Administration
Dr. Lynnette Dortrait
Principal
Dr. Lynnette Dortrait is excited to kick off her second year as Principal of McKinley Elementary School. She has been an educator for 19 years of which she spent 12 years teaching middle school language arts and five years as a Vice Principal. Dr. Dortrait served as a Vice Principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School for three years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rider University, and her master’s and doctoral degree from St. Peter’s University.
Dr. Dortrait is a proud sister of Lambda Theta Alpha, Latin Sorority Incorporated. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at Hudson County Community College where she teaches English Composition. Dr. Dortrait is of Cuban and Peruvian descent and is the proud daughter of immigrant parents. She has adopted the philosophy that education is a great equalizer that holds power in breaking socioeconomic barriers and providing opportunities for all students. Dr. Dortrait’s vision is to see McKinley Elementary School become a leader in providing an exceptional, world-class education where students love coming to school!
Ms. Germaine Jenkins
Vice Principal
Mrs. Germaine Jenkins is entering into her 20th year as an educator. She was born and raised in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. From a young age, she developed a deep appreciation for knowledge and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. She knew that becoming an educator would allow her to combine her love for learning with her passion for helping young minds to flourish.
After relocating from the suburbs of Atlanta, Ga. to New Jersey in 2017, she became a 6th grade math teacher at Elliott Street School. She dedicated herself to inspiring students and fostering their love for mathematics. During the 2020 school year, she was honored to be recognized as Elliott Street School Teacher of the Year, an achievement that reaffirmed her commitment to excellence in education. Eager to expand her impact beyond the classroom, she transitioned into the role of Math Coach for the next two years. Building on her experiences as a teacher and math coach, she embraced the opportunity to further her education by earning her Masters of Educational Leadership from Montclair State University in 2023.
Beyond her professional pursuits, she is blessed with a loving husband of 28 years and three wonderful children who have inspired and supported her. She is a proud and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she has the privilege of engaging in community service, empowering women, and promoting social justice.
Ms. Victoria Litterio
Vice Principal
Ms. Victoria Litterio has a track record of being a successful educator and serves in her most current role as one of the amazing Vice Principals at McKinley School. Ms. Litterio has her B.S. in Community Health from Hofstra University and her M.A. Ed. in Educational Leadership from St. Peter’s University, where she received High Honors. She is an educator who has over 16 years of experience in developing, teaching and managing hands-on, interactive, and experiential programming. Ms. Litterio specialized in science for 10 of those years and spent the last three years of her teaching career as the STEAM Lead where she has converted an unused Media Center to a fully-functioning STEAM Lab and raised over $250,000 in grant funds to support the STEAM Lab. She was also awarded NBC’s STEM Teacher of the Year in 2020.
Ms. Litterio is the proud daughter of immigrant parents. She was born and raised in Newark and Bloomfield. She is the proud mother of two amazing and supportive children. Outside of being an educator, Ms. Litterio is an avid reader who enjoys participating in a variety of sports.
She has been a part of many educational and community committees. She currently serves on the Newark STEAM Coalition as Co-Chair for the Aligning Education committee and is a part of the New Jersey Stem Pathways Network Early Education working group. Ms. Litterio lives by the following quote, “At the end of life, what really matters is not what we bought but what we built; not what we got but what we shared; not our competence but our character; and not our success, but our significance.”
Dr. Rasheedah Saleem-Muhammad
Vice Principal
Ms. Saleem-Muhammad is a candidate for her Doctoral Degree. She is expected to graduate in May 2023; she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Kean University. Ms. Saleem-Muhammad received a Master's Degree in Special Education from Kean University and her Master's in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University.
Ms. Saleem Muhammad was born, raised, and educated in the great city of Newark. She served as an Early Interventionist for over 15 years. Working with babies from birth to three years old with special needs gives her great pleasure. Additionally, she has been an educator for over 19 years with the Newark Board of Education. She has taught in two different elementary schools in the city of Newark, Camden Elementary Street and First Avenue school. Ms. Muhammad is an agent of change and passionate about serving others. She sits on the executive board for Girls, Live, Love, Laugh, Inc, a girls' mentoring program. Also, Ms. Muhammad is a proud member of the National Sorority of Pi Delta Kappa- Delta Pi Chapter.
Ms. Saleem-Muhammad became a Vice Principal at McKinley Elementary school because she wanted to make a change; she is invested in the students, staff, and families. Ms. Saleem-Muhammad strongly believes in promoting students with a high-quality education despite their zip code. She works hard to ensure our students become productive citizens.