Fieldstone Middle School’s Newest Teachers
Brendan Bernsley
Brendan Bernsley brings a background in social work and experience as a substitute teacher with North Rockland to his new role as a School Social Worker at Fieldstone Middle School. Mr. Bernsley earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Saint Leo University and Master of Social Work from Sacred Heart University. Before stepping into his new role, he also completed internships with Camelot Community Care and the Rye Youth Council. At Camelot, he worked alongside case managers supporting children in foster care and young adults aging out of foster care. At the Rye Youth Council, he served as an intern clinician, organized community events and provided individual and group counseling.
As Brendan begins this new chapter, he is most excited about becoming more involved in the North Rockland community and participating in the many community events the district has to offer. “I look forward to meeting and connecting with people throughout the community, building meaningful relationships, and gaining a deeper understanding of the community I am now proud to be a part of,” he said.
Liam Horan
Liam Horan earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Mount Saint Mary College. His classroom experience includes student teaching in both the North Rockland Central School District and Clarkstown Central School District. As Mr. Horan begins his career in North Rockland, he is especially excited to build relationships with his students. For him, connecting with students is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching and he looks forward to creating a classroom where those relationships can grow throughout the school year.
Briana Peralta
We are excited to welcome back a NRHS Class of 2013 graduate who is joining Fieldstone Middle School as a Spanish teacher! Briana Peralta earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas Aquinas College and a Master of Professional Studies from Manhattanville University. She completed her student teaching at Fieldstone Secondary School in 2017 and has since taught Spanish in the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and the South Orangetown Central School District. As a proud Red Raider, she looks forward to building meaningful relationships with students and giving back to the community where she grew up.
Peyton Powell
Library Media Specialist Peyton Powell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ramapo College and a Master of Science in Education degree, a Master of Library and Information Science degree and a Library Media Specialist certification from Long Island University. Ms. Powell previously taught science and special education in the East Ramapo Central School District, teaching Biology, Living Environment and Life Science to students in grades 9-12. She is excited to fulfill her dream of running a school library, collaborating with teachers across the building and sharing their passion for reading with the entire school community.
Valery Rosas
After graduating from NRHS in 2019, Valery Rosas earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Teaching from St. Thomas Aquinas College. Before coming back to North Rockland, Ms. Rosas spent a year as a special education teacher at Nyack Public Schools, where she taught eleventh and twelfth grade students in Social Studies, including Economics and U.S. Government, English, including Creative Writing and Journalism and Consumer Math.
As she begins her new role at Fieldstone, Valery is excited to experience Raider Assemblies, join her students on trips and, most of all, see how much they grow throughout the school year. Having grown up in a similar home environment to many of her students, she hopes to serve as a role model and offer the same support and encouragement she received from her own North Rockland teachers.