ARTS
Adam Koplan, Acting Teacher, is in his second year as the drama teacher at Bronx Community Charter School.  A writer, director, and educator, Adam is the founder and artistic director of The Flying Carpet Theatre Company.  Under Adam’s leadership, The Flying Carpet Theatre has premiered multiple new productions, toured around the United States and Europe, been artists-in-residence at several universities, won accolades and rave reviews. Alongside his professional theatre career, Adam is equally devoted to theatre education.  Adam has worked as a teaching artist in New York City Public Schools since 1996.  He is currently the theatre department chair at the Dreamyard Project, a not-for-profit organization that delivers arts education to thousands of students in the Bronx.  Adam holds an M.F.A. in directing from the University of Washington and a B.A. from Swarthmore College.

Kendra Sibley, Visual Art Teacher, is in her second year teaching art at BxC.  She began her career as a Teach for America corps member, and was a classroom teacher for seven years in the Bronx before deciding to focus on teaching art.  Kendra applied for and received a grant from Partnerships for Parks to create Street Tree Action Day, the first schoolwide activism project at BxC.  Kendra was a co-facilitator for the Elementary Leadership Project of the New York City Writing Project, and has led workshops on writing and on using artifacts in the teaching of social studies for public school teachers.  She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Mount Holyoke College and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Bank Street College of Education.     

STUDENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
Ilia Edwards, Math and ELL Specialist, is in her second year as the math and ELL specialist at Bronx Community. She brings 17 years of teaching experience, including positions in bilingual, multi-age, and ESOL collaborative teaching classrooms. Ilia’s classrooms served as labsites for the teaching of math and science in conjunction with the New York City Math Project and the Workshop Center for Science Inquiry. She has also been a member of the Prospect Center and published a review of her water study with 2nd and 3rd grade students. With grant funding, Ilia has designed and implemented programs for families in math and science in a variety of settings. She has served as an elementary math instructor at Lehman College and facilitator of descriptive review groups at the Prospect Center. She has presented math workshops at regional curriculum conferences, and orchestrated school-based and district-wide professional development for elementary math teachers in the White Plains Public Schools. Ilia holds a B.A. in Sociology from Hamilton College and an M.S. in Elementary Education from The City College of the City University of New York and an Advanced Certificate in Bilingual Education.         

Marika Paez, Literacy Specialist, is in her second year as the literacy specialist at BxC.  She started working as a teacher in New York City schools 11 years ago, and has taught kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.  After her work as a classroom teacher, she was recruited to become a literacy staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.  In her five years of work for Teachers College, she worked in schools across New York City and around the country, helping principals, coaches and teachers to implement a rigorous reading and writing curriculum.  She has led numerous teacher leadership groups and institutes, focusing on topics such as:  Supporting English Language Learners in Reading and Writing Instruction, Using Reading Partnerships to Improve Reading, and Writing Fairytales.  She has written a book on teaching nonfiction writing that is in contract with Heinemann. She holds an M.S. in Elementary Education from Bank Street College of Education.

Janice, School Counselor, is in her second year as the school counselor at Bronx Community.  In this role, Janice works with individual students and small groups, hosts lunchtime social skills groups, teaches social curriculum in classrooms, and provides guidance and support to teachers, students, and families.  Janice previously worked at Safe Horizon as a manager of anti-violence school programs, as well as at a domestic violence shelter.  Janice has also worked in the field of mental health with mentally ill adults and adolescents and in foster care, and with at-risk youth as an alternative to detention program in conjunction with the Office of the Kings County District Attorney and the Youth in Congregations Partnership (YCP).  She currently maintains a small private practice in Queens, NY.   She has conducted numerous trainings on trauma, domestic violence, self care, effective parent/child communication, positive guidance for parents, anxiety issues in children and the therapeutic value of creative arts. Janice has co-authored a chapter titled, "Transforming the Hidden Trauma of Abuse: Incorporating Art and Narrative Therapy with Child Survivors of Domestic Violence" in the book The Use of the Creative Therapies with Survivors of Domestic Violence.  Janice is a member of the American Art Therapy Association and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is on the faculty of Garrison Institute’s domestic violence wellness program for shelter workers. She is a New York State licensed art therapist, board certified in school crisis response and a trained EMDR practioner. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Studio Art from Marymount College and a Masters in Professional Studies  in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute.

KINDERGARTEN
Priscilla Otero is in her second year as a kindergarten teacher at Bronx Community.  She has been working with 3-6 year olds for the past 14 years in both public and private shools throughout New York City.  Prior to working at BxC, Priscilla was the founding pre-kindergarten teacher at the Bronx Little School.  There she ran several family workshops, including Music & Movement with Your Child, How Children Learn Through Play During Work Time, and Using Math & Science when Cooking With Your Child.  Priscilla worked at the Bank Street College School for Children as an Assistant Teacher in the 4/5's, as well as working for the Bank Street School for Children's Summer Camp Program and running the After Camp Program for 2 years. Priscilla holds a B.A. from Fordham University and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Bank Street College of Education.

