School Building Principals

Mr. Thomas DePaola has been the principal of Carle Place Middle and High School since July 2012. He began his career as a science teacher at both the middle and high school levels for 18 years. He then served as Vice Principal of Long Beach High School for three years.

Mr. DePaola earned a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biology from Siena College. He continued his studies at SUNY Binghamton (now Binghamton University) and was granted a Master’s of Science in Teaching. He earned a second Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the College of St. Rose.
Mr. DePaola and his wife Catherine live in Hicksville, NY with his two children Thomas and Emily. He enjoys visiting baseball stadiums and presidential libraries.

Little known facts about Mr. DePaola:
He has 41 first cousins, spoke only Italian as a child and knows every element on the Periodic Table.

Gerald Baratta Jr. has been with the Carle Place community for the past 17 years as Assistant Principal of the high school/ middle school. Prior to coming to Carle Place, Mr. Baratta worked in the Syosset School Central District as Teacher of Business Education, Administrative Assistant and District Athletic Director. He also spent three years in the New York City schools as a teacher. While in college, he played lacrosse and football at Nassau Community College and Towson University. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to play in two junior college National Championships and won two conference championships at Towson.

Mr. Baratta earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at Towson University and Master in Science in Education Degree at Long Island University.

Mr. Baratta is grateful for the opportunity to be a frog and has enjoyed his time working with the Carle Place community.

Allen Foraker has been a part of the Carle Place family for his entire educational career, starting back in the fall of 1998. After a short stint as a teacher for DDI in Huntington, NY, Mr. Foraker began his tenure at Carle Place as a special educator. He served various roles for the district, in the classroom as a teacher for many courses, mostly math and science, both self-contained and ICT. Mr. Foraker coached many sports at Carle Place, most notably as the Varsity Head Boys soccer coach for 18 years, when in 2013, led the team to an undefeated season culminating in a New York State Championship. As an administrator, he has served as Boys Athletics Coordinator, Chairperson of Special Education and most recently, Assistant Principal.

Mr. Foraker earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education from Dowling College. Shortly after earned his Master of Science Degree in Educational Technology from LIU CW Post. He completed his certificate in Educational Administration from SUNY Stony Brook. Mr. Foraker is thankful on a daily basis for the opportunity and privilege to work in the Carle Place UFSD. It truly is a very special place.

Catherine Silletti has been the principal of Rushmore since July of 2016. She is incredibly proud of the work she and her faculty have done to raise the level of excellence in education in our schools.

Beginning her career as an educator in 1993, she spent twenty years as a social studies teacher in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School district. While a classroom teacher, she further developed her commitment to raising citizens of a global society as well as fostering the love for the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the world in which we live.

Ms. Silletti then worked as an administrator in the Northport-East Northport UFSD at East Northport Middle School. Her many years of experience at the middle school level made her an ideal candidate to create an experience for our intermediate students that will prepare them well for middle school and high school.

Lauren Moriarty joined the Carle Place School District in 2021 and is the proud principal of Cherry Lane School. Ms. Moriarty’s leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that all children can learn, and that as educators we have the important job of helping students uncover their full potential while developing a love of learning.

Prior to joining Carle Place, Ms. Moriarty served as a district administrator for the Oceanside School District as the Director of Elementary Special Education and was a special education teacher in the Long Beach School District. Ms. Moriarty has a Bachelor’s Degree from Towson University, a Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from Touro College and received her Post-master's Advanced Graduate Certification from Stonybrook University where she earned certification in both School District Leadership and School Building Leadership. Ms. Moriarty also holds New York State certifications in Childhood Education Grades 1-6 and Birth-2, Students with Disabilities in Grades 1-6 and Birth through 2, along with Students with Disabilities in Grades 7-12 Social Studies. In her free time, Ms. Moriarty enjoys traveling, going to the beach and reading.