Faculty Bios
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David Abraham Departments: World Language (Latin); Upper School History Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., Emory University; M. Phil., Philosophy, The University of St Andrews/Stirling |
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James Ackerman Year of Appointment: 1992 Departments and Courses: Director of Development Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: University of Southern California – A.B. History & Humanities; "And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time." |
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Elisabeth Alexander '97 Year of Appointment: 2002 Department: Physical Education: Coach of Girls Tennis (Assistant Coach), Middle School Girls Soccer (Assistant Coach), Middle School Girls Basketball, and Middle School Softball (Assistant Coach) Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: University of Pennsylvania, BA Arts and Sciences, Major Fine Arts My favorite recreational things to do; spend time with my daughter Kaia, hike, surf, and float on the Delaware. My 13 month old daughter is saying her first words, walking around, and causing much loved trouble. |
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Theodora Angelos Theodora is happy to have returned to her home state to teach at RPS. She loves going to museums & movies, traveling, baking pumpkin products, and reading Walt Whitman. |
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Alyssa Applebaum '99 Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Physical Education/Special Events: Pre K 3 and 5th/6th Grade; 10/11th Grade; Coach Middle School soccer, basketball, lacrosse College Affiliation and Degree: B.S. Syracuse University As a graduate of Rutgers Prep, I was a captain for the varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams as a senior in 1999. I continued my soccer career at Syracuse University. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two sons. |
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Leslee Atiram Year of Appointment: 2001 Department and Courses: Middle School: 6th grade Mathematics, 6th Grade Level Coordinator College Affiliations and Degrees: BA Brooklyn College; MS Brooklyn College Leslee Atiram is a founding member of the New Jersey Math Coalition. She is the Director of the Rutgers Prep Mini Camp and is an avid Rubber Stamper. Her two sons Zakariah '04 and Max '08 are graduates of Rutgers Prep School. |
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Kristen Auciello '03 Year of Appointment: 2010 Department: Upper School English, Assistant Director of RPS drama productions College and Degrees: Douglass College, Rutgers University B.A. in English; Rutgers University Graduate School of Education Ed.M in Secondary English Education Kristen is the Assistant Director of both the Fall and Spring RPS drama productions. In her free time, she enjoys writing short stories, spending time with her family down the shore, and going to art museums. |
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Ralph Avella Year of Appointment: 1979 Department: Upper School Science Department Chair Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Seton Hall University, BS I have been a long time Advisor to School Council and have served as Grade Dean for many years -including the Class of 2013. I am an avid baseball fan. |
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Russ Bartlett Year of Appointment: 1995 Department: Upper School History Department Chair Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BA, Yale; M. Divinity, Harvard I am not just a teacher and department head (and Community Service coordinator) at Rutgers Prep; I am also the proud parent of two RPS students--Caleb (Class of 2022) and Ben (Class of 2023). When I am not teaching, I like to go hiking and backpacking. |
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Dennis Boyle Year of appointment: 2006 Department and Courses: Music and Choir Director: Upper School Women’s Vocal Chamber Ensemble; Women’s Choir; Broadway Experience; Music Theory, Director of the Fifth and Sixth Grade Choir, Rehearsal Accompanist for the Seventh and Eighth Grade Choir College Affiliations and Degrees: Montclair State University, BM; College of New Jersey, MM Mr. Boyle directs an adult choir, Philomusica, which has performed in Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center NYC, St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Mark’s Cathedral in Italy, and Canterbury Cathedral in England. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. |
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Syeeda Briddell '08 Year of Appointment: 2012 Department: Middle School, 7th Grade English Collegiate Affiliation: B.A., English and B.A., Media Studies, Hobart & William Smith Colleges Miss Briddell is a proud alumna of Rutgers Prep, and enjoys reading, traveling and writing. After growing up on Douglass College-Rutgers University and having two Deans as parents, education and learning are two vital parts of her! |
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Michelle Carlisle-Fink Year of Appointment: 2007 Department and Courses: Lower School: Assistant Teacher in the Junior Kindergarten College Affiliation and Degree: Tufts University, BS in Clinical Psychology I was born and raised in Maine, love the outdoors, playing with our horses and spending time with my family and friends. |
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Jane Chamberlain Year of Appointment: 1999 College Affiliation and Degree: BA in Biology from Bowdoin College Department and Courses: 5th Grade Science and History, 7th Grade Values & Choice I grew up in Massachusetts at an independent boarding school where my father taught. I have coached soccer and lacrosse at both the middle and varsity levels, and am an active ice hockey player. I have recently cut back, for now I’m kept quite busy with my two daughters, Annika and Kelsey. I enjoy spending time outside and having fun with my family and two corgis. |
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Carol Coe Year of Appointment: 2004 Department: World Language (Spanish) Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BA from Douglass College with major in Spanish and minor in French; MA from Rutgers University in Spanish Language and Literature I came to Rutgers Preparatory School after a 25 years of teaching Spanish in the NJ Public School System, most recently at Columbia High School in the South Orange- Maplewood School District. |
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Tim Cohen Year of Appointment: 2003 Department: Upper School History Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BA, History, University of Pennsylvania; MA, History, University of Vermont In addition to teaching history, Tim is the RPS school archivist and faculty advisor to Model UN and the History Club. |
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Alicia Conroy Year of Appointment: 2011 College Affiliation: William Paterson University, BA in Communications |
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Jill E. Cooper, Ph.D. Year of Appointment: 2000 Departments: Upper School Science and History, Assistant Director of College Counseling College Affiliations and Degrees: BS in biology from Bucknell University; Ph.D. in the history of science, medicine, and technology from Rutgers University Dr. Cooper came to Rutgers Prep after completing a post-doctoral fellowship in antibiotics history and the history of stress at Rutgers University's Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research. Previously, she worked as Assistant Director of Admission at Bucknell University. |
