Administrator's Page

Sibyl Brooks - Principal

Sibyl Brooks is the Principal of Toquam Magnet Elementary School. Principal Brooks is a highly results-oriented, transformational leader with 20+ years of perseverance, grit and passion for teaching and learning. A staunch champion for education reform and a high-performance instructional leader, dedicated to cultivating Excellence in Education.a Proven expertise in mentoring and cultivating teachers and administrators while simultaneously driving dramatic turnaround efforts in low-performing schools using data driven analysis to improve student achievement while closing the opportunity gap. Her significant contributions to educational policy and standards through participation on the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) Advisory Board, CCT Rubric Review/Revised Committee and SBAC Consortium. Sibyl has presented cutting-edge, high leverage math innovations on a national platform for the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM) as well as locally at the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Connecticut (ATOMIC) Conferences. In addition, Principal Brooks presented at AVID’s National Conference 2024, served as a panelist on a National AVID Webinar (2025) focused on “Principal Burnout” and recently was honored with 45 Years- School of Excellence Award.

Principal Brooks holds an Associate Degree in Funeral Directing and Embalming from New England Institute of Applied Arts & Science. She also earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Middle School Mathematics and Science from Southern CT State University. A Master of Business Administration degree from Albertus Magnus College. She then returned to Southern CT State University to get her Sixth Year School Administrator Certification (092), and a Superintendent Certification (093). She has worked as a Mathematics & Science Consultant / Teacher, K-5 Math Coach & Math Director, Assistant Principal and Principal in all grade levels. Her diversity of experience transcends elementary, middle, high school and central office leadership. Principal Brooks has worked around the State of CT as a change agent in a number of districts (ie: New Haven, Hartford, Bloomfield, Danbury, Bridgeport, and CT Technical High School).

Melissa Fano-Dropick - Assistant Principal

Melissa Fano-Dropick is joining Toquam Elementary from Davenport Ridge Elementary, where she has been the Assistant Principal since August 2023. Fano began her career with Stamford Public Schools as a special education teacher at Rippowam Middle School, where she later served as a special education PPT facilitator and learning performance and data coach.

She joined Stillmeadow as a special education teacher in 2008 and was named the Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI) teacher in 2019. Fano joined Davenport Ridge as the teacher-leader for student support in 2022.

Fano earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University, a Master of Education in Special Education from Saint Joseph College, and both a Master of Education in Remedial Reading and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University.

She is certified by the Connecticut State Department of Education in PreK–12 Comprehensive Special Education PreK–12 (265), Grades 1-12 Remedial Reading (102), and K–12 Intermediate Administration or Supervision (092).

Amy Ofiero - Assistant Principal for Special Education

Amy Ofiero has more than 25 years of experience in special education as a classroom and IEP compliance teacher. She began her career with SPS teaching PreK-K students with Autism in a self-contained classroom at K.T. Murphy Elementary School, later moving to Ox Ridge Elementary School in Darien to teach K-5 students with Autism and Low Incidence Disorders in a self-contained classroom. She returned to Stamford as a special education teacher in both an inclusive preschool setting and in a self-contained ASD classroom at Roxbury Elementary School from 2006 to 2016. Since 2016, she has been an IEP Compliance Teacher for Stamford Public Schools. She earned a Bachelor of Science in special education PreK-12 and a Master of Science in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University and a Sixth Year Certificate in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. She has professional certifications in PreK-Grade 12 Comprehensive Special Education (CT 165) and K-12 Intermediate Administration or Supervision (CT 092).