Antoinette Bradley is in her first year of teaching at Bronx Community Charter School. She has prior experience working with 3rd and 6th grade students in Queens and the Bronx. Antoinette has attended seminars on critical literacy in the elementary grades, as well as children's non-fiction literature. She has also conducted research on the impact of state-mandated testing on social studies curriculum throughout schools in New York City. Antoinette holds both a B.A. in History and an M.A. in Childhood Education from Queens College of the City University of New York.  

Brenna Fitzgerald is in her first year as a kindergarten teacher at Bronx Community. While it is her first year at BxC, she brings 16 years of early childhood teaching experience. Brenna taught kindergarten, first grade and second grade at three other schools in the Bronx before coming to Bronx Community. She also was trained as a Reading Recovery teacher and spent two years helping struggling first graders learn to read and write with confidence and fluency. She has led professional development on working with struggling readers and on classroom structures and routines.  Brenna holds a B.A. in Psychology - Child Development from St. Mary's College of California and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Lehman College of the City University of New York.   

Katie Wassel is in her first year teaching at Bronx Community. She began her teaching her career in arts education in afterschool programs in the San Francisco public schools. She has has taught Pre-K for the last three years in schools in San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Katie has a particular passion for the creative work of young children.  Katie holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Connecticut College and is completing her M.S. in Early Childhood Education at Bank Street College of Education.   
   
1ST GRADE
Kim McLeveighn is in her second year as a first grade teacher at BxC.  She has nine years' teaching experience in the Bronx, primarily as a Special Education Teacher Support Services teacher, where she worked with students with special needs in their classrooms and in small groups.  At her previous school, she started a Saturday math program for struggling students. She has also taught private piano lessons, conducted children's choirs, and led cooking classes for children.  She has led professional development in working with children with special needs and in looking closely at student math work.  For the past nine years she has been a guest lecturer at Bank Street College of Education.  Kim has completed Schools Attuned training and is a candidate for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification.  She hold a B.A. in Music from Smith College and an M.S. in Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College of Education.
    
Cristina Castellon is in her second year as a first grade teacher at Bronx Community.  She she brings 9 years of early-childhood experience, teaching 1st and 2nd grades in public elementary schools in the Bronx.  She has 2 years experience working in an ELL classroom as well as a 4 years in a collaborative team teaching classroom.   Cristina was a participant in the Partnership for Parks Street Tree Academy.  She has led professional development on working with English Language Learners and on developing rich content studies. Cristina holds a B.A. in Government and Spanish from Franklin and Marshall College and an M.S. in Elementary Education from the City College of the City University of New York.

Taylor Hamilton is in her second year as a first grade teacher at BxC. She began her career in teaching in Seattle working for AmeriCorps, in a school dedicated to those in crisis and transition. She then spent the next year working in a second grade classroom for gifted students. Last summer she spent time in Monteverde, Costa Rica studying the rain forest and the delicate balance between conservation and growth present in the Monteverde community.  She has led professional development on strengthening connections with students.  Taylor is completing her M.S. in Childhood Education at Bank Street College of Education.

2ND GRADE
Kate Bishop is in her second year as a teacher at Bronx Community.  She began her career as a recent college graduate in Uttar Pradesh, India, where she taught English and health to rural students of all ages.  In 2002, Kate joined Teach For America in the Mississippi Delta.  She spent three years teaching both second and third grade students and also leading yoga workshops for students, teachers, and other members of her community.  In 2005, Kate moved to Baltimore where she directed professional development for and mentored new Teach For America teachers at all grade levels.  After completing a literacy degree from Teachers College at Columbia University in 2008, Kate has spent the past two years at Bronx Community honing her practice and expanding her understanding of progressive education. She was a participant in the Elementary Teachers Network inquiry group, has completed Schools Attuned training, and has led professional development on looking at student writing work and on the uses of instructional technology.  Kate holds a B.A. from the University of the South and an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Chris Abram is in his second year teaching at Bronx Community Charter School.  He came to BxC after serving with the United States Peace Corps in South Africa, helping to implement the new national curriculum in a rural school district.  Prior to his work in the schools of South Africa, Chris worked with children as a camp counselor and nature educator at a Rotary International summer camp.  He also researched education policy at a think tank in Washington, DC.  Chris participated in Elementary Teacher’s Network inquiry groups, the Partnership for Parks Street Tree Academy, and the Prospect Center Fall Conference, and has led professional development on science inquiry and on looking closely at student math work.  Chris holds a B.A. in Government from Hamilton College and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Early Childhood Education at Bank Street College of Education.

Maya Gat is in her first year teaching at BxC.  She has spent the past twelve years working with children, youth and adults, both inside and outside of schools, as an educator in various capacities.   Maya has traveled extensively combining her two passions of teaching and understanding communities.  She taught English to kindergarteners, teenagers and adults while living in Istanbul, Turkey, and translated math curriculum while living in Jerusalem, Israel.  A New York City native, Maya returned home to study and work at Sarah Lawrence College, where she taught three year olds. Maya attended the Prospect Center Fall Conference, and has participated in a wide array of professional development opportunities in science, literacy, and math.  She holds a B.A. in Urban Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Childhood Education from Sarah Lawrence College.