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Barbara Corbin Year of Appointment: 1996-2000; 2011 Department: Lower School, 1st Grade Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., Psychology and M.T., Elementary and Special Education, University of Virginia; M.Ed., Reading Specialist, Rutgers University Mrs. Corbin lives on an organic farm with her husband and two children. She loves reading and spending time outdoors. |
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Eireann Corrigan '95 Year of Appointment: 2000 Department: Upper School Dean of Students, Upper School English Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BA, Sarah Lawrence College; MFA, New York University An alumna of Rutgers Prep, Eireann Corrigan has written four books for young adults - You Remind Me of You, Splintering, Ordinary Ghosts, and the upcoming Accomplice. She is married to Jeffrey Salzberger, a teacher in the Upper School History Department. |
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Jalaj Desai Department: Upper School Mathematics Department Chair Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.E., Chemical Engineering, Nirma Institute of Technology, India; M.S., Computer Science, Montclair State University; MA, Educational Leadership, Montclair State University - Expected date of Graduation: August 2013 Mr. Desai grew up in India and moved to the US in the year 2000. He loves to teach and looks forward to interacting with students every day. He likes to travel, meet new people, and explore new things. |
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Paula D'Introno Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Library/Media: Lower School library specials and Middle School Information Literacy, 6th – 8th grades College Affiliation and Degrees: Rutgers College, BA in English and Art History; MLIS from Rutgers University, School of Communication and Information I love to travel also work at the public library on the weekends. |
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Britten Dixon Year of Appointment: 2011 Department: World Languages (Arabic and Spanish) College and Degrees: B.A. Independent Scholar (Linguistics), Middlebury College; M.A. Arabic Language and Linguistics, University of Texas at Austin Originally from New York, Britten has lived in Vermont, Texas, Italy and Egypt, though she is happy to be back in the Northeast. She studied ninjitsu for two years and loves good food, traveling, writing, and relaxing with a good book. |
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Graig Domanski Year of Appointment: 2006 Departments: Upper School Scheduler and Registrar, Upper School Science and Math Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BS, Rutgers University; MS, National University Grade Dean for the Class of 2010 and Assistant Girls Volleyball Coach. I enjoy spending time with my wife and twin daughters, with family and friends, and going to the beach. |
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Stephen Duffy Year of Appointment: 2005 Department: Upper School Principal and English Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., English, Middlebury College; M.A.; English Literature, Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College; Ed.M., Educational Administration, Columbia University Stephen Duffy is a native of Boston and a loyal supporter of his hometown teams, especially when the Red Sox play the Yankees! He loves Irish literature, good theater, Block Island, Cajun food and working at Rutgers Prep. |
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Circe Dunnell Year of Appointment: 2001 Department: Upper School Visual Arts College Affiliations and Degrees: BFA: University of Massachusetts at Amherst; MA of Fine Art: New York University Circe Dunnell is a practicing visual artist, (circedunnell.com) working in mixed media, encaustic (molten pigmented wax) and digital photography. She has exhibited in Graz, Austria, New England, New York and New Jersey. Circe has been a long-standing member of Studio Montclair since its inception in 1996. She grew up at Brooks School, a boarding school where both her father and uncle taught English and has been involved in education ever since. A native of northern Massachusetts, Circe has made New Jersey her home since 1994. |
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Nandini Dutta Year of Appointment: 1997 Department: World Languages Department Chair (Spanish) Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: M.A. (Jawaharlal Nehru University, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, University of New México) When not teaching, I like to travel, meet new people and learn about new cultures, their lives, languages and food habits and come home and practice those skills at home. |
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Jennifer Hill Jennifer Hall Hill has had the honor of performing in the Westminster Symphonic Choir under Ricardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, and Kurt Masur among others. The highlight of her college choir experience was performing along with a select group of Symphonic Choir members in Leonard Bernstein’s East Coast Memorial Service at Carnegie Hall. She is presently studying for her Kodaly Certification at Hartt School of Music and while there, she is a member of the Hartt Kodaly Choir directed by Ed Bolkovac. She is a member of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators. Ms. Hill enjoys spending time with friends and family and volunteering at a local Living History Farm. |
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Nancy Engblom Department: World Languages (Latin) I grew up in Plainfield, leaving New Jersey in my teens for school, work, and family. I enjoyed time as a stay-at-home Mom, explored numerous opportunities and academic interests, and have circled back to share what I learned to revere long ago, in a school not far away from where I began, in a much-changed community that still feels like home. |
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Debra Fehl Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Lower School Spanish teacher Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Rollins College, BA English and Art History I am always mindful that my actions, no matter how big or small, have an enormous impact on a student's life, future and self esteem. |
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Nes Forney Year of Appointment: 1980 Department: Physical Education and Health Department Head Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: University of Charleston BA; Emory University MAT Two years of baseball, two years of college golf. Have coached Varsity boys soccer, Varsity Girls soccer and 7 & 8 Boys soccer. Coach Varsity Swimming and have coached Varsity Boys Lax and Varsity Golf. My passion is Golf and I am also a teaching professional during the summer. |
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Allan Furtek Year of Appointment: 2002. Department: Upper School Science Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BS, Chemistry, University of Massachusetts; Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Southern California I spent almost 28 years in industrial R&D working for Union Carbide Corporation and Mobil Corporation before coming to RPS. I'm a Vietnam veteran having served as a combat infantryman. After all these years spent in the sciences, I haven't lost my love for the field. My personal goals are to learn something new each year about an area of physics. |
