Middle School Faculty & Staff - Charles E Smith Jewish Day School

Middle School Administration

Mitchel Malkus

Head of School

B.A., Political Science and Government
M.A., Judaic Studies
Rabbinic Ordination
Ed.D., Curriculum and Teaching

Cassandra Batson

Middle School Principal

B.A., Biochemistry and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
M.A., Science Curriculum and Instruction

Janet Ozur Bass

Middle School Assistant Principal

B.A., English Literature
B.S., Biological Sciences, Concentration: Microbiology
Rabbinic Ordination
M.A., Hebrew Letters

Alexandra Brown

Director of Upper School STEM

B.S., Science
M.S.Ed., Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Wendi Kaplan

Director of Upper School Admission

B.S., Journalism

Becky Silberman

Director of Athletics, Upper School Health and Exercise Science Chair

B.S. Kinesiology
M.Ed.

David Solomon

Debra Herman Berger Director of Arts Education

B.A., Literature
M.A., English
Ph.D., English

Ginger Thornton

Director of Instructional Technology

B.A., English, History/Philosophy
M.A., English
M.A., History
A.B.D, English

Middle School Administrative Support Staff

Staci Koester

Registrar and College Guidance Associate

B.A., Secondary Education

Elizabeth Polit

Middle School Executive Assistant

B.A., English

Heather Udell

Upper School Administrative Assistant

B.A. Psychology/Religion
M.A. Kinesiology
Certificate in Gerontology

Middle School Arts Department

David Solomon

Debra Herman Berger Director of Arts Education

B.A., Literature
M.A., English
Ph.D., English

Samuel Grob

Middle School Music Teacher

B.A., Psychology and English

Erin Holmes

Upper School Ceramics Teacher

B.F.A
M.F.A

Gary Prince

Upper School Instrumental Music Teacher

M.M., Music Education
B.F.A., Jazz & Contemplative Studies
BA, Psychology

Benjamin Tellie

Upper School Visual Arts Teacher

B.A., Studio Art with a Minor in Art History
M.A., Art Education
Psychoanalytic Studies Program (PSP), Psychoanalytic Studies Certificate
Advanced Professional Teaching License (APL)

Debra White-Dilworth

Upper School Photography Teacher, High School DEIJ Coordinator

B.A., Photography and Film
M.F.A., Photography and Film

Middle School STEM Department

Alexandra Brown

Director of Upper School STEM

B.S., Science
M.S.Ed., Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Rustom Meyer

Upper School STEM Teacher

B.S., Biological and Environmental Engineering
Masters of Engineering, Biological and Environmental Engineering
Professional Engineering License

Jennifer Newfeld

Middle School Digital Animation STEM Teacher, Jewish Life Chair, and MS Israel Engagement Coordinator

B.A., Psychology
M.Ed., International Education
M.A., Jewish Education
Ed.D, Curriculum, Teaching, Leading and Learning

Terrilynn Platt

Upper School STEM Teacher

B.A., English
JD

Hadley Steelman

Upper School STEM Teacher

Ginger Thornton

Director of Instructional Technology

B.A., English, History/Philosophy
M.A., English
M.A., History
A.B.D, English

Middle School English Language and Social Studies

David Carrington

Middle School English Teacher

Deborah Feigenson

Middle School English Language Arts and Social Studies Chair

B.A. English Language and Literature
M.A. Teaching of Secondary English

Matthew Jacobson

Middle School Social Studies Teacher

B.A., Government in Politics
M.Ed., Secondary Social Studies Education (7-12)

Alison Kraner

Middle School Humanities and English Teacher

Samuel Sullivan

Middle School English and Humanities Teacher

Heidi Zansler

Middle School Social Studies Teacher

B.A., Political Science, Concentration: American Government and Developing Countries
M.S., Real Estate Finance

Middle School Health & Exercise Science Department

Alexander Kirsch

Health and Exercise Science Teacher

B.S.
M.S.

Matthew Landy

Assistant Director of Athletics, Social Entrepeneurship Program Coordinator

Romi Nachman

Athletic Trainer

Becky Silberman

Director of Athletics, Upper School Health and Exercise Science Chair

B.S. Kinesiology
M.Ed.

