Dear VTT Families,

Our hard-working and dedicated faculty are busy putting the finishing touches on their classrooms in anticipation of tomorrow official opening. Everyone is excited to meet and greet familiar and new faces.

We would like to introduce you to our faculty teams. New faculty members' names are bolded and brief bios of them appear below their team photo.

PRESCHOOL HALF DAY: Sharon Kaikov Ingram & Angela Mammon

PRESCHOOL FULL DAY: Maria Cerani, Lisa Boroditsky, & Aura Estrin

JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN I: Tracy Labrosse, Alyse Hanson, & Gaby Lutrin

Tracy Labrosse has been an early childhood educator for 18 years, 15 of which were spent at the JCC. Many of our families might know Tracy from her many years coordinating the Club J program. Tracy is excited to be back in the classroom surrounded by curious children.

JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN 2:

Michele Zychlinski, Zafi Ali, Celia Malowicki, Jessica Oelker

Zafi Ali is a very familiar face at VTT having supported students in the classroom and worked in our front office. However, as an early childhood educator, her ultimate goal has been to be in a classroom supporting students to explore, learn, grow and develop.

SENIOR KINDERGARTEN :

Kate Flyn, Marni Fadida, Shannon Leonard, Raquel Freiwirth & Maikala Harris

Originally from Alberta, Maikala Harris recently moved to Vancouver after several international teaching assignments. She holds a BA in international development studies and a B.Ed in inclusive education. Maikala has taught kindergarten, grade 2, 3 and middle school art/computer science. She's passionate about play-based hands-on experiential learning. 

GRADE 1:

Carmi Pearl, Revital Lapid, Barb Lando, Shira Sachs, Etti Kaplan

Carmi Pearl is a VTT alum who had the good fortune of learning from her mother, Morah Tiki, a beloved 35+ year veteran VTT teacher of Hebrew and Judaic studies. She holds a B.Ed from McGill and a Master's degree in developmental psychology and education from U of T. For the last five years, Mrs. Pearl has taught in the elementary division at Bialik Jewish Day School in Toronto. 

Morah Shira is a VTT alumna who joined our school last year. She is a fluent Hebrew speaker (having been born in Israel) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Judaic Studies from Michigan Jewish Institute. Shira has taught elementary age students at both the Weizmann Jewish Day School and the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Centre. 

GRADE 2:

Stephanie Vilamil-Pak, Judith Blumenkrans, Abbie Loomer, Etti Kaplan,

Ashley Williams, & Orly Naim

Orly Naim was born and raised in Netanya, Israel and holds a BA in Theater Studies from Tel Aviv University. In 2012, she immigrated to Vancouver with her family. With a rich background in formal and informal Jewish education and Hebrew language instruction, she worked for Vancouver's Jewish Federation as their manager for community development where her portfolio included managing the Shinshim program of young Israeli emissaries supporting our Jewish community schools, synagogues and organizations.

GRADE 3:

Etti Kaplan, Adam Gelmon, Linda Elliott, Lily Mallin, Caleigh Mingay

GRADE 4:

Orly Gal, Tamsin Morrell, & Susan Stiller

Susan Stiller, who holds a teaching degree from South Africa, has had a long history with VTT, including being the mother of a VTT alum (Class of 2012). She began her career assisting in the kindergarten for many years and last year worked in learning support and resource for the intermediate grades. She previously taught grade two in South Africa.

GRADE 5: Hayley Bongard & Jessie Claudio

GRADE 6: Ryan Gluckman & Kim Fisher

GRADE 7: Josh Leonard & Gillian Welford

GRADE 5, 6 & 7 HEBREW:Shoshi Burton & Hila Granot

LEARNING COMMONS: Jessica Wright

LEARNING ENRICHMENT: Pat Girling

RESOURCE CENTRE: Tarah Feldman-Lloyd

Tarah is from Toronto and has been living in Vancouver for the past eight years. She worked in learning support at St. George’s senior school for five years before taking time off to complete her Master's degree in counseling psychology. Tarah is passionate about integrating mental health and education and believes that relationship is central to learning and transformation.

FINE & PEFORMING ARTS:

Elana Jacobson, Colette Leisen, Jim Hopson, & Keri Smith

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

Sylvester Noel, Danica Burpee (mat leave), Gerrald Lotzkar