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Hannah Garrow Year of Appointment: 2009 Department: Upper School English and World Languages (Spanish) College Affiliations and Degrees: B.A. Williams College; M.A. New York University Before working at Rutgers Prep, Hannah spent two years teaching Spanish, French and English in a small independent school in northern Virginia. She enjoys reading, cooking, exploring new languages and cultures, and watching nature specials. |
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Florence Gange Year of Appointment: 1999 Departments: Upper School Dean of Faculty and English Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: SUNY @ Plattsburgh, BA, Secondary English Education; Mrs. Gange joined Rutgers Preparatory School in 1999 and is currently the Dean of Faculty. She is also a member of the English department. Prior to joining Rutgers Prep, Mrs. Gange worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a management development trainer. Mrs. Gange began her career in public school education and still serves that sector as a board of education member for her local public school system. Mrs. Gange has twin daughters who graduated from Rutgers Prep and now attend colleges in the Boston area. Past times include book clubs, bike riding, cinema, crafts, cooking, and sight-seeing. |
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Scott G. Gill Year of Appointment: 2002 Department and Courses: Director of Student Counseling Services, Health Department Chair: peer leadership Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Rider University - Elementary Education & Psychology; Rutgers University - Masters of Social Work Mr. GIll is a trained therapist in the treatment of adults, couples, children and adolescents. In addition to his work at Rutgers Preparatory School, Mr. Gill is a therapist for Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Pennington NJ. Mr. Gill is an accomplished athlete, having played soccer and ice hockey on high school and college teams. Mr. Gill loves playing soccer and spending time with his wife Tara and his two boys Logan and Brody. |
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Diane Glace Year of Appointment: 1983 |
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Anne Glennon Year of Appointment: 1990 Department: Upper School English Department Chair and History: College Affiliations and Degrees: BA English Trinity College(D.C.); Postgraduate; University College, Dublin, Ireland; MA Ancient and Medieval History Seton Hall University; Ed.S. Supervision and Administration Seton Hall University I have just completed my 25th year as an adjunct professor in the Department of Classics and General Humanities at Montclair State University. In recent years I have taught General Humanities I, similar to a Western Civilizations course with the emphasis on intellectual history and the arts. In days of yore, courses have included Mythology, Greek Civilization, Roman Civilization, General Humanities II, and Etymology. |
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Vanessa Gustin
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Katherine Hedman Year of Appointment: 2012
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Makiko Highton Year of Appointment: 2008 Department and Courses: Visual Arts: Middle School Art 5, 6, 7, 8. College Affiliation and Degree: BFA, Rhode Island School of Design After years of working in SoHo as a Graphic Designer and Design Director, Makiko began a career as an art educator. She has taught students in grades K-12 in public, charter, and independent schools. Her artwork is mixed media and encaustic based. [Encaustic is an ancient painting medium dating back to Egyptian times, and uses pigment that is suspended in beeswax and combined with resin.] |
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Forrest Hinton |
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Anne Jablow Year of Appointment: 1993 Department and Courses: Lower School: 4th grade, reading, math, and science College Affiliation and Degree: BS from The College of New Jersey in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood. Certified to teach grades Prek-8th I love to travel, plan, read and teach! I did my senior thesis on appropriate technology in the classroom before we even had laptops in the classroom. |
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Wendy Jankowski Year of appointment: 2010 |
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Lenore Kaufman Year of Appointment: 1990 Department and Courses: Lower School: Kindergarten Collegiate Affiliation and Degrees: BA Geography, MS Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Teacher of the Handicapped Certificate Educational trends come and go - good teaching practices remain forever. My major goals are to help develop qualities and skills that will enable children to function effectively in their world. Honesty, empathy, kindness, ability to make good decisions, independence and being able to work well as a team member, along with academics that are developmentally appropriate are of prime concern. "Hard work is true joy" our RPS motto, is experienced on a daily basis in kindergarten. |
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Christine A. Kazal Year of Appointment: 1990 Department and Courses: Lower School: 4th grade, language arts, social studies, and reading College Affiliations and Degrees: Moravian College, B.A. in Political Science/History; Kean College of New Jersey, New Jersey Teacher Certification, Grades K-8 I was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, a city in Central Appalachia. My connection with the mountains continues with friendships I've made with folks in the Southern Appalachian mountains, namely, Letcher County, Kentucky. |
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Siobhan Kelly Year of Appointment: 2005 Department: Upper School English and History Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., Trinity College; M.A., Ph.D, Binghamton University Siobhan Kelly came to RPS after thirteen years of college teaching. She loves the beach, writing, and losing herself in a good book. |
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John Kendall Year of Appointment: 1983 Department and Courses: Upper School English and Middle School Computers: 7th grade Multimedia and Information Literacy; English I (9th grade); Advanced Placement English Language and Composition (11th grade) Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Princeton University, English, BA; Goddard College, Writing, MA John has been married to his wife, Liz, for 35 years, and has two daughters, Rachel (30) and Sarah (26), and a dog, Pepper (6). He has read books for pleasure all his life, became involved with multimedia and robotics because of their creative possibilities, and loves to encourage student writing in a wide variety of forms, from participating in the Dodge Poetry Festival and the RPS Writing Day, to teaching A. P. Writing, to advising Excelsior, Prep's literary magazine. |
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Mary Klinger Year of Appointment: 1984 Department and Courses: Director of Athletics: Upper school Physical Education; Middle School cross country coach and Varsity Girls Basketball coach Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Douglas College, Rutgers University, BS., Athletic Administration I grew up in southwest Philadelphia, am 1 of 8 children, and I'm a twin. I love reading, golfing, and spending as much time as I can at the beach. |
