaynor family for the past 8 years.
In a letter to the community, Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor wrote, “After a long and successful career as a teacher and administrator at Columbia Grammar, we were incredibly fortunate to convince Sue to come join us at Gaynor in 2014. We had just experienced a substantial increase in students and staff as a result of our expansion into our South Building. One of our main priorities was to ensure that the culture of a small school that supports each child was instilled throughout our new and larger community. Sue was just the person for the job!”
Dr. Gaynor continued, “She always leads with her heart and is a champion of school spirit. Sue has remarked on more than one occasion that Gaynor green flows through her veins. Sue’s upbeat attitude, ever present smile and infectious laugh made her an immediate fan favorite at Gaynor.”
Sue wore many hats at Gaynor including Director of Student Life, Director of Afterschool, DEI coordinator and supervisor for the arts and athletics. Whether it was brandishing the spirit stick at a school assembly, running an employee DEI meeting or cheering for our sports teams, Sue always had the gift to lift up those around her. Regardless of the size of the audience, Sue was able to make everyone feel connected and included.
Co-Founder and Director of Education Yvette Siegel-Herzog said, “Our dear Sue Sortino is quite a bambino, her 45 years of education have brought her a wisdom unattainable by many. A believer in equality, diversity, and inclusion is testament to her unshakeable belief in humanity. Her tone with children and parents alike was one of deep respect and belief in their ability to attain the highest points possible in their social, emotional, ethical and moral development. Sue’s voice will be heard for many decades to come.”
Sue is and will always be a true Gaynor Gator! We will miss her and wish her all the best.