Mrs. Rina Hartigan

Hello and welcome!  My name is Mrs. Rina Hartigan and I am SO excited to be a part of the Plaza team for the ninth year!  More importantly, I am thrilled to be your child's 1st grade teacher!  It’s going to be a fun year full of learning and tons of new adventures.  Of course, I want to know all about each of you, but I’m going to tell you a few things about me first:

I was born and raised in Massapequa and I am the youngest of FIVE.  I have four older brothers, so naturally I grew up playing every sport!  After high school, I moved to Philadelphia, PA to attend St. Joseph’s University.  There, I received my degree in Elementary (K-6) and Special (K-12) Education.  I also minored in Spanish.  Four years later, I moved back to NY and received my Masters in Literacy Education at Queens College.  I now hold 7 different professional teaching certifications.

I have previously taught Kindergarten, 1^st, and 2^nd grade in the New York City Department of Education.  I have been a Reading Teacher here at Plaza for 5 years, and am beyond excited to be a part of the wonderful team of 1st grade teachers for a fourth year.  Teaching children is truly my passion!  I have 3 amazing little boys of my own.  I love to read, run, play sports, and spend lots of time with my family.

In 2017, I am proud to share that I received the NY State English Council "Early Career Scholarship" award for new teachers who have excelled in content delivery, used innovative teaching strategies, and/or served the school or district as an emerging leader.  Members of Plaza's Team ORCHID wrote a story that documented my trip to Albany to receive the award.  Click Here to See!

I look forward to working with you to ensure that your child has a successful and magnificent school year!