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Tara Klipstein '81 Year of Appointment: 1992 Department: Director of Admission College Affiliations and Degrees: Douglass College BA; Graduate School of Education, Rutgers, Masters in Education I am a "lifer", began in Kindergarten, graduated class of '81, have taught Junior Kindergarten, Lower School French and Spanish, have served as Principal of the Primary School, and now in second year as Director of Admission grades 7 -12. Married David, '81, and have three sons who attend or have attended RPS. |
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Shelley Krause Year of appointment: 2004 Department: Co-Director of College Counseling: Junior and Senior Seminar College Affiliations and Degrees: Brown University (BA in Comparative Literature) and University of Pennsylvania (MS Ed.) Shelley Krause is a storyteller and a fan of networked learning, haiku, and dark chocolate. Prior to joining the RPS community, she worked in undergraduate admissions at both UPenn and TCNJ. |
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Karin Krauszer Year of Appointment- 2000 Karin follows a long family tradition of being affiliated with RPS. Her three children Robert '05, Jimmy '07 and Kim '11 are third generation alums of RPS along with her husband Jim ’78 and his father Jack ’47. Karin enjoys summers at the Jersey shore, which include boating and fishing, and spending time with her family and friends all year long. |
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Terry Ladd Department: Development Assistant College and Degrees: Michigan State University, BA in English Terry enjoys live music, racquetball, soccer, and has a passion for outdoor education. He has guided trips in the Smokies of North Carolina and in Virginia, and enjoys every expedition into the wilderness. |
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Mythili Lahiri Year of Appointment: 2004 Department and Courses: Lower School: Third Grade Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A. Political Science - Barnard College, Columbia University; I was a management consultant for Andersen Consulting (now known as Accenture) for six years. After having three kids, I decided to change my career and become what I had always said I would be from the time I was a kid - a teacher. I went back to school and started working at Rutgers Prep in 2004. |
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Pablito Lake Year of Appointment: 2004 Departments: Upper School Computer Education Chair and Mathematics Collegiate Affiliation and Degrees: BS and MS Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology I enjoy spending time with my family, sports, video games, and calypso music. I am a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). |
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Jacque L. Lamb Year of Appointment: 1998 Jacque Lamb came to teaching after a career in molecular biology research at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, returning to her academic roots in the field of chemistry. She is an avid sports fan, passionate Red Sox fan and an accomplished baker. |
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Michael Lamb Year of appointment: 1998
Department and Courses: 6th Grade Science, Physical Education Grades Pre Kindergarten through 11th grade; Middle School Cross Country; Middle School Wrestling; Head Coach Varsity Wrestling; Middle School Softball College Affiliation and Degree: Rutgers College, Rutgers University B.S. I have coached Rutgers Prep Wrestling to 8 Prep B State Championships since 2001. I also enjoy being the Camp Director for Rutgers Prep Summer Blast Day Camp. |
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Charles Lid Year of Appointment: 2006 Department: Visual Arts College Affiliation and Degree: B.F.A. Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University Since leaving college I have dedicated myself to mastering the ancient art of firing wood fueled kilns, through a forged relationship with Peter's valley craft center. I have had the privilege to work for and with many renowned international artist/teachers. Currently I am working as an assistant to Peter Callas a wood firing ceramic master. |
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Geoff Loose Year of Appointment: 2004 Department: Upper School History College Affiliations and Degrees: Kenyon College (A.B. Economics, concentration in public policy); University of Michigan (M.A. Education) My experiences working in politics and sports help make me a better teacher, because it really gives me a sense of how important writing, creativity and critical thinking are in the real world. Those are the traits that I try to develop within my students. |
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Steven Loy Year of Appointment: 1992 Department: Headmaster and Upper School English College Affiliations and Degrees: BA in English from Princeton; MA in Educational Administration and Policy from Stanford; Ed.D. in Educational Administration from UCLA |
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Robert Marotto Year of Appointment: 1982
Department and Courses: Middle School Assistant Principal, 5th Grade Latin, 7th Grade Values & Choices
College Affiliations and Degrees: BS in History, Kean College; MA in Educational Leadership, Fairleigh Dickinson University
I have been a member of the RPS faculty for my entire teaching career (30 years). My wife, Sue, and I are the proud parents of a Rutgers Prep graduate, Jackie Class of 2011, who attended Rutgers Prep since she was 3 years old. She is currently a sophomore at Gettysburg College. I have coached a variety of sports during my tenure, including State Championship teams in Baseball (1989) and Softball (2010). My greatest joy has come in coaching Softball with my wife, and having had the opportunity to coach our daughter. |
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Heather Masterpol Year of Appointment: 2003 Department and Courses: 7th Grade Level Coordinator: 6th and 7th grade Science College Affiliation and Degree: Cook College, BS Natural Resource Management (Conservation and Ecology) Heather has taught a variety of courses at Prep over the years. In addition to teaching at Prep, Heather teaches Hip-Hop, Ballet, and Jazz at a local dance center. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her three dogs. |
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Melissa Mattei Year of Appointment: 2012 College Affiliation and Degree: BA in Elementary Education and History, The College of New Jersey Department: Lower School- Junior Kindergarten Assistant I love working with children in the classroom as well as at the RPS After School Program. In my free time I enjoy drawing, relaxing, and spending time with my family and fiancé. |
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David Mazsa Year of Appointment: 1973 Department: Upper School Science Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Lehigh University, BA, Biology; Cornell University, MS, Aquatic Ecology I worry that too many of us humans don't appreciate the beauty in a clear winter night sky, a periwinkle flower, and the scales on a butterfly wing. We overlook so much beauty as we become physically and mentally immersed in our machines. |
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Laura W. McClanahan Year of Appointment: 1996 Departments: Visual Arts and Computer Education Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: BA, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA; Art Education Certificate, Parsons School of Design and Bank Street College of Education, New York, NY; MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD Laura is an exhibiting artist showing abstract photography, photograms and video. She states about her work, "I am looking for origins and the source of life. Through a study of water phenomena I am questioning what makes something alive. In my own style of scientific investigation, I invite the viewer into a constructed world. Glass objects become subjects. Invisible micro details become visible. |
