Our Staff

Barbara B. Miller, Ed. D.
Interim Superintendent & Principal

After graduating from Hackettstown High School, Dr. Miller attended the College of New Jersey and graduated with a B. A. degree in Business Education. While teaching at West Morris Regional High School, she pursued an M. A. in Student Personnel Services, which was completed at Montclair State University. Some years later, she earned her Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Seton Hall University.

After having a family and moving to Sussex County in 1966, Dr. Miller joined the faculty at High Point Regional High School in 1970 and remained there for 30 years. She served as a teacher, Guidance counselor, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Assistant Principal and Principal before her retirement in 2000. Since retiring, she has been an adjunct professor at William Paterson University and Ramapo College, and has served in a few interim positions around Sussex County. She has been the Interim Superintendent/Principal of Sussex County Educational Services Commission and Northern Hills Academy since June 2009 and has instituted many positive changes. She loves to welcome visitors to Northern Hills Academy, and is very proud of the exceptional level of care that is provided to each of the students who attend the school.

Responsibilities include budget preparation, fiscal oversight, purchasing, buildings, and grounds management.

• BS in Business Administration/Finance
• MA in Administration from FDU
• 20 years of Public Administration and Fiscal Management at the State, County and Local Levels

Areas of Expertise include...

• Fiscal Oversight and Management
• Public Administration
• Utilities and Building Infrastructure
• Public Safety

A 1972 graduate of High Point Regional High School, Barbara started to work at Sussex County Educational Services Commission on April 7, 1980, after being employed by Sussex County Clerk's Office and Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company. She started her career at SCESC as the bookkeeper and then became the Confidential Secretary to the Superintendent. Currently, Barbara is the Confidential Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent and Northern Hills Academy. Being employed at the Commission for 31 years, Barbara is very familiar with most aspects of the daily operation of the school, which makes day-to-day transitioning an easy task. Her dedication to the students, staff, and the position she holds is constant, and is truly an asset to the Commission.

Barbara's outstanding quality is her warm smile that greets you when you enter Northern Hills Academy and gives you the feeling that you are entering a caring atmosphere where the children come first and where the staff goes above and beyond for the students!

After working as an office manager and owner/operator of a successful answering service business, I began my career at Sussex County Educational Services Commission in 1999. I assist the School Business Administrator with payroll, purchasing, and general business office duties. I have served as a Certified In-Home Health Aide and Northern Hills Academy Aide. I continue to care for special needs children after school hours on an as-needed basis.

I began my career at the Sussex County Educational Services Commission (SCESC) after having worked in the administrative offices of the Nuclear Research Corporation in Dover, and Immaculate Conception Regional School in Franklin for several years. Since February 1998, I have been privileged to serve the administration, faculty, staff, parents, students, nonpublic schools, and host districts of the Educational Services commission and Northern Hills Academy. In addition to the education, nurturing, and care provided at our site location of NHA, our relationship with the non-public schools and charter schools in and around Sussex and Warren counties has flourished tremendously. Through professionalism, understanding, and compassion for the needs of each individual, I maintain a continued commitment to building upon the friendships I have made with the SCESC/NHA districts, schools, parents, and students on a daily basis.

Linda Behrens,
Teacher

Linda Behrens joined the staff of Special Children's School, now Northern Hills Academy, in 1990. Receiving her BA from Felician College and her special education certification from William Paterson, she has taught the Multiple Disabilities Class – Secondary level in our Newton and now Sparta location as well as taking on the role of teacher at the TMR program in Hackettstown from 1994 to 2002 when the program closed.

In 2001, Linda was honored as her peers selected her as the recipient of ARC's Warren County Educator of the Year award and in 2003/2004 as recipient of the Governor's Teacher Recognition honor. While at SCS/NHA she has become involved and taken a leadership role in establishing a school store, working on a magazine entitled "SCS Specialties," that was submitted to the State and won the Award of Excellence, and co-chairing the Yearbook Committee.

As a highly qualified teacher with her Masters Degree, Linda's personal challenge and most pleasurable aspect of her job to teach adolescents to be productive adults. As every student learns at their own pace, finding the variety of techniques to use and reach each student is rewarding. Watching each student master their skill, maintain, and then build upon it makes Linda feel proud that she is a teacher and able to take part in her students' growth. One of her greatest joys is helping her students gain the social acceptance that is rightfully theirs.

As a graduate of North Warren Regional High School, Ms. Kasharian obtained her BS in Special Education/Teacher of the Handicapped from East Stroudsburg University. She was lucky enough to do part of her student teaching in England. In 1989, she joined the staff of Special Children's School (now known as Northern Hills Academy) as the Multiple Disabled Primary Teacher. She has been a part of many in-services and has training in ABA, APA, Smart Board/Technology, the Foss Science Program, Augmentative Communication Devices, etc.

As a highly qualified teacher and after 22 years of service, her love of teaching and the children she services remain a constant. To see her students make progress and obtain their goals is truly rewarding and makes it a pleasure to come to work every day. Ms. Kasharian received the honor of being selected, by her peers, the 1999/2000 Governor's Teacher Recognition recipient.

Karra Hansen-Mueller,
Teacher

I graduated from Centenary College in Hackettstown with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Elementary Education. I also obtained my certification in Special Education/Teacher of the handicapped as well as a certificate in Childcare Group Teacher from Seton Hall University.

Since 1997, I have taught the Autistic Class at Special Children's School now known as Northern Hills Academy. Professional developmental includes: TEACCH model, Greenspan's Floortime/DIR Model and Miller Method, ABA, Smart Board, Polyvision, Clicker 5, AAC devices, APA, FOSS and Pre-Vocational skills.

