GREENWICH – Carmel Academy in Greenwich has named veteran educator and administrator Rae-ann Allen to head its PALS program.

Allen’s appointment as Carmel Academy’s Director of Educational Resources will take effect on July 1, at which time she will take the helm of the school’s PALS (Providing Alternative Learning Strategies) program for students with learning disabilities.

Rae-ann Allen

Currently the head of the Lower School at Wooster School in Danbury, Allen is also an advisor to The Prospect School at Wooster, a program for children with verbal learning disabilities.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University in special education and elementary education and a Master’s degree from New York University in learning disabilities and remedial reading. She brings to Carmel Academy more than 30 years of experience in education and administration.

“The search committee was impressed with Rae-ann’s strong educational leadership skills, innovative vision for special education and passion for excellence in teaching,” said Carmel’s Head of School Nora Anderson.

“During the interview process Rae-ann demonstrated her natural collaborative leadership style, her commitment to the professional development of our faculty and the ease with which she conversed with large and small groups alike.  She is a strong believer in meeting the individual needs of each child and she acts with great care and empathy,” said Anderson.

“I know that every child has gifts and that they just open those gifts at different times,” said Allen. “It is up to us as educators to find those gifts and help each individual child develop them.”

Allen succeeds Bobbie Powers, founding director of Carmel Academy’s PALS program. Powers helped propel PALS from a fledgling pilot program eight years ago into a thriving K-8 program – a model in the Jewish day school world where such programs are scarce.

“We will forever be grateful to Bobbie Powers, whose commitment to the integration of Jewish and special education, her thoughtfulness and dedication have changed the landscape of Jewish education nationally,” said Anderson.

Anderson added that Powers, who is semi-retiring, will remain a member of the Carmel Academy community, helping to ensure a smooth transition for the students, faculty and families as well as consulting on several strategic projects.

“Carmel Academy’s PALS program is such a wonderful model for other schools – it is unique in its vision and definitely ahead of its peer schools in providing support and personalization,” Allen said. “Bobbie has built a very strong program and now it is up to me to take it to new heights.”

Allen lives in Norwalk with her husband, Scott, who is the executive director of Congregation Emanu –El of Westchester in Rye, NY. The Allens attend Congregation Beth El in Stamford. Together they have five sons between them and three grandchildren.