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Susan McCloskey Year of Appointment: 1981 Department and Courses: Visual Arts: Art Kindergarten-Fourth Grade Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: University of Massachusetts, B.A., Art History Susan McCloskey is an avid photographer and has studied photography in Paris, Tuscany, and Toulouse. Ms. McCloskey is also an Olympic weightlifter who holds national records and is a former World Master champion. |
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Stacy McMillen Year of Appointment: 2002 Department: Upper School History Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., UCLA, double major in History and Political Science; graduate work in History and Political Science at Vanderbilt University. In her free time, Stacy tries to keep up with her 9 year old son; gardens; cooks; reads; and does her level best to be outdoors as much as possible. |
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Anne McNamara Year of Appointment: 1995 Department and Courses: Middle School: 5th grade Math and English College Affiliations and Degrees: Trinity College (Washington, DC) BA American Studies; Anne also earned a degree in Business from Brookdale Community College in between her degrees from Trinity and Drew. She is certified in Elementary Education (grades 1-8), English (grades 1-12) and Social Studies (grades 1-12). Anne is a member of Families with Children from China. |
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Pascal Meier, Ph.D. Year of Appointment: 2003 Department: Upper School Science and Grade Dean Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Idaho State University (BS); Princeton University (MS, Ph.D.) Dr. Meier is a native of Switzerland. He moved to the States when he was 19. His native language is French, but he also speaks Italian and German |
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Tony Mento Year of Appointment: 1996 Departments and Courses: Director of Learning Support, grades 5-12, 7th Grade American History College Affiliation and Degree: West Virginia University, BS Education For the past ten years, while Tony Mento has been the Head Coach of the Varsity Boys Basketball Team, the Argonauts have compiled six Patriot Conference Championships and two Prep State Championships. |
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Amy Merges Year of appointment- 2010 Department and courses- lower school teacher- kindergarten College affiliations- BA SUNY , graduate work at SUNY at Albany in social welfare I have always had a love for working with children whether it was working with children with special needs or at risk children during my tenure in social work. I came to education after volunteering as PTO president at my children's' school for 3 years. I thought as long as I was always in the school, I might as well work. I didn't know how much I would love it! I am also the proud parents of two RPS students, Hannah and David. |
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Kevin Merges Year of Appointment: 2000 Departments: Director of Program Advancement Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: SUNY Albany - BS Math; Sage Colleges - MS in Education; Rutgers, Ed.D. Mathematics Education My educational research interests are online collaborative learning as it relates to discrete mathematics, fractal geometry, and chaos theory. At RPS I work with Sustainability, Diversity, Technology Integration, and Upper School Scheduling. I enjoy carving fruits and vegetables in my free time. |
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Chris Merryman Year of Appointment: 2012 Departments: Upper School Math; Upper School Science Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University; M.Ed., Science Education, Rutgers University Graduate School of Education Mr. Merryman enjoys playing basketball and loves to watch football and baseball. He is an avid fan of the Phillies and the Eagles, but even more so he cheers for the Rutgers football and basketball teams. He also spends much of his spare time tutoring science, math, and SAT's. |
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Benjamin Messinger-Barnes Year of Appointment: 2009 Department: Upper School Mathematics Collegiate Affiliations: Wesleyan University - B.A. in Mathematics, Economics Mr. Barnes is an avid bassist, co-founding and playing in both a soul/funk trio "Barefoot Junction" as well as a bluegrass group "Uncle D. Todd and the Drybag Boys." During the summer, Mr. Barnes spends his time in Maine taking 11-13 year old boys on canoe expeditions throughout the North Woods rivers and lakes as a camp counselor. |
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JoAnn Miller Year of Appointment: 2000 Department and Courses: Lower School: 3rd grade College Affiliations and Degrees: University of Scranton-BS; Teacher Certification from Rider University Graduate Department; NJ Certified Teacher K-8 Aside from teaching 3rd grade at RPS, I have taught Reading Workshop in the Summer School program, worked in ASP, Study Hub, run after school clubs, and tutored students. When I am not at school, I love being home and spending time with my husband and three young sons. I enjoy taking cruises, going to the beach, running/walking, cooking, and reading. |
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John H. Miller, ‘86 Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Middle School Principal, 8th Leadership Collegiate affiliations and degree: B.A. International Relations, Tufts University; Candidate for Masters in International Educational Administration, Lehigh University John grew up in Rahway and attended Rutgers Prep from 7th grade through High School. He was one of the original Teach For America teachers assigned to Los Angeles and has since worked in a variety of schools from the mission district of San Francisco to Durango, Mexico before returning with his wife and two sons to Rutgers Prep. |
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Valerie Minakawa Year of Appointment: 2002 Department: World Languages (Japanese and Spanish) Collegiate Affiliation and Degrees: Dickinson College, BA in East Asian Studies and Spanish Raised in a South American family, Ms. Minakawa also sought to explore the other side of her heritage and spent two years living and teaching in Shizuoka, Japan, prior to Rutgers Prep. She loves traveling, karate, latin dancing, and Slow Food. |
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Stephen Mitchell Year of Appointment: 2000 Department and Courses: Middle School: 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Latin, Dean of Community Life Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Tulane University, BA in Latin and History I am a native of New Orleans and love eating Creole food, dancing to funk music, and spending time with my family and friends. |
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Gail Moskowitz Year of Appointment: 1998 Department and Courses: Lower School Assistant Principal and Math Coordinator: Teaching; Summer School Assistant Director; Reading Workshop Coordinator College Affiliation and Degree: BA from Smith College I have been involved with Rutgers Prep since 1985 when my daughter entered kindergarten. My role in the community has evolved from volunteer to teacher and administrator, as my commitment to RPS continued to grow and I joined the faculty upon my daughter's graduation. |
