(Check back regularly as we add staff members over the next few weeks!)
COLIN HOGAN, PRINCIPAL
E-mail: principal@hatikvahcharterschool.com
Here are some excerpts from a conversation with Colin:
How do your qualifications and experiences make you well-suited to lead Hatikvah?
I have a long background working in teacher-led schools – charter, public, and private. I have also studied and taught in Israel and can speak Hebrew. In every school where I have worked, I have collaborated closely with others to develop new models for teachers to work together effectively and implement curricula that promote critical thinking and academic excellence. The kind of leader I will be at Hatikvah will be a direct outgrowth of all of these experiences.
What are your thoughts about leading Hatikvah?
I am incredibly excited! Leading Hatikvah is one of the greatest job opportunities of my life. I have always envisioned starting my own school and working with a group of like-minded teachers and parents to develop a school that is not just a place where children are educated but a place where their experiences are transformative. I believe that schools are the places where we build our society, and I know that the students at Hatikvah will become adults who will not only have a rich understanding of how the world works but will also have the motivation and the skills to take action in regard to any challenge they encounter.
Read the entire conversation with Colin.
View a PowerPoint presentation by Colin about the school's philosophy and curriculum.
Read the most recent of Colin's recent letters to parents, or read one of his archived letters, including one about our exciting free Enrichment and Tutoring Program.
SAMANTHA AMATO, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER
Samantha Amato completed her BA in English as a Bloustein Scholar and graduated magna cum laude. She also holds a Masters in Education from Rutgers. She completed her student teaching in Highland Park, where she worked in both inclusion and resource room settings and designed lessons that were extremely integrative and thematic. Samantha has also been a coach and teacher throughout her life, serving as a martial arts instructor and a synchronized figure skating coach. She is certified in special education, elementary education, and English in grades K-12.
What I love most about teaching is. . . watching my students extend their learning beyond the classroom walls. I love hearing stories about how students applied their learning to novel experiences. It is very rewarding to their teachers. I feel thankful to be provided with the opportunity to help contribute to my students’ success.
Things you should know about me as an educator. . . I provide my students with a strong foundation in learning so that they are able to successfully go beyond the surface to discover deeper meaning in everything that they do. My teaching style emphasizes curiosity, discovery, and enjoyment. I strongly believe in maximizing my students’ potentials by challenging them, while providing them with the tools and support they deserve. I just graduated with my Masters of Education in both Elementary Education and Special Education. I am also highly qualified in English Education. I am a life-long learner who strives to instill a love for learning in my students!
My students describe me as. . . creative, dedicated, enthusiastic, energetic, and engaging!
Parents remember me as. . . someone who is extremely approachable. I truly care about my students and work hard to help them succeed. Parental involvement is extremely important to our classroom community. I welcome parents into the learning environment as often as possible because I understand that they are valuable resources for their children.
My classroom will be a place where. . . students feel safe, respected, welcomed, and valued. Each day students will unlock new possibilities to flourish academically, socially, and personally.
View a PowerPoint presentation put together by Samantha describing the Personal Education Plans that all Hatikvah students will have and the proactive, positive, integrative approach to special education that Hatikvah will take.
LAURIE KISNER, SECOND-GRADE TEACHER
Laurie Kisner graduated magna cum
laude from
What I love most about teaching is. . . that you can plan every lesson of
the day down to the minute but when a student comes up with a question
that you didn’t anticipate, sometimes discussing those questions and
discovering the answers become the greatest lessons of the day.
Things you should know about me as an educator. . . I have taught four second grade
classes, each with very different ability levels. As a result, my
teaching methods are constantly changing according to the needs of my
students. I am always looking for new ways to make a lesson relatable
and understandable to my students. I believe that while some of the
older methods of teaching are still applicable to today’s classroom,
there are many new teaching techniques that can and will be applied in
my classroom.
My students describe me as. . . fun, silly and creative, but serious
when we need to be.
Parents remember me as. . . someone who welcomes their
involvement. I believe that learning doesn’t stop at the end of the
school day and that it must continue at home. For this to occur, I truly
believe that a partnership must be formed between parents and teachers
with an open line of communication. We must work together to help our
children succeed. Over the years I’ve had great relationships with the
parents of my students, and many of them still reach out to me to say
hello and to let me know how their child is doing.
My classroom will be a place where. . . students feel like they are part of a
family. I hope to establish a classroom where my students will be able
to express their opinions, feelings and creativity and feel safe doing
so.
