Giselle Taylor, the instructional technology specialist at Glen Cove City School District, received the 2025 Bright Light Award from the Association of Suffolk Supervisors for Educational Technologies.
Taylor joined the district in 2007 as a teacher’s assistant. After working as an elementary teacher at multiple grade levels at Gribbin Elementary School, Taylor moved to the STREAM department. She said that the STREAM program, which stands for Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, promotes the exploration of technology within the district.
Now Taylor has become the district’s technology specialist, working with students and faculty at every school in the district.
She said her priority is to create a safe space for students and faculty to explore new ideas and technologies. Her goal is to “make technology as easy as possible,” she said.
Taylor said her teaching background is helpful in her role because it allows her to support and empathize with the faculty and students.
“I was once there,” she said.
In her 18 years at Glen Cove, Taylor said technology has evolved and grown, changing the classroom. Part of her job, Taylor said, is “vetting” new technology before it enters the classroom and staying up to date on technological advances. For example, Taylor said she recently attended an AI summit to learn more about its influence and how it can be effectively used in a classroom setting.
Taylor said she has explored how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can assist students and teachers in the classroom. The tool can be used as a “think partner” while developing new lesson plans, Taylor said.
However, Taylor said AI isn’t the only partner she consults at work. Her best partner, she said, is Jessica McKenna, the teacher who nominated her.
Taylor said she and McKenna, a STREAM teacher at Deasy School, have worked alongside each other for many years and collaborate in and out of the classroom frequently.
The technology department is full of committed people, Taylor said. The team is “small but mighty,” she said.
Taylor said the department includes Student Management Systems Administrator Gayle Tullo, I.T. Manager Chris Zammat, Technology Coordinator Anna Policastro, and technicians Dulce Jon-Stenger, Jen Angelet and Ester Kim.
“I work with amazing people,” she said.
Glen Cove City School District congratulated Taylor and said it is a “well-earned recognition” in a Facebook post.
Taylor said the entire district is full of hardworking and dedicated teachers and staff.
“There are many, many bright lights in our district,” she said.
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