Staff

Ali Abikzer

Nursery School Director

Favorite book to read aloud
Anything by Mo Willems

Favorite day of the school year
Pajama Day

Favorite project or unit to teach
I love fairytale steam 

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Cerulean

Fun fact about yourself
I love playing Just Dance with my two boys on their Nintendo switch.

Amanda Gottlieb

School Administrator

Favorite book to read aloud
On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

Favorite day of the school year
Special Person Day

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Yellow

Fun fact about yourself
I love to cook!

Sindy Cutler

2s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Favorite day of the school year
January 2nd, because you see such a growth in the children 

Favorite project or unit to teach
Our Shabbat/Mitzvah unit

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Fuchsia 

Fun fact about yourself
I mostly listen to sports radio, as I’m a huge sports fan!

Jackie Plechaty

2s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

Favorite day of the school year
School performances, amazing to see how all their hard works shines that day!

Favorite project or unit to teach
Butterflies and insects, Flowers and Spring

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Lilac

Fun fact about yourself
I love being in the water, pool ocean or lake it doesn’t matter!

Elizabeth Pons

2s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury 

Favorite day of the school year
Earth Day

Favorite project or unit to teach
Our Five Senses

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Orange

Fun fact about yourself
I enjoy hiking.

Melinda Berman

3s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina 

Favorite day of the school year
Pajama Day

Favorite project or unit to teach
Spring — love to hear the birds sing again, plant and watch everything grow.  

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Turquoise blue

Fun fact about yourself
Loves music, reading a good book, and crocheting baby blankets.

Kathleen Melvin

3s Teacher

Favorite book to read
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Macaroni and cheese

Favorite lesson to teach
Planting our spring seeds/gardening

Fun fact about me
I love to make people laugh.

Fran Pawlak

3s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Favorite day of the school year
The first day of school, when we meet all of our new friends.

Favorite project or unit to teach
Winter animals

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Red

Fun fact about yourself
I walking on the beach, collecting beach glass and shells and swimming.

Becky Confino

4s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff and David Catrow.

Favorite day of the school year
The first day of school.

Favorite project or unit to teach
‘All about us’ unit, as we get to know more about each other and our families.

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Purple

Fun fact about yourself
When I was in my junior year in High School, I was chosen to go on an exchange program to Beijing, China.

Amy McDonald

4s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Favorite day of the school year
The very first day, when we get to meet everyone

Favorite project or unit to teach
Nature-inspired art activities

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Green

Fun fact about yourself
I'm originally from Nova Scotia, Canada.

Edine Wabusima

4s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

Favorite day of the school year
Earth Day

Favorite project or unit to teach
Seasons of the year

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Any shade of pink

Fun fact about yourself
I love to sew!

Stephanie Cruz

Special Ed Support Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Favorite day of the school year
The first day!

Favorite project or unit to teach
Primary Color mixing

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Periwinkle

Fun fact about yourself
I love playing table games with family and friends!

Dafna Israel-Kotok

Music Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Tiras Cham (a Hebrew book)

Favorite day of the school year
International day

Favorite project or unit to teach
Music from around the world

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Turquoise

Fun fact about yourself
I grew up in a Moshav in Israel which is like a farm. We had chickens, donkeys, peacocks, birds, bunnies, and lots of fruit trees in our backyard.

Kara Tatelbaum

Movement Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Favorite day of the school year
Pajama Day

Favorite unit or project to teach
Waltzing

Favorite color in a box of crayons
Purple

Fun fact about yourself
I am a blizzard baby! My mom had to take a snowmobile and a helicopter in over four feet of snow to get to the hospital.