Dr. Chrisomalis enthusiastically joined the New Milford community in 2017. She proudly served as Berkley’s principal until 2021, then as the district’s Director of Constructivist Learning for two years. She is lovingly looking forward to returning to Berkley to continue to build upon its success and to reconnect with the students, parents, and dedicated staff she already knows, as well as to meet and work with all the new members of this outstanding learning community.

Dr. Chrisomalis is a student-centered, strong, seasoned leader committed to excellence. She believes the most effective leaders are known for compassion, empathy, courage, strength, humility, experience, and love. This mindset drives, fuels, and sustains her. She is a clear communicator with a proven track record of building deep, collaborative, and respectful relationships based on trust and a shared value of always putting the best interest of children first. She is particularly proud of her ability to establish and nurture positive learning climates for students and staff and equally proud of the work she has done to help build the capacity of other educators, serving as a mentor and coach to new and seasoned administrators, teachers, and staff.

Long before SEL initiatives became mainstream, Dr. Chrisomalis’s practice focused on building the social and emotional competencies of children and staff to ensure all members of her learning communities were learning and growing each day. Her professional signatures always include the Aristotelian quote, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”  She identifies with it because it encapsulates her foundational beliefs, i.e., that educators have a moral and ethical responsibility to develop individuals in loving and nurturing ways so they are empowered to promote the greater good.

Dr. Chrisomalis leads by example and embodies what it means to be a life-long learner. She remains closely connected to her alma mater, Teachers College, Columbia University, to stay abreast of the latest research and best practices in education. Dr. Chrisomalis is passionate about bringing her world-class training, love and joy for the work she has dedicated her life to, and her steadfast commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of children, their families, and all educators to school each day.

Cary loves spending time with her family, friends, and children, reading, learning, travelling, and teaching. She considers it an honor and privilege to be an educator and counts her work among her most cherished blessings.