Kol Rambam Weekly - Maimonides School

Kol Rambam WeeklySept. 3, 2010 ~ 24 Elul 5770Nitzavim/VaYelechCandle Lighting 6:57 p.m.Page 2 of 2PROFILES OF SOME NEW STAFF MEMBERSDavid Grinstein, Middle School mathematics instructor,earned his master of science degree in mathematics fromTufts University. After graduate school he taught math andphysics at Goffstown, NH High School before embarkingon a 25-year career as a software engineer in the GraniteState. Mr. Grinstein says he loves math and strives to passthat love on to his students.Lynn Conover, Upper School French immersion LINXleader, received her BA in French language and literaturefrom the American University in Paris and her MBA fromBoston University. She lived in French-speaking countriesfor more than 12 years, most recently in Aix-en-Provence,France. Mme. Conover has taught languages, includingFrench, to all ages for seven years, using games and electronicmedia in her classes.Middle School Ivrit teacher Dafna Gan holds graduate degreesin management of nature and environment resourcesfrom the University of Haifa, and performing artsand harpsichord from the Jerusalem Academy of Musicand Dance. She earned undergraduate degrees in performingarts and physical geography. For the past nineyears she has headed the development and training departmentof the Society for the Preservation of Nature inIsrael. Ms. Gan also plays early music in various chamberensembles and harpsichord solo pieces at music festivalsin Israel.Director of Student Activities Sara Herst served as chesedand middot coordinator for the Elementary School for thepast two academic years. Ms. Herst grew up in Silver SpringMD and received a bachelor’s degree from the BlitsteinInstitute of Hebrew Theological College in Chicago inJanuary 2008. She also served as full-time buildingsubstitute and interim librarian in the Elementary School,including teaching weekly library literature classes forstudents in Kindergarten through Grade 3.Jacqueline Novikov joins the Middle School staff as fulltimesubstitute teacher. She is assisting in the office aswell. A native of southern California, Mrs. Novikov earneddegrees in music and history at the University of Rochester(where she met her husband Lev ’03). She earned a masterof music degree in classical voice from Manhattan Schoolof Music and taught privately in the New York area. Shecontinues to give voice lessons.Ken Rosenstein, Middle School mathematics and scienceteacher, recently received his master’s in education degreefrom Lesley University with a concentration in Math 5-8.Last year, Ken taught math in grades 6 and 8 at BrookwoodSchool in Manchester. Mr. Rosenstein, a graduate of SolomonSchechter Day School of Greater Boston, earned hisbachelor of science degree in engineering management atPurdue University. He has many years of experience in thebusiness and engineering sectors. He resides in Newtonwith his wife and their son Sam.Nancy Wassner (Middle and Upper School English) arrivedat Maimonides last spring as a substitute Middle SchoolEnglish teacher. Her resume includes 10 years in informalJewish education settings -- as a camp counselor, madricha,teacher, and curriculum consultant. A graduate ofYoung Judaea Year Course in Israel, Ms. Wassner workedfor Young Judaea Israel programs and organized trips forBirthright Israel before receiving her M.Ed. in secondaryeducation. She says she looks forward to surprising studentsoccasionally with Hebrew poems in English class.Library Director Elisabeth Zygadlo earned an undergraduatedegree in communications from the University ofPennsylvania and a master’s in library science from SimmonsCollege. Most recently she was on the library staff atNewton North High School. A Newton resident, Elisabethsays “I particularly enjoy spending time with my sonJoshua, 14, and daughter Hannah, 11, playing games, walkingthe large, friendly family dog (Devon), and readinggreat books!”Rabbi Moshe Lieberman is teaching eighth grade Talmudand Chumash. Rabbi Lieberman, rabbi of the Chabad shulin Newton Centre, attended the Lubavitch Yeshiva inBrooklyn and received semicha from Torat Emet, theLubavitch yeshiva in Jerusalem. His teaching experienceincludes several years at New England Hebrew Academy inBrookline; he also is on the 11th grade faculty at GannAcademy. Rabbi Lieberman lives in Newton with his wifeSari and their children.