Levitt Family Media Center Staff

Mirele Kessous

Media Specialist

B.A., Visual Art, Concentration: Children’s Illustration
M.L.S., Library Science

Upper School Health Room

Jillian Pedone

Upper School Nurse

A.A.

Middle School Hebrew Department

Aviva Gershman

Middle School Jewish Text and Hebrew Teacher

M.A., Linguistics
MJEd, Jewish Education

Liron Harbi Ginosar

Middle School Hebrew Teacher

Guy Koren

Middle School Hebrew Teacher

Shelli Putterman-Kenett

Upper School Hebrew Language Chair

B.A., Building Elements and Architecture
M.A., Teaching Hebrew as a Second Language
Doctor of Modern Languages Candidate
Certified Language Program Administrator

Middle School Jewish Text Department

Aviva Gershman

Middle School Jewish Text and Hebrew Teacher

M.A., Linguistics
MJEd, Jewish Education

Maryana Harouni

Middle School Jewish Text Teacher and Middle School Israeli Liaison

B.A., Social Work
M.A., Jewish Studies

Aliza Libman Baronofsky

Middle School Math and Jewish Text Teacher

B.A., Specialised Honors in Religious Studies
B.Ed., Junior/Intermediate History
ALM, Master's in Math for Teaching
Semikha, Yeshivat Maharat

Jennifer Newfeld

Middle School Digital Animation STEM Teacher, Jewish Life Chair, and MS Israel Engagement Coordinator

B.A., Psychology
M.Ed., International Education
M.A., Jewish Education
Ed.D, Curriculum, Teaching, Leading and Learning

Derek Rosenbaum

Middle School Jewish Text Teacher and Department Chair

B.A., US History
B.A., Jewish History
M.A., Hebrew Letters & Title of Rabbi

Marc Silberstein

Middle School Jewish Text Teacher and Zman Kodesh Coordinator

M.J.Ed.

Middle School Mathematics Department

Aliza Libman Baronofsky

Middle School Math and Jewish Text Teacher

B.A., Specialised Honors in Religious Studies
B.Ed., Junior/Intermediate History
ALM, Master's in Math for Teaching
Semikha, Yeshivat Maharat

Ethan Merlin

Middle School Math and Curriculum Coordinator and Middle School Math Teacher, Middle School Math Chair

B.A., Comparative Religion
M.A., Curriculum and Instruction

Rachel Meytin

Middle School Experiential and Service Learning Chair, Middle School Math Teacher

B.A.,
BLit
MBA
MAEd

Larino Pelaosa

Middle School Math Teacher

Middle School Science Department

Patricia Briner

Middle School Science Teacher

Nick Miller

Middle School Science Teacher

B.S., Biology
M.A., Biblical Studies

Study Hall

There are no constituents to display

Middle School World Languages Department

Silvia Kurlat Ares

Upper School World Language Department Chair, Middle School DEIJ Coordinator

B.A., Philosophy
M.A., Argentine Literature
PhD, Latin American Literature and Culture
Pos-Doctorate, Latin American Literature and Culture

Loren Salkin-Monzon

Upper School Spanish Teacher

Upper School ESOL

Rebecca Reiser

Upper School ESOL Teacher

B.A., International Studies/French
M.A., International Development
M.A., Education

Middle School Counselors

Deborah Amchin

Middle School Counselor

Hadassah Gabai

Middle School Counselor

B.A. Psychology
M.S. Counseling

Middle School Educational Support Services

Ricki Farber

Upper School Learning Specialist

B.A., English
M.S., Special Education

Marjorie Kane

Middle School Learning Specialist

B.S., Marketing
Masters in Special Education, John Hopkins University

Susan Zuckerman

Feder Family Director of Upper School Educational Support Services

B.A., Speech and Hearing
M.A., Educational Psychology

Upper School Technology

Arsen Amirov

Database Manager

Ryan Aqui

Director of Information Technology

MCSE, MCSA, CCNA, Security +

Hadas Heyman

Instructional Technology Specialist

B.A., Education
M.A., Teaching English as a Second Language
M.S., Instructional Technology

Beth Poston

Instructional Technology Specialist

B.S., Elementary Education
M.S., K-12 Instructional Technology

Ginger Thornton

Director of Instructional Technology

B.A., English, History/Philosophy
M.A., English
M.A., History
A.B.D, English

CESJDS Middle School Faculty & Staff