Dermoth Mattison is the Founder and Executive Director of South Shore Charter School, a nationally recognized public charter school founded in 2021 and serving families on Long Island, New York. He designed and oversees the school’s academic program and the systems that drive its operations, finance, and facilities management, while developing the leaders needed to sustain the school’s success and future growth.
Under his leadership, South Shore has achieved exceptional academic results. In Spring 2026, 99% of scholars were proficient on the New York State ELA exam and 100% were proficient in Math. Since its inception, South Shore scholars have also performed at the 99th percentile nationally in both ELA and Math on the NWEA MAP assessment.
Mr. Mattison is known for building high-functioning school environments from the ground up by bringing strong instruction, intentional culture, and disciplined operations together into one cohesive model. South Shore has maintained strong financial and operational health, including clean financial audits, annual operating surpluses, strong enrollment, and effective structures for staffing and compliance. His work is grounded in the belief that strong systems, consistently executed, create the conditions for both scholar achievement and adult excellence.
Mr. Mattison regularly shares his experience building and leading high-performing schools with leaders and organizations across the country. He has shared his perspective through SUNY’s More Great Seats for Kids podcast and at national convenings including the National Charter Schools Conference and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers Conference.
His leadership is grounded in South Shore’s core values of Integrity, Grit, Resilience, Excellence, Accountability, and Tenacity, captured in the belief that every scholar and staff member can proudly say, “I am GREAT.”
Mr. Mattison holds master’s degrees in Childhood Education and Educational Leadership, along with New York State certifications in teaching and school leadership. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership. He is a proud husband and father of three and remains focused on building and expanding access to high-performing public education across Long Island.
Georgina Rodriguez has a track record of serving as a highly effective operational leader in the New York charter sector. She graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminal Justice. Mrs. Rodriguez has experience in organizational leadership, project management, government compliance and community-based organizational development. Fluent in Spanish, she is passionate about public service and making a positive impact in the South Shore Charter School community.
Arsenio Heslop has served in the field of education for nearly a decade. He previously served as an instructional leader and classroom teacher in New York Public Schools. Mr. Heslop received a Master’s of Science with a double major in Childhood Education and Special Education from the Metropolitan College of New York. He also holds a Master’s Degree in School and District Leadership from Touro College. Mr. Heslop is passionate about serving the South Shore Charter School community as Principal.
Ryan Miller has served in the field of management, finance, and auditing for nearly a decade. Mr. Miller’s guided years of education were received internationally, receiving up to a Bachelor’s of Science in Management Studies Accounting at the University of the West Indies. He also holds a Master of Science in Taxation from Baruch College. He has a passion for serving the South Shore Charter School community and developing students into socially responsible leaders.
Board Chair
Board Secretary
Trustee
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