Staff

Jamie acknowledges that learning difficulties in her youth limited her ability to thrive in an academic setting at a young age. Without assistance, she needed to work diligently on her own to navigate her learning challenges and develop individual methods for success. Self-driven, Jamie completed her primary and secondary schooling and enrolled at Towson University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Building on her own experiences, Jamie has worked her entire career with students encountering learning difficulties, including dyslexia. The more students she assisted, the more she realized their need for a high level of individualized attention to acquire basic skills in reading, writing and math. Students need to learn at a pace they are comfortable with, through methods that help them understand, progress and thrive.

Jamie earned a law degree and spent the next five years advocating for these students. They deserve an opportunity to succeed and flourish. “Not every child can figure it out on their own,” she says. “I just have a real heart for children who struggle and know it doesn’t have to be that way.”

As an attorney, Jamie worked with families, advocating for the services that were required for their children to be literate in the public school system. Nine of her students needed an alternative approach to learning, and their parents could not find a school that would adequately serve their children. Helping with the process, Jamie found a building and opened the Legacy School in 2011. She planned to continue her legal practice, advocating for students with learning difficulties. Instead, she has done so as founder of the Legacy School, which has grown in its first 10 years to a population of 80 students, with construction underway for the fourth building to accommodate anticipated growth to more than 110 students in 2021.

A Fun Fact about Jamie: I love to jet ski!

Kaye Saracino has been an integral part of the Legacy School since its inception. After five years in the public school system, Kaye taught at the Friendship School, a school for dyslexic children in Eldersburg that closed in 2011. Recognizing the unique needs of the students with dyslexia, Kaye was part of the team that founded the Legacy School. Kaye earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University and holds certification from Orton-Gillingham (60-hour course), Visualizing and Verbalizing, Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program (LiPS), Paragraphology, and Framing Your Thoughts. As director of faculty, Kaye concentrates on analyzing how the school meets the individual goals of each student and adapts curriculum, staffing and scheduling to provide the interventions required to accommodate their needs.

“Legacy was established to creatively meet the academic, social and emotional needs of students who learn differently and have great potential to make a real difference in the world,” she says. “Every day, I work to do a better job than the day before, and help everyone from administration to the youngest student in the building plan, execute, reflect and grow.”

A Fun Fact about Kaye: I have taught every subject at Legacy, other than specials.

Ann Marie O’Keiffe has spent a good portion of her career as an administrative assistant to educational leaders in the area. She has served leadership at York College, Baltimore Lab School and the Norbel School, which closed in 2011. As assistant to the head of school, Ann Marie supports the admissions process, from inquiry to acceptance, and the needs of administration. Ann Marie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from the University of the West Indies.

“I love what Legacy is doing,” she says. “We are giving students who otherwise would have a difficult time the opportunity to move forward. I am honored to be a part of the Legacy School.”

A Fun Fact about Ann Marie: I love to ski!

Since 2015, Krissy Cook has served as the administrative director for Legacy, coordinating day-to-day operations. Previously, she owned and operated a daycare business for 10 years and then worked in a private Christian school for eight years in a variety of education-related positions. Krissy also is the school medical provider at Legacy. A Maryland state certified medical technician, Krissy administers medication and monitors student health needs.

“I’m amazed every day at what all of the teachers and administration do at Legacy,” she says. “I get to also connect with students and their families. I witness each student’s amazing journey here as they are taught by teachers who understand their creative brains. They flourish and grow. It’s wonderful to see and be a part of.”

A Fun Fact about Krissy: I live with my family on a 48-acre farm where we raise beef cattle. We have a nonprofit that outfits food banks and shelters in the mid-Atlantic area.

Tina Lindner joined the Legacy School in 2020 as business manager. With more than 14 years of experience in accounting and finance, Tina coordinates the entire financial operation of the Legacy School, maintaining all financial records, coordinating student billing and payment systems, managing payroll and human resources, and continuing relationships with and paying vendors. Tina earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Shippensburg State University and an MBA from Loyola University. She started her career with Arthur Andersen and spent time as a corporate controller and headhunter. She also held positions as a paraeducator and day care provider in the past.

“Legacy is an amazing place. Thinking about what we accomplish for these students, we’re giving them a leg up in life that they couldn’t receive elsewhere. To be part of that is really an honor.”

A Fun Fact about Tina: I love the beach!

Kristen Goodreau is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and national certified counselor (NCC) serving students at the Legacy School since 2017. Kristen earned a B.A. from McDaniel College and M.Ed. from Loyola University Maryland. She began her career as a mental health therapist in a school-based program in Baltimore City. After eight years, she earned an advanced certificate in clinical counseling from Loyola University Maryland. At Legacy, she works individually with students to meet their social-emotional health needs to ensure they are available for learning. She also administers classroom counseling and social lessons, teaching about a variety of topics like empathy, compassion, self-esteem, friendships, and more, for all grades. She utilizes curricula from Second Step for younger students and imparts American School Counselor Association standards for older age groups.

“I love our Legacy students, faculty, and community and helping our students' social emotional well-being,” she says.

A Fun Fact about Kristen: I played on my college soccer team as an outside midfielder and forward.

Laurie Zukerberg is a licensed speech-language pathologist serving students at the Legacy School since 2011. Laurie is trained in PROMPT, Orton-Gillingham, Visualizing and Verbalizing (Lindamood-Bell), and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Science in speech-language pathology from Towson University. Her practice philosophy is “fast as we can, slow as we must,” and she individualizes goals for each student based upon their speech and language needs, allowing students to set the pace of lessons. All students are treated with the same long-term goal in mind- targeting the whole child and preparing them with the articulation, language and social skills needed to succeed beyond the walls of the Legacy School. Prior to Legacy, Laurie worked in a similar capacity at the Gateway School in the Hearing and Speech Agency, Friendship School in Eldersburg, and Trellis Services in Hunt Valley. Previously, she ran a small private practice from her home office.

“Legacy is an amazing place where transformations happen over time. We focus on the whole-student and offer a true team approach,” she says. “Legacy School is the greatest gift that you can give your child.”

A Fun Fact about Laurie: I have never been an “animal” person. I have always been a “kid” person! I always joked that I would have 10 kids before having a dog. My family wore me down and now I can’t imagine life without Cody!