Principal

Nazneen Patel, born in Queens and raised in New Jersey, is starting her 7th year at Compass and her first year as Principal of the Elementary School. Nazneen studied Political Science & South Asian Languages & Civilizations (SALC) at The University of Chicago and has an MA in South Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Nazneen has taught upper elementary and middle school for the past decade plus. She has founded schools in Philadelphia and New York City and has also served in a variety of leadership roles, including as a SEED facilitator for staff and families, and mentor teacher. Nazneen is currently on-staff at the National SEED Project and spends summers traveling the country training educators & school leaders to facilitate SEED seminars in their schools & community organizations. For her first 3 years at Compass, she served as an Instructional Coach and even had the opportunity to jump back into the classroom with the Linden 5th Grade, Class of '22! From 2022-2025, Nazneen served as the Co-Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Compass, co-leading the supervision of the K-5 program. Nazneen has extensive experience with the ICT model of inclusion and is deeply invested in ensuring all students get what they need to learn & thrive both academically & socially-emotionally. Nazneen's work in public education is based on the fundamental belief that “The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility.” (bell hooks) It is extremely important that she is working in a public progressive school where equity, inclusion, justice and sustainability are at the heart of the work done with students, staff and families. Nazneen believes that "anti-racism" is a verb - meaning, she believes in centering ACTIONS which improve material outcomes & experiences for our historically-neglected students & families first. In her first year as Principal of the Elementary School, Nazneen is looking forward to supporting all stakeholders in creating the conditions to meet this call with conviction, purpose-driven action & joy!

Assistant Principal

My name is Kendall (she/her), and I am so excited to be joining Compass as the new Assistant Principal. I began my career in education in San Francisco, where I taught and held various leadership roles supporting both students and teachers. After moving to New York, I continued my journey in charter schools, focusing on student growth and building strong, supportive communities. I am eager to bring my experience and passion for child-centered education to Compass and to partner with families in the learning and growth of every child. Building connections with students and their caregivers is one of the parts of my work I value most. Outside of school, I enjoy sunshine in Fort Greene Park, cozy days with a good book, and no matter the weather, I start my morning with a hot cup of coffee. I look forward to a year of learning, connection, and joy together!

Director of Operations

Steph (she/her) is new to Compass Charter this year! A proud Brooklynite and mom of two young ones, she has over a decade of operations experience, building systems and policies that help organizations run smoothly. A public health professional by trade, she has served as a health educator, developing nutrition and wellness programs for elementary schools, a program coordinator overseeing a network of homeless health clinics throughout NYC, and an operations coordinator for a global public health organization.

After becoming a mom, Steph found her interest and passion for school-based operations. Since then, she has held both school-based and strategic leadership roles in education settings. Prior to Compass, Steph worked to open a progressive all-girls charter school in Flatbush. She is passionate about public education, and enjoys bringing calm to chaos. When not at work, Steph enjoys family game nights, trying new restaurants, and listening to podcasts. Steph has a Bachelors in Health Promotion from St. Francis College and a Masters in Public Health from Long Island University.