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Mark Nastus Year of Appointment: 2000 Department and Courses: Middle School - Multimedia And Information Literacy Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Boston College, BA English Mark Nastus is also a graduate of Rutgers Preparatory School, class of 1994. He coached varsity and junior varsity basketball for 10 years and still serves as the assistant coach for varsity baseball and swimming. |
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Scott Neal Year of Appointment: 1990. Department and Courses: Middle School Mathematics Department teaching Algebra 1 and Geometry. College Affiliations and Degrees: Bethany College, BA in Economics; Saint Joseph's University Wife Amy works for Bukiet Building and Management. Daughter Katie is a graduate of Hofstra University with a B.S. in Forensic Science. She is currently employed as a research scientist. Son John is a Sophomore at Hofstra University majoring in Film. |
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Gary Neiditch Year of Appointment: 2002 Department: Webmaster and Upper School Mathematics College Affiliations and Degrees: BS, Rutgers University I enjoy playing all types of sports but mainly volleyball. I also enjoy playing the guitar and working with students to prepare for their SAT test. |
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Lisa Nelson Year of Appointment: 2009 Department and Courses: 5th Grade Level Coordinator, 7th Grade Values & Choices Student Counseling Services: lower school character education College Affiliations and Degrees: Quinnipiac University, BA in Psychology; The College of New Jersey, MA in Counselor Education: National Certified Counselor Miss Nelson earned a MA in Counselor Education in 2009 and is experienced in child development. In addition to her school experience, she is a trained Crisis Intervention Counselor at PEI Kids, Lawrenceville, NJ. She also enjoys coaching Junior Varsity Volleyball and Middle School Volleyball and Tennis. One of my favorite activities at RPS is participating in the Diwali celebration. |
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Sara Nicolodi Year of Appointment: 2012 Departments: Upper School English Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., English and Secondary Education, Syracuse University; M.S.Ed, Reading/Writing/Literacy, University of Pennsylvania |
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Brigid O'Leary Year of Appointment: 2010 Department: World Languages (French) Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A., French, Fordham University; M.A., French Language & Literature, Middlebury College/ La Sorbonne A native of Staten Island, New York, Brigid comes to us with experience at both St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire and the Friends School of Baltimore. She has lived and worked in France and performs and teaches classical ballet as well as character dance in her spare time. She enjoys traveling, learning new languages, taking dance classes in Manhattan and attending various cultural events. |
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Mary Kay Papa Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Lower School: Lead Teacher of Pre-Kindergarten Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School, LPN; Kean University, CDA I am a mother of two RPS alumni, and am a practicing nurse with 34 years experience in geriatrics and pediatrics. My love of children brought me to my second career as a pre-kindergarten teacher 12 years ago. Some of my interests are reading, outdoor activities, and spending time with my family and two grandchildren . |
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Susan PatersonYear of Appointment: 2005 Department: Certified Athletic Trainer for student athletes in grades 7 – 12. Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: West Chester University, BS Sports Medicine Prior to joining RPS faculty Susan worked at a physical therapy office in Pennsylvania that provided rehab to minor and major league athletes from the Philadelphia Phillies Baseball Association. |
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Vivian Pérez Year of Appointment: 1996 Department and Courses: World Languages: Spanish 1 to 7th and 8th grades and Spanish 2 to 8th grade; 8th Grade Level Coordinator; 8th Grade Advisor College Affiliations and Degrees: Kean College of New Jersey, AA in Accounting; New York University, Certification in Translations Program I was born in Guatemala, came to the U.S. at age one, and grew up in Hoboken, NJ. I currently reside in Piscataway with my husband Manny and our three sons. Brandon is a college student aspiring to be a History teacher in the near future. Andy is a Junior and Danny is a Freshman at Piscataway High School. I joined RPS a few years after commencing a career in the corporate world. Knowing that teaching was what I really wanted to do, I returned to school and soon after, Rutgers Prep became my home away from home – teaching Spanish ever since. Currently, I am a member of the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages, the Foreign Language Educators of NJ, and the National Network for Early Language Learning. I enjoy cooking, traveling, music, dancing, the outdoors, football, and spending time with family and friends. |
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Lisa Peterson Year of Appointment: 1990 |
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Valerie A. Pierce, Ph.D. Year of Appointment: 2003 Department: Upper School Science and Grade Dean Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Rutgers University, B.A. in Biology/ French; University of Chicago, Ph.D. in Evolutionary Physiology. Valerie Pierce is a New Jersey native who lived and traveled around much of the US during her research career and still enjoys traveling, hiking and outdoor activities. She co-captains the Rutgers Preparatory School academic team and is interested in technology uses in education. She also probably qualifies as a Sudoku addict. |
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Lanetta Putnal Year of Appointment: 2007 Junior Kindergarten Lead Teacher I have spent my professional life educating others—finance executives, individuals and now my favorite group; children. I joined the RPS community as a parent before becoming a teacher. I have learned firsthand over the last 13 years that Rutgers Prep is not only a community, it is a family; one of which I am glad to say I am a part. I am the mother of two very active upper school students. I enjoy attending their athletic activities, especially volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling. I also enjoy music, dancing, gardening and all things Mickey Mouse. |
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Denise Quenault Year of Appointment: 2001 Department: Director of Summer Programs and Summer Events, Physical Education Teacher, MS Girls Basketball Coach, Director of “Sports Plus Clinics” and “A Bridge Back to School.” Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Elementary Education Degree and Minor in Special Education from Loyola University, Baltimore, Maryland. Denise joined Rutgers Prep in 2001 after teaching and coaching for several years at Chapin School in Princeton. Denise was born and raised in Somerset, New Jersey and after graduating St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick, she went on to Loyola University in Baltimore to pursue her degree in Elementary Education while on a full basketball scholarship. Denise is married to JJ Quenault (Director of Publications and Head Lacrosse Coach) and they have 2 boys, Chase (First Grade) and Kane (Junior K) who are both Rutgers Prep students. Denise enjoys spending time with her family, reading, going to the movies, exercising, weight training, and is presently pursuing her personal training certification. |
