Stephanie Bliss
Freshman Academy Director

Stephanie Bliss-Walker is the Freshman Academy Director at East. Stephanie grew up in the city of Rochester and attended city schools. She is most proud of her high school experience right at East, where she was in the founding class of TLI (Teaching and Learning Institute, a magnet program for future educators) and graduated with the Class of 2000.

She attended Bethune Cookman University right after high school, completing three semesters before transferring to The College at Brockport, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Mrs. Bliss-Walker began her career working in the community as an outreach education coordinator for a teen pregnancy prevention program, then decided to return to school to pursue school counseling. She went on to complete her master’s degree in School Counseling from The College at Brockport and began her education career as a school counselor at East in 2009.

In response to the varying mental health needs of her students and families, Mrs. Bliss-Walker expanded her counseling lens by becoming the first student at St. John Fisher College to complete a CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) in Mental Health Counseling in 2014. She is also proud of her most recent accomplishment—earning her CAS in Educational Administration at The College at Brockport in 2021. She began her administrative experience in the East Irondequoit Central School District and is motivated to continue her leadership journey at her alma mater.

Now, stepping into her role as Freshman Academy Director, Mrs. Bliss-Walker is especially excited to be back where it all began, having once served as a Freshman Academy Counselor at East. She grounds her leadership in restorative practices, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive and sustaining practices—and she looks forward to guiding today’s ninth graders as they begin their own East journeys.

Stephanie.Bliss-Walker@rcsdk12.org
585.288.3130 *4111
Office D111