View a PowerPoint presentation Laurie made recently on 2nd grade at Hatikvah!
JACLYN KOTLER, FIRST-GRADE TEACHER
Jackie graduated from The College of New Jersey with honors in 2006 with a B.S. degree in both Early Childhood Education and Spanish. She has a dual certification in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K to 3) and Elementary Education (K-5), and she is currently pursuing a Masters in Educational Technology at The College of New Jersey. Jackie has taught first, second and third grades in Hillsborough, New Jersey for the past four years.
What I love most about teaching is. . . the moment I see the look of understanding come across students' faces. It is so rewarding to know that I have helped a child discover a new concept or way of looking at their world.
Things you should know about me as an educator. . . I have been a teacher in Hillsborough for four years teaching first, second and third grade. My goal is to develop and inspire creativity and critical thinking skills through a strong foundation of math and literacy skills. I use cooperative learning to foster community, the sharing of ideas and citizenship. I enjoy using technology to enhance my lessons as well as to give my students unique opportunities to discover new things.
My students describe me as. . . creative, energetic, enthusiastic, cheerful and compassionate.
Parents remember me as. . . someone who establishes and maintains a constant open dialogue between school and home. I send home a weekly e-newsletter with class happenings as well as important dates to remember. I also send home a weekly work portfolio with a brief comment relating to the child’s week. Parents are welcome in my classroom and encouraged to help with special projects, to be mystery readers and celebrate learning.
My classroom will be a place where. . . students are eager to attend school, enjoy our daily activities and are proud to be a part of a community of learners.
View a PowerPoint presentation Jackie made recently about Hatikvah's approach to teaching reading.
View another PowerPoint presentation about the 1st-grade curriculum.
IRIT MALINSKI, ART TEACHER
Things you should know about me as an educator. . . My classroom environment is a place where students feel confident and sense a freedom to take artistic risks. They learn to trust their intuition and become aware of their magic and the beauty of life. I want to prepare my students for the modern world by helping to cultivate creative problem solving. I like when students are able to view a relationship between academics and art.
My students describe me as. . . the coolest teacher whose class they always look forward to.
Parents remember me as. . . can really reach their children and give them a sense of success in a wide range of abilities. They see me as a positive person with contagious enthusiasm.
My classroom will be a place where. . .art becomes an integral part of the curriculum. I use traditional and repurposed materials to demonstrate the importance of flexibility and improvisation. I am excited to be part of this innovative charter school. I grew up in Israel with the pioneering spirit and I want to carry that to this place as well.
Things you should know about me as an educator. . . My goal is to enable every child to shine by tapping into their strengths, supporting them, and encouraging them to try new things. I see my role in the classroom more as a facilitator and supporter than a lecturer. I always try to build on the children’s interests and help them develop their ideas to meet the educational goals. The children in my classroom are active learners, always engaged in hands-on activities.
My students describe me as. . . fun, caring and a lover of science and nature -- someone who likes to play, create, read books and tell stories.
Parents remember me as. . . someone who really cares about their child’s emotional and social wellbeing as well as their academic achievements. Parents feel they are a part of the team and are always welcome to ask questions, bring up concerns, and participate in the classroom.
My classroom will be a place where. . . it is safe to be yourself and where everyone’s feelings and needs are respected. It is a place where children can ask as many questions as they want and where no answer is wrong. A place where everyone has fun exploring, experimenting and sharing their thoughts.
ARIELLE SLAFF, KINDERGARTEN TEACHERArielle Slaff has taught kindergarten in Piscataway for the past two years. She is incredibly gifted in terms of developing community within her classroom and working with parents. Ms. Slaff holds a BA from Rowan University, and won their Department of Education’s Outstanding Academic and Professional Achievement award. Ms. Slaff is also certified as a reading teacher and is currently pursuing her English as a second language certification as well.
What I love most about teaching is… how much fun the students have while learning! We get to sing and dance while learning; what could be better? It is also inspiring to see how much students can learn in just one year.
Things you should know about me as an educator…I have taught Kindergarten the past two years and loved every minute of it. I have my B.A. in Elementary Education and Writing Arts, as well as my Reading Certification. In my classroom, I model life-long learning and critical thinking skills. My goal as an educator is to ensure each child reaches their potential and is confident in his or her abilities.
My students describe me as…compassionate, fair, silly, and creative.
Parents remember me as someone who…helped their child blossom. Parents know their support is critical in enabling their students to succeed. I welcome parent involvement and am always available to discuss concerns or requests to help in the classroom.