As a dedicated and highly qualified teacher, I love being involved in the teaching process and to see my students learn skills and techniques they will be able to use in their everyday lives. It is truly a rewarding profession and I consider myself lucky to be able to provide my skills to my students.

I was selected as the recipient of the Teacher's Governor Recognition award in 2000/2001.

Chris Rudinsky,
Teacher

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Jennifer Beshada,
Teacher

I have been teaching at Northern Hills Academy for almost 6 years. For the past year, I have taught the Behavioral Disabilities class, and my prior experience includes teaching the intermediate Autism class for over 4 years. I am a 2006 graduate of Centenary College with a BA in English and Elementary Education, and I am also Certified as a K-12 Special Education teacher. Prior to teaching, from 2002 until 2006 I worked for SCARC with adults, teens, and children with developmental disabilities. I have also been a volunteer for a therapeutic horseback riding club for over 10 years.

Caitlin O'Brien,
Teacher, Website Coordinator

Caitlin graduated from Centenary College in 2008 with a BA  in psychology and certificates in Elementary Education and Teacher of the Handicapped. She has been teaching the cognitive disabilities class at Northern Hills Academy for past three years. Prior to teaching at Northern Hills Academy, Caitlin spent 5 years teaching gymnastics and dance. She also takes great pride in being the proud owner of the school's mascot Rocky. Caitlin feels blessed to be able to work at such a wonderful school with amazing staff and students.

Jeanne Oritz,
Physical Therapist

Graduated from Ithaca College, Ithaca New York, 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Responsibilities include evaluating and providing physical therapy services for the students at Northern Hills Academy. These responsibilities also include modifying or recommending equipment for home or school, monitoring orthoses, setting up wheelchair and orthoses clinics.

Jeanne has worked in a variety of pediatric and acute care settings both full time and part time since 1981 including: Nassau County Medical Center, Hackettstown Hospital, Warren County Early Intervention Services and itinerant school consultant physical therapy work. She has provided physical therapy services at Special Children's School/Northern Hills Academy since 1997.

Laura Weingartner,
Speech Therapist

I graduated in 1987 from William Paterson College with my Bachelor's Degree in Speech Pathology. I attended Montclair State College where I completed most of the requirements for my Master's Degree. I finished my Master's Degree several years later through Kean College. I have worked for the Middlesex Educational Services Commission, where I provided speech services to four nonpublic schools. After that, I began working in Newark, at St. Patrick's School, for emotionally disturbed children. At St. Patrick's, I provided a wide range of speech and language therapy to the students. I was there for about fifteen years before coming to Northern Hills Academy, where as the speech therapist, I utilize a wide variety of communication devices, switches, Smart Board Activities, and other Alternative and Augmentative Technology to help the children learn to communicate.

Larissa Longberg,
School Psychologist

I have the pleasure of working for Sussex County Educational Services Commission as a school psychologist in a public school setting and at Northern Hills Academy primarily in the behavioral disabilities program. I have been working in the public school system for seven years as both a counselor and a school psychologist for the child study team. My experience includes but is not limited to psychological testing, case management, risk assessments, individual and group counseling, behavior management, providing staff and parent training, and linking families to community resources.

I earned both a Bachelor and Masters' degree in clinical/counseling psychologist from Fairleigh Dickinson University and earned an Education Specialist degree in school and community psychology from Seton Hall. I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of New Jersey. I have over 900 hours of training in play therapy, often use game, and play techniques in my group and individual counseling programs.

John Sgro,
Information Technology Consultant

Education: US Navy – Electronic Technician
University of New Haven
Business Administration Chubb
Network Specialist Background/Experience...

• 40 Years Working with Industrial Computer Systems
• 16 Years with Fischer & Porter Co.
• 2 Years with Anatec
• 20 Years at Honeywell
• 2 Years as an Independent Consultant (Northern Hills Academy and Honeywell)

Sally Giaino,
School Nurse

I have 25 years experience as a registered nurse, receiving my AAS/RN degree from County College of Morris, then graduating Summa Cum Laude from Caldwell College with a BA in psychology. I am a member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. I have been our school nurse for 10 years, after working for many years as a visiting and and hospice nurse. I am the proud mother of five grown children and five fabulous grandchildren. Currently living in Vernon with my wonderful husband Joe. I try to set a good example of positive health practices by walking over three miles every day, love to garden, and I enjoy cooking creative healthy meals. The best part of my job is getting to know and appreciate the families of Northern Hills Academy.

Tami Glander,
Part-time School Nurse

I have been a resident of Vernon for 25 years and I am married with three children. I have been a registered nurse for 29 years and have worked as a part-time school nurse for 14 years in the Vernon School District. I started working at Northern Hills Academy in 2007. I also work as a nurse at YMCA Camp Mason. I enjoy cooking, walking, and being involved in my children's activities.

Tracy graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 1991. After starting her family, Tracy attended the College of Saint Elizabeth's and graduated in 2009 with B. A. degrees in Elementary Education and American Studies. She also earned her Certification for Teacher of Students with Disabilities. Tracy moved to Sussex County shortly after and joined the staff of Northern Hills Academy in the 2009 School Year as a classroom Teacher for a Maternity Leave. She is now a part time teacher. Her responsibilities include covering the classrooms during the teacher lunch breaks. Tracy enjoys spending time with each and every student at Northern Hills Academy.