The Transparency Files: MJGDS 2013-2014 Faculty, Part II

It is hard to believe that we are headed into our last week of school!  (At least for our students that haven’t already left for Camp Ramah Darom – a schedule quirk we have addressed for the future.)  We had a beautiful graduation yesterday evening; I shared with our graduates what I believe to be true of all our students – that we are much prouder of who they are becoming than any accomplishment they have achieved.

So now our attention turns from the wonderful year that was to the wonderful year that will be, the 2013-2014 school year.

Last week, in Part I, I identified the teachers who we are saying goodbye to and began to identify the structure and personnel that will make up next year’s faculty.  This week, I want to highlight a few additional and connected decisions, and then simply lay out the entire faculty and staff with however many openings we have left to fill.

The first is connected to the decisions we announced last week.  Namely, if Silvia Tolisano is headed international and Andrea Hernandez is headed into the classroom…who will constitute our 21st Century Learning Team?  Here, we are pleased to announce that we have expanded the roles of three of our outstanding teachers so that they will be able to provide the coaching and resources necessary to keep us moving forward.  Karin Hallet, our amazing Library & Media Specialist, will now go full time.  Shana Gutterman, our amazing Art Teacher, will now go full time and brings extraordinary 21st century learning skills to our team.  They join Stephanie Teitelbaum, as discussed last week, in her new expanded role as heading up our “Community of Kindness” initiative, to create a dynamic and innovative 21st century learning team prepared to pick up the baton and move us forward.  And, with Andrea in our building and Silvia a mouse-click away, we will always have our original “dream team” available for support and advice.

The second is both a staffing and a programmatic change.  With both Mrs. Burkhart and Mrs. Kagan retiring, we found ourselves with the opportunity to re-imagine what science education could look like at MJGDS and are pleased to announce the hiring of Mrs. Karianne Jaffa are our first-ever K-8 Science Instructor!  Mrs. Jaffa is an experienced Middle School Science Teacher who, since moving to Jacksonville, has taught in St. Johns County since 2006.  She will not only teach in our Middle School, but our Lower School as well, helping us deliver on the promise we made last year to expand and upgrade science education for all our students.

The third is to make two more faculty hire announcements which will finalize our entire lead teaching team for the next school year.  (I am presently searching for four assistant teachers, but expect to fill them in the weeks ahead.  Resumes look promising and interviews have begun).  Mrs. Amy McClure will be joining the Middle School Math Team.  Mrs. McClure currently teaches in our DuBow Preschool, but is an experienced Middle School Math Teacher, having taught Middle School Math here in Jacksonville for over five years.  Mr. Evan Susman will be joining us as our new Music Teacher.  Mrs. Jeanine Hoff, our current Music Teacher, has taken full-time work at the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville and we wish her all the best in her new venture.  Mr. Susman is an accomplished musician and teacher who brings song-leading expertise to MJGDS.

With all the announcements and explanations out of the way, it is my pleasure to introduce the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School 2013-2014 Faculty & Staff:

Lower School General Studies Faculty

• Kindergarten: Mrs. Arlene Yegelwel & Mrs. Carla Bernard
• First Grade: Ms. Pamela Lewis & Mrs. Shannon McVearry
• Second Grade: Ms. Amy Stein & (A second teacher to be hired soon!)
• Third Grade: Mr. Seth Carpenter & (A second teacher to be hired soon!)
• Fourth Grade/Fifth Grade Language Arts: Mrs. Andrea Hernandez & (A second teacher to be hired soon!)
• Fourth Grade/Fifth Grade Mathematics & Social Studies: Mrs. Shelly Zavon & (A second teacher to be hired soon!)

Lower School Jewish Studies Faculty

• Kitah Gan: Morah Edith (Ita) Horovitz
• Kitah Alef: Morah Robin (Rachel) Morris & Morah Hannah Bendit
• Kitah Bet: Morah Rivka Cohen
• Kitah Gimmel: Morah Liat Walker
• Kitah Dalet: Morah Rivka Cohen
• Kitah Hay: Morah Liat Walker

• Kitah Bet-Gimmel Resource Teacher: Morah Rivkah Ohayon
• Kitah Dalet-Hay Resource Teacher: Morah Mazal Spalter
• JS Assistant Teacher: Morah Ilana Manasse

Middle School Faculty

• Science: Mrs. Karianne Jaffa
• Social Studies: Mrs. Judy Reppert
• Language Arts: Mrs. Stephanie Teitelbaum
• Middle School Mathematics: Mrs. Lauren Resnick & Mrs. Amy McClure
• Hebrew: Morah Rivka Ohayon
• Rabbinics: Morah Edith (Ita) Horovitz
• Bible: Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner, Rabbi Jesse Olitzky, & Hazzan Holzer

Resource Teachers

• Science: Mrs. Karianne Jaffa
• Music: Mr. Evan Susman
• Art: Mrs. Shana Gutterman
• PE: Coach Jared Goldman
• Jewish Music & Tefillah: Hazzan Jesse Holzer

21st Century Learning Team

• Library & Media Specialist: Mrs. Karin Hallett
• Visual Literacy Specialist: Mrs. Shana Gutterman
• Community of Kindness Coordinator: Mrs. Stephanie Teitelbaum
• Technology Coordinator: Mrs. Kim Glasgal

MJGDS Administrative Team

• Administrative Assistant: Ms. Valerie Santiago
• Executive Assistant: Mrs. Robyn Waring
• Admissions & Marketing Director: Mrs. Talie Zaifert
• Middle School Vice-Principal: Mrs. Edith Horovitz
• Head of School: Dr. Jon Mitzmacher