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Kelly Cassella, Director of School & Services at our Monroeville school, brings a strong foundation in special education and school leadership to support students, teams, and district partners. With a collaborative, student-centered approach, she helps build consistent systems and a positive school culture where students can grow academically, behaviorally, and socially. 

Can you talk about your career trajectory and what led you to where you are now? 

I started my career teaching 2nd grade in Baltimore, MD where I was completing my master’s degree in special education. After finishing my master’s, I moved back home to be closer to family. At this time, I had a calling to work closer with the special education population. I accepted a teaching position in a special education school where I taught middle school emotional support students for the next five years. There I found a passion for working with special education students. Soon enough, I enrolled in a program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) to get my Doctorate of Education with a focus in Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction. During my doctoral program, I found myself interested in leadership opportunities and wanting to expand my skills beyond the classroom. When I saw an opportunity with New Story Schools as a Special Education Director, I jumped at the chance to bring my skills and knowledge to a larger special education population. I’ve been an administrator at our Monroeville school for the last five years, and I can’t imagine working with a more talented and dedicated group of people.  

What do you love most about working in special education?  

I love seeing the progress that students make every single day, even if they are small steps in the right direction. Not only can I have a positive impact on their lives, but they have a positive impact on my life and our staff members’ lives too. Working with the special education population allows you to learn from each other and support a group of students who often are misunderstood by others.  

What makes our Monroeville school special? 

Monroeville is one big, close-knit family. We work so well together by supporting each other through good days and hard days. Every member of the team, regardless of their position, steps up to help one another without any hesitation. We pride ourselves on creating a culture that welcomes and accepts everyone as they are, and we encourage students to express themselves. Our staff go above and beyond to advocate for our students and their needs.  

How would you describe your leadership style? 

My leadership style is mostly democratic and servant-focused. I have a strong leadership team in my building that I bounce ideas off of and have deep discussions with before we make decisions. I often ask for feedback and input from staff about topics or situations to make sure all sides of the story are heard before moving forward. This allows all members of the team to feel that they have a voice in the decision-making process. My students and employees are people first and deserve kindness and respect above all else.   

What is your vision for partnering with districts and families? 

My vision is to provide districts and families with quality education and behavioral supports to meet the various needs of our students. We meet our students where they are and strive to make meaningful gains during their time with us at New Story Schools. We encourage collaboration between families and districts as they are an essential part of the team. Without our partnering districts and families, we would not have the successful programming that we have now.  

What does success look like for this school over the next year? 

Success looks like expanding our services to new districts and families whose children may benefit from our programming. We hope to continue making meaningful academic and behavioral progress with our students so they can experience life to the fullest.   

What is a fun fact about you not many people know? 

I am an author of a children’s book titled, “Lenny’s Big Feelings,” and I have a published dissertation titled “The Effects of School Climate on Teacher Retention in Special Education Schools” which were both inspired by my time in the special education field. 

Kelly’s commitment to collaborative, student-centered leadership helps shape a welcoming culture at Monroeville built on shared responsibility, respect, and steady progress.

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