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Staff

Ali Abikzer<br/>Director

Ali Abikzer
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.
Sindy Cutler<br/>2s Teacher

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<br/>2s Teacher

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!
Nurit Bacharach<br/>2's Teacher

Nurit Bacharach
2's Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywait
Favorite day of the school year
Thanksgiving Thursday when family and friends get together to celebrate and share their delicious food! Yummy!
Favorite unit or project to teach
Our Neighborhood and all the wonderful people that make up our community.
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Red
Fun fact about yourself
I like to get silly and make people laugh!
Fran Pawlak<br/>3s Teacher

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.
Claire Viola<br/> 3's Teacher

Claire Viola
3's Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Favorite day of the school year
The day before Thanksgiving when the kids share what they are thankful for.
Favorite project or unit to teach
Where we live
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Yellow orange
Fun fact about yourself
I enjoy making earrings and bracelets.
Melinda Berman<br/>3s Teacher

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<br/>3s Teacher

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.
Becky Confino<br/>4's Teacher

Becky Confino
4's 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.
Sarah Calvo<br/>4's Teacher

Sarah Calvo
4's Teacher

Anthony Purdy<br/>Yoga Teacher

Anthony Purdy
Yoga Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Zoo Zen by Kristen Fischer
Favorite day of the school year
I like the first day of school, because I know I have a whole year of yoga with the children ahead of me!
Favorite unit or project to teach
That’s easy: yoga!
Favorite color in a box of crayons
The blue of a beautiful, cloudless summer sky
Fun fact about yourself
I grew up in East Africa and often saw wild African animals!
Virginia Purdy<br/>STEAM Teacher

Virginia Purdy
STEAM Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone is my favorite read-aloud because the story’s a classic and I love to ‘do’ the voices.
Favorite day of the school year
The first day of school is the most exciting, because we all get to meet and start our learning adventures together.
Favorite project or unit to teach
My favorite unit is our Fairy Tale unit in March, because we transform into a magical kingdom filled with kings, queens, knights and wizards, while learning a ton of literacy skills.
Favorite color in a box of crayons
My favorite color is turquoise blue-green, because it’s the beautiful calming color of the Caribbean sea.
Fun fact about yourself
I love animals, and I love to travel! I used to live in Kenya, and I worked at the KSPCA helping all kinds of animals.
Dafna Israel-Kotok<br/> Music Teacher

Dafna Israel-Kotok
Music Teacher

Amanda Gottlieb<br/> School Administrator

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!
Sammi Coogan<br/>Event Coordinator

Sammi Coogan
Event Coordinator

Favorite book to read aloud 
Green Eggs And Ham by Dr. Seuss
Favorite day of the school year 
The day before Winter break in December
Favorite project or unit to teach
The Life Cycle of the Chicks 
Favorite color in a box of crayons 
Yellow!
Fun fact about yourself 
Whenever I meet a dog, I have to say hello. 
Robin Meyiri<br/>2s Teacher

Robin Meyiri
2s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Lois Ehlert 
Favorite day of the school year
Pajama day 
Favorite project or unit to teach
Butterflies and Purim
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Yellow
Fun fact about yourself
I ride horses, and I ski.
Mendije Haxhija<br/>2s Teacher

Mendije Haxhija
2s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Favorite day of the school year
Pajama Day
Favorite project or unit to teach
Doctor’s office
Favorite color in a box of crayons 
Purple
Fun fact about yourself
I love to cook!
Nikki Flossos<br/>2's Teacher

Nikki Flossos
2's Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Favorite day of the school year
The last day before winter break because everyone is happy and ready to be with friends and family.
Favorite project or unit to teach
Seasons
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Cyan
Fun fact about yourself
I love to cook, entertain and dance!
Nadia Paglietta<br/>3's Teacher

Nadia Paglietta
3's Teacher

Madelyn Goodman<br/>3s Teacher

Madelyn Goodman
3s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
Favorite day of the school year
Purim
Favorite project or unit to teach
Vincent vanGogh/Sunflowers
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Razzle Dazzle Rose
Fun fact about yourself
I love to dance!
Limor Martinez<br/>3s Teacher

Limor Martinez
3s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll by Jay Miletsky
Favorite day of the school year
Pajama day
Favorite project or unit to teach
 Five senses
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Aquamarine 
Fun fact about yourself
l Love to cook and bake for my friends and family.
 
Sandra Daniels<br/>4's Teacher

Sandra Daniels
4's Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak
Favorite day of the school year
Thanksgiving Feast
Favorite project or unit to teach
Food Unit
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Purple
Fun fact about yourself
I love to laugh.
Nancy Cimerberg<br/> 4’s Teacher

Nancy Cimerberg
4’s Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Mortimer by Robert Munsch
Favorite day of the school year
The first day of school because I can’t wait to meet everyone!
Favorite project or unit to teach
Dinosaurs!
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Pink
Fun fact about yourself
I love to sing and dance
Stefanie Greenberg<br/> 4's Teacher

Stefanie Greenberg
4's Teacher

Anna Dropiewska<br/>4's Teacher

Anna Dropiewska
4's Teacher

Favorite book to read aloud
Hot On The Scent by Peter Lind
Favorite day of the school year
Graduation Day
Favorite project or unit to teach
Our space unit and building the rocket ship with the children
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Pink
Fun fact about yourself
I collect and upcycle old chairs as a hobby.
Jackie Fabian<br/> Floater

Jackie Fabian
Floater

Favorite book to read aloud
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Favorite day of the school year
Earth Day
Favorite project or unit to teach
Life cycle of a butterfly
Favorite color in a box of crayons
Yellow and Blue
Fun fact about yourself
I love to spend time with my family and explore new places.
Kara Tatelbaum<br/>Movement Teacher

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.
Samantha Coogan<br/> Event Coordinator

Samantha Coogan
Event Coordinator

Samantha Coogan, or Sammi as she prefers to be called, is a native New Yorker from Larchmont in Westchester County.

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Virginia Purdy<br/> UPK Teacher

Virginia Purdy
UPK Teacher

Virginia Purdy, hailing from Brooklyn NY, homeschooled her own daughter (now a Special Ed/Early Childhood Educator) and rediscovered her passion for teaching after a career in post-production media.

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Kara Tatelbaum<br/> Movement Teacher

Kara Tatelbaum
Movement Teacher

Kara Tatelbaum has been eating, sleeping, and dreaming dance since she was a toddler. Now she’s excited to be teaching them!

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Anna Dropiewska<br/> UPK Teacher

Anna Dropiewska
UPK Teacher

Anna is originally from Warsaw, Poland, but has loved living in New York for the past few decades. Her background and education are in architecture, but Anna’s passion in life is children — she has worked at Riverdale Temple Nursery School for over 9 years, teaching two year olds, three year olds and four year olds.

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Sandi Daniels<br/> UPK Teacher

Sandi Daniels
UPK Teacher

Sandi Daniels is thrilled to be part of RTNS. She has been teaching Early Childhood for twenty years. Teaching is not just a job, but is a passion.

She has her Master’s Degree from Manhanttanville College in Purchase, NY.

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