AMENIA — Students returning to Webutuck Elementary School this fall were greeted by a new principal, Audrey Feliciano, who said improving attendance and strengthening partnerships with families will be among her priorities.
Feliciano, who replaces Amanda Coppola, began the job Tuesday, Sept. 1, and welcomed students for their first day of classes Tuesday, Sept. 8. She started the morning with a program for students from prekindergarten through the upper grades, joining teachers in leading exercises designed to prepare them for the school year.
“It’s a starting point to get kids excited about learning,” Feliciano said. “They have their backpacks, and they are ready to learn.”
Feliciano said she plans to greet students outside the school each morning.
“I want to be the first person they see,” she said.
Supporting regular attendance will be a focus during the coming year, Feliciano said. She also pointed to the school’s early-childhood offerings, which include two pre-K3 classes.
“Webutuck was the first public school in Dutchess County to start a pre-K3 early learning program,” Feliciano said, noting that the program functions as an extension of parental teaching.
Webutuck started the pre-K3 program in 2025. A second pre-K3 class was added for the 2026-27 school year.
The school holds workshops throughout the year to help parents and educators work together. She said that collaboration also helps the school better understand and respond to each student’s educational needs.
Originally from the Bronx, Feliciano has lived in the region for 25 years. She most recently spent six years as a special education administrator and assistant principal at Pawling Elementary School.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercy College and a master’s degree in education with a specialization in special education. She later earned her administrative certification from Baruch College.
Feliciano also worked in New York City earlier in her career.
“My special education experience in New York City has helped me understand child development and how children learn and thrive,” she said, adding that her time there broadened her perspective by exposing her to a tapestry of cultures, languages, and complex learning environments.
Feliciano lives in LaGrange and has four children and three grandchildren.
The early September sun greeted students as they stepped off their buses at Webutuck Elementary School for the first day of classes Tuesday, Sept. 8.Photo by Leila Hawken
