Elementary Administrators
Phone: 313.432.4004
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Dr. Lisa Rheaume - Defer Principal
As an alumna of the Grosse Pointe Public Schools, Lisa Rheaume is excited to be part of the team at Defer Elementary School! Lisa started her career as a 5th grade teacher at Kerby Elementary school in 2006 and has spent her entire teaching career in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools, most recently at Mason Elementary school, before being selected as the principal at Defer Elementary School. Lisa earned her Bachelors of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan, Masters of Arts in Education from Michigan State University, and an Education Specialist Degree from Oakland University. In 2017, Lisa earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. Lisa is passionate about developing tomorrow’s leaders by creating a learning environment inclusive of all learning styles. She believes by partnering with parents, staff, and students we can empower our students to be leaders and learners each and every day. Lisa is honored to serve and collaborate with the members of the community as the leader of Defer.
Phone: 313.432.4104
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Jodie Randazzo - Ferry Principal
Jodie Randazzo will serve as the Principal of Ferry Elementary School for the 2019-20 school year. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Wayne State University, and her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. Jodie is an eighteen-year veteran elementary teacher in GPPSS. She previously taught at Monteith and Kerby. In addition, she is a graduate of the Galileo Leadership Academy, serves as a leader of the Grosse Pointe Learning Network, and is highly engaged in Leader In Me. You may already know her as a past administrator of the Camp Invention Summer Program. Jodie is excited to join the Ferry team.
Phone: 313.432.4204
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Katy Vernier - Kerby Principal
Katy is honored to be the Principal of Kerby Elementary School and become part of the Kerby community. She started her career as a math teacher at GP North in 2001 and then moved into the role of Assistant Principal in 2018. During her time at North she wore many hats including coaching, advising, mentoring and leading the math department as the department chair. Katy completed the Galileo Leadership Academy in 2009. Continuing to learn and grow is an essential part of her personal and professional development, and more importantly, what she enjoys the most.
Katy grew up on the west side of the state in East Grand Rapids. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts from Albion College and her Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Central Michigan University. She earned her PK-12 administrator certification through MASSP’s Path to Leadership program. Katy has lived in the Grosse Pointe community since 2019 with her husband and two daughters, Emerson and Lucy. She is passionate about creating a learning community where all students and staff can thrive. Her experience as both a teacher and an assistant principal has given her a deep understanding of the educational landscape, and she is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student feels supported and empowered. She is excited to bring her expertise and enthusiasm to Kerby Elementary School and looks forward to collaborating with the Kerby community to achieve great things together.
Phone: 313.432.4304
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Nicole Filiccia - Maire Principal
Nicole Filiccia is really looking forward to an exciting and productive school year with all of our Maire Leaders! This is her ninth year as part of the Grosse Pointe Public School staff, and she brings 19 years of diverse experience in public education. Before joining the elementary administration team in GPPSS, she was a kindergarten teacher for 6 years at Defer Elementary and was part of the 2017-2019 Galileo Cohort. She graduated from Wayne State University in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and earned a Masters of Educational Leadership, Administration, and Organizational Studies in the spring of 2022.
Her passion for education drives her goal as a leader: to help children discover the joy of learning and to assist each child in developing a strong belief in their own abilities. She strives to instill a sense of pride in students for doing their personal best every day and emphasizes the importance of appreciating and respecting differences among peers. As an elementary administrator, she is committed to guiding our students' educational journey, teaching, and modeling kindness and empathy within our school community. Partnering with families is her number one priority, and as your child’s principal, she is dedicated to providing each student with an equitable opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.
On a personal note, she is married and has a 25-year-old son, Chandler, and an 11-year-old daughter, Payton, who is currently a 6th grader. Her family enjoys reading, skiing (both water and snow), swimming, camping, golfing, engaging in DIY projects (Makerspace), and watching movies and sports together. They love to laugh and have a ton of fun!
Phone: 313.432.4304
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Anita Hassan - Mason Principal
Hassan has worked as a school administrator in the metro Detroit area nearly 20 years, primarily as an elementary principal, but also serving in central office and other administrative roles. Most recently, she was director of instructional improvement and acting principal at Hamadeh Educational Services serving Star International Academy, Universal Learning Academy, Universal Academy and Noor International Academy. Prior to that she was the principal at Star International Academy in Dearborn Heights and at Universal Academy in Detroit. She also has experience as a third-grade and secondary English teacher.
Hassan received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Education in curriculum instruction from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She and her family moved to Michigan in 2002 and Hassan received an Educational Leadership Specialist Degree from Wayne State University in 2008. She has teaching certificates from both Virginia and Michigan.
Phone: 313.432.4504
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Dr. Shelleyann Keelean - Monteith Principal
Shelleyann Keelean is an Alumni of Grosse Pointe Schools. She then went on to receive her undergraduate degrees from University of Miami, Florida in Elementary Education and Studio Art with an endorsement in ESL. Before beginning her career in Grosse Pointe she taught in Chicago and Elmhurst Illinois for 9 years. During her 9 years in Chicago she received her Masters as a Reading Specialist focusing in Learning Disabilities from DePaul University, National Board Certification in Language Arts and Literacy as well as a Masters in Administration and Supervision from Concordia University. Her Grosse Pointe career started at Parcells Middle School where she taught 8th grade English until she was appointed principal at Monteith Elementary in 2015. Shelleyann and her family reside in Grosse Pointe Park and she is so thrilled to be back in the community and schools that fostered her love for learning. She believes that relationships are the foundation of a strong education, when you build trust in a school community all members of the community feel valued and appreciated. Setting high expectations for all stakeholders is important in creating a positive school climate and culture. She believes you get back what you give, so… always give kindness because kindness matters!
Phone: 313.432.4904
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Dr. John Kernan - Richard Principal
John Kernan was a principal at Hunter Elementary School, Gibraltar, before joining the GPPSS family as Principal of Richard Elementary. Prior to that, he was an Instructional Specialist for Birmingham Public Schools where he provided professional development and mentoring for staff, and developed and supported data-driven interventions for students. His teaching experience includes 4th grade in Birmingham, 2/3 in Clawson, and 3rd grade at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He has also served on strategic planning committees, assisted with the accreditation process, served on Positive Behavior Intervention and Support teams, coordinated the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, been the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) supervisor, and streamlined RTI services and process. In 2014, he presented Teaching Kids to Harness Technology to Solve Global Problems at the International Society for Technology in Education, Atlanta, GA.