Irvington Appoints Assistant Director Of Pupil Personnel Services

IRVINGTON, NY — The Irvington Union Free School District Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kristopher Harrison announced the appointment of Francis Tolan as assistant director of pupil personnel services.

Appointed during the board of education meeting on April 26, he will step into his role on May 31.

Harrison said Tolan impressed everyone with his deep knowledge and resourcefulness during the search process.

“He values the importance of interpersonal connections and strong communication in establishing partnerships with students and their parents, colleagues and members of the school community," he said. "I am enthused to welcome Francis to the Irvington school community and believe that he will have an immediate positive impact on the department and our students’ experiences.”

Tolan recently served as interim acting assistant principal at One World Middle School in the Bronx, where he monitored the professional development series, oversaw the special education department and led day-to-day school operations.

He also worked as a peer collaborative teacher at Leaders of Tomorrow Middle School, where he developed lesson plans to support all students’ learning needs and led innovative and student-centered programs. Prior to that, he served as a special education teacher at the Globe School, as well as a fellow adviser at New York City Teaching Fellows.

Tolan said he was drawn to Irvington for its high expectations, forward-thinking initiatives and accomplishments in the field of education.

“Throughout the interview process, two aspects of Irvington's culture especially stood out to me: the importance of relationships and the collective desire to improve outcomes for students," he said. "As I join the leadership and PPS teams, I am very excited to build relationships and partnerships with staff, students, families, and the other members of the Irvington community. I am also eager to serve the district in its pursuit of continuous improvement.”

Tolan holds a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree in education from City College of New York and a school building leader license from the Center for Integrated Teacher Education.