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JJ Quenault Year of appointment: 2000 Department: Director of Publications/Photographer, Head boys Lacrosse Coach Collegiate Affiliation and Degrees: Rutgers University, B.A. fine art JJ coached the boys lacrosse team to its first State championship in 19 years in the 2009 season, and was named the Home News Tribune Coach of the Year. |
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Sherry M. Riggi Year of Appointment: 2000 Department and Courses: Co-Director of College Counseling: Junior Seminar & Senior Seminar Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: B.A. in Speech Communications, University of Rhode Island; M.A. in Education, Seton Hall University Sherry served in various positions in the College Admissions field at three different institutions prior to joining the RPS community in August of 2000. Sherry is a member of both national and regional organizations related to the College Admissions Process and has presented at both national and state conferences. Most recently, Sherry has been appointed President-elect of the New Jersey ACT Council. |
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Katherine Moran Riley Year of Appointment: 1989 Department and Courses: English 8 Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: AB- Goucher College; MLA- Johns Hopkins Univ.; MA, PhD- University of Pennsylvania I continue to be intrigued about how students learn and am always looking for ways to catch and keep their attention. I'm eager to share all kinds of literature with them and hope to make them lifelong readers. For relaxation, I do yoga and fold paper, two activities that keep me centered and put me in the students' shoes so that I better appreciate what it is like to learn as well as teach. |
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Kathleen M. Rusyn Year of Appointment: 1983 Department and Courses: Lower School Principal and RPS Summer School Assistant Director - (Faculty) Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Kean College of NJ - BA Education, NJ Certification - Elementary Education K-8, Minor - Music Director of Music/Organist/Adult Choir Director - St. Anthony of Padua RC Church (NPM) Weekends at the Jersey Shore aboard "Kathie's Toy 2" |
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Jeffrey Salzberger '94
Year of Appointment: 2007
RPS academic department and courses you'll be teaching during the 10/11 year: History Department - Teaching Foundations of Civilizations, and World History A & B. Collegiate affiliation and degree: BA from Bard College with concentrations in History and Economics. |
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Laurence Santowasso '91 Year of Appointment: 1996 Department and Courses: Physical Education/Heath: 10th Grade Driver's Education; Middle School Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Bethany College, History and Education I’m a Rutgers Prep graduate from the class of ’91. I was a 4-year starter on the Bethany College baseball team and returned to Rutgers Prep to continue my baseball career as a coach. I was awarded the 2003, 2009, and 2012 Star-Ledger Prep Coach of the Year and have sent numerous graduates to college to continue playing baseball. I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children.
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Claudia Schwartz Year of Appointment: 2010 |
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Matthew Shifman '72 Year of Appointment: 1983 Department and Courses: Middle School: Math 7 and 8 Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Case Western Reserve University BA; Rutgers University Ed. M. |
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Susan Sodtalbers Year of Appointment: 2003 Department and Courses: Lower School: 1st grade and LS Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: BS, Centenary College Susan grew up on a small family farm in Warren County, NJ. She was a two sport college athlete; soccer and an All-American basketball player. She is an avid runner and has completed 3 marathons, 6 half marathons, and dozens of smaller races. She is currently registered for the 2010 Goofy's Race & Half Challenge in Disney World (a back to back half and full marathon). |
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Lyssandra Stephenson Year of Appointment: 2011Department and Courses: Music Department, String Orchestras College Affiliations and Degrees: Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, BM in Music Education; University of Wisconsin-Madison, MM in Music Performance Lyssandra Stephenson completed her undergraduate degree with a dual concentration in voice and violin. She has studied violin with Ioan Harea, and voice with Dr. Michael Koon and Paul Rowe. She has participated in masterclasses with Frederica Von Stade and Greg Buchalter from the MET. She is a member of NAfME (The National Association for Music Education), and American String Teachers Association. |
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Mariana Stevenson Year of Appointment: 1999 Departments and Courses: World Languages, Director of After School Programs, Middle School Spanish Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Universidad Del Salvador, Buenos Aires – Argentina, B.A.; I am a native of Argentina. I love studying and teaching different cultures. I enjoy reading and listening to music of diverse styles. I love learning in general. |
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Jill Studnicki Year of Appointment: 2011 Department and Courses: English 6, History 6 Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: M.A. Teaching, The College of New Jersey, December 2009 When Jill is not at school she can be found in the hot yoga studio. She also enjoys cooking, reading, singing, kayaking, and camping. Growing up on a farm instilled a life-long love of agriculture and gardening, and she is an avid supporter of the farmers’ markets in her area. |
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Patria Leroy Sullivan Year of Appointment: 1986 Department: Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid / Dean of International Students College Affiliations and Degrees: Carleton College BA/Philosophy; Lesley College M.Ed. Computer Education Over 26 years I have developed a sincere love and appreciation for Rutgers Prep. During the past 10 years, however, my passion for the School has only grown stronger as I continue my experience as a parent of three Rutgers Prep students. |
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Mary K. Szeles '69 Year of Appointment: 1986 Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Skidmore College, Goucher College, BA. Vocal studies, Peabody Conservatory. Kodaly Certification, Westminster Choir College of Rider University. Department and Courses: Music Department Chair and Director of the Independent Music Teachers Program. Upper School Men’s Choir, Doo Wop/Barbershop, Madrigal Singers, 7th and 8th Grade Choir, Lower School Choir. Mrs. Szeles is a graduate of Rutgers Preparatory School. She studied piano with Olga Von Till and voice with both George Woodhead and Flore Wend at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD. She is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the NAfME (The National Association for Music Education). She is a New Jersey Certified Teacher of Music.