My classroom is a place where…students feel safe taking educational risks. It is crucial that students feel comfortable in the classroom, and my classroom is a safe place where students can learn, experiment with new ideas, make friendships, and grow!
SHANNA TAUB, KINDERGARTEN TEACHERView a PowerPoint presentation Shanna made about our kindergarten curriculum.
What I love most about teaching is…Watching the children in my class grow academically and socially, watching them grow more confident as the year progresses, and seeing their personalities shine through in their day-to-day interactions.
Things you should know about me as an educator…I have been teaching early childhood education for 10 years, and earned my B.A. in Early Childhood Education and my M.S. in Literacy. I provide my students with the tools to become life-long learners by teaching them how to ask the right questions, such as, “What happens when…?” Every aspect of my classroom contains a “teachable moment,” from having the children pour their own juice at snack time to build independence to labeling the toy bins to foster literacy.
My students describe me as…silly and loving.
Parents remember me as someone who…eased their child’s transition into a school setting. My classroom is a place where parents feel comfortable leaving their children, and are secure in the knowledge that their children are cared for.
My classroom is a place where…children engage one another, interact with materials in the classroom, feel a sense of ownership of their knowledge, and gain confidence in their abilities.
Heather Weinshank earned her BA in elementary education and her MA in curriculum and instruction Design from the University of Connecticut. She began teaching first grade in Freehold and taught first and second grade for the past three years in the North Brunswick School District. She is an accomplished teacher of reading and writing, excels at integrating technology into her lesson and organizing her classroom to provide the optimal learning environment for her students.
What I love most about teaching is…the look of excitement on a student’s face when they understand something for the first time. I love being the one they come to, to share their accomplishment when they finally figure out a challenging word or solve a tricky math problem. I enjoy exposing students to new ideas and helping them see different perspectives on a topic.
Things you should know about me as an educator… I create a mutual respect with my students right from the start. They always know what is expected of them and are encouraged to always try their very best. I help my students to become creative, inquisitive and responsible learners through hands-on learning, reading, and asking questions.
My students describe me as…caring, organized, enthusiastic, and silly.
Parents remember me as someone who…always encourages students to reach their full potential, keeps the lines of communications open, and welcomes parent involvement.
My classroom is a place where…children feel comfortable and safe to take risks, meet challenges and make long lasting friendships, while having fun with learning.
View a PowerPoint presentation about the 1st-grade program.
Danna Nezaria, President of Hatikvah's board, has been a real estate attorney for the past 15 years, handling all levels of real estate matters, from commercial litigation and land use work to residential sales, purchases, and landlord/tenant cases. She lives in East Brunswick with her husband, Yair and their four young children. Danna earned her BA in sociology from Rutgers and has always been passionate about the incredible benefits both of language learning and the bringing together of diverse cultures. Danna was the lead applicant for the Hatikvah charter application and believes deeply in the potential for Hatikvah's success and for the success of all children who participate in such an innovative educational program.
Michael Goldstein, the Board’s vice president, lives in East Brunswick and is currently the Director of Alumni Relations and Public Information at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has worked at Hunter College, Baruch College and for the NYC Board of Education. Michael is married to Michelle Kesten Goldstein, formerly of Prudential Financial. They have a nine-year-old son who attends the East Brunswick Public Schools but who would love to attend Hatikvah if only the school had more grades! Michael is very proud that his five-year-old daughter will be starting kindergarten at Hatikvah in the fall.
Yair Nezaria, the Board’s secretary, is the founder and president of Shira Esthetics Inc. As a business owner for the past 18 years, Yair has been fortunate to deal with many domestic and international companies. Yair lives in East Brunswick with his wife and four kids in East Brunswick and is very passionate about fostering imagination, innovation and creativity in children.
Priti Kandlur has a Bachelors in Commerce from India and has worked in financial institutions in India and the U.K. She has also been training in Hindustani Classical Music at the Academy of Indian Music. She has organized various South Asian cultural events for children and adults and works as a Radio Jockey at EBC Radio Station. Priti lives in East Brunswick with her family, and her son, Mihir, will be attending kindergarten at Hatikvah in the fall.
Alex Shraga, MD, MPH, is a physician in a private solo practice in East Brunswick. He lives in East Brunswick with his wife and three children. He believes strongly in school choice and is passionate about his children's education. He is excited to be a member of the Hatikvah team and believes Hatikvah will be a tremendous asset for the community.