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Robert Szeles '68 Year of Appointment: 1991 College Affiliation and Degree: The Johns Hopkins University, BA History Department and Courses: Middle School History: 8th grade, "The United States in the World" Bob is a New Jersey board certified social studies teacher for grades 7 through 12. He enjoys singing, reading, and days spent at the beach |
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Sean Thorne Year of Appointment: 1996 Department and Courses: Middle School English 8th Grade. Also, monitors the Weight Training room after school for Upper School varsity athletes. College Affiliations and Degrees: The College of New Jersey, BA in History; Bank Street College, Master of Science in Education/ Early Adolescence. Sean Thorne began teaching right after college. After teaching 7 years at The Hudson School, Hoboken, NJ he joined the faculty at Rutgers Preparatory School. His research on how children use imagination with play in the writing process has been published in an anthology and online (http://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/firstperson/edutaining). This research is ongoing in conjunction with a research partner from the National Institute of Health. |
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Cora Turlish Year of Appointment: 1994 Department and Courses: Drama Department Chair: Drama 7; Drama 8; College Affiliation and Degree: A.B. Princeton University Directs two Upper School drama productions each year; past shows include “The Laramie Project,” “The Five Hysterical Girls Theorem,” and works by Shakespeare and Moliere. |
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Mark E. Tyree Year of Appointment: 1991 Department and Courses: Physical Education and Health: Physical Education; Health; Middle School Coach (Basketball, Soccer, Lacrosse) Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: BS Sociology; Rutgers University I believe that there's much more to athletics than just winning games. Athletics provides life lessons in strategy, personal discipline, teamwork, self-confidence, and a healthy competitive spirit. |
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Erin Varga Departments and Courses: Lower School Technology Teacher Grades Junior Kindergarten through 4th Grade and Art Teacher for Grades Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: New York School of Interior Design and Kean University I have been teaching at Rutgers Prep for over 10 years and love every moment. I have 2 children Kiera and Danny, 2 dogs Rory and Lucy and a great cat Jake! I love running, kayaking, gardening and just being outdoors. I am the race director of the Jimmy D Memorial 5K in New Brunswick, NJ. My true passion is running my non-profit, The James D'heron Memorial Foundation, Inc. and raising funds and awareness for burn survivors and the fire services."We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." Sir Winston Churchill |
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Colleen Vinchur Year of Appointment: 2007 Department and Courses: Lower School: 2nd grade Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Rutgers University In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family. I'm Patrick and A.J.'s number one fan at football, basketball, hockey, and baseball |
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Wendy Winograd Year of Appointment: 2001 Department and Courses: Upper School Student Counseling: Interpersonal Communication and Student Leadership Development/PL Lab Collegiate Affiliations and Degrees: Brown University: BA in English and American Literature; Wendy Winograd maintains a private practice in Chatham, New Jersey working with adolescents, adults and couples. She earned her MSW from New York University and is currently an Advanced Candidate at the New Jersey Institute for Training in Psychoanalysis. One of her favorite activities at RPS is running the annual Blood Drive. |
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David Wise Year of Appointment: 2000 Departments and Courses: Associate Director of College Counseling, Upper School Mathematics
David Wise has taught and coached in independent schools throughout his career. His interests include running, reading, and listening to bluegrass music. |
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Samantha Withum Year of Appointment: 2005 Department and Courses: Lower School 2nd grade Collegiate Affiliation and Degree: Douglass College, Rutgers University,BA Mother of 3 boys, enjoys cheering for Rutgers and the NY Mets, and of course, her sons' teams, loves sharing stories and laughing with her students, and spending time with her family and friends. |
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Year of Appointment: 1996 Department: Visual Arts Department Chair College Affiliations and Degrees: MFA: Cranbrook Academy; BFA: Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University; BA: Rutgers University Scot J. Wittman exhibits his work internationally, enjoying representation in galleries on both coasts of USA as well as Rome, Reykjavik and other European cities. Documentation of his work is found on his site www.mapographer.com. Another passion, also on an international scale, he competes professionally in the world of Frisbee. |
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Carole Glantzow Zboray Year of Appointment: 1980 Department and Courses: Middle School Science: 8th grade Science; 9th grade Community Health; Middle School Girls Lacrosse Coach; Varsity Girls Head Lacrosse Coach; Director of Summer School College Affiliation and Degree: College: Cook College/Rutgers University BS Carole spent her formative years in Philadelphia and thus her “philly accent” can still be heard. She is a member of the US Lacrosse Assoc., National Science Teachers Assoc. and NJ Science Teachers Assoc. Carole played Varsity Lacrosse at Cherry Hill High School West and then at Rutgers University. She and her registered therapy dog, Boo, visit assisted living homes and schools in the area. Although she grew up as a Phillies, Flyers and Eagles fan, after too many battles with her husband, Norman, she converted to being a Mets, Devils and Giants fan. Peace ensued. |
