Toby Amsel has been with The Adelson Educational Campus since 2005. The 23-year veteran of Jewish day school education previously taught at the Hillel Hebrew Academy in Beverly Hills, California, and the Tucson Hebrew Academy in Tucson, Arizona. As both a teacher and mother of a former student in the day school system, Ms. Amsel possesses a unique perspective that enhances her ability to deal with the academic and social issues that arise within a day school setting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Minnesota and her teaching degree from California State University, Northridge. She went on to earn her master’s in education with a focus on counseling.

Maria Arellano comes to Las Vegas from New York City, where she taught 4th and 5th grades at the Dalton School for seven years. Prior to this, she worked as an 8th grade English teacher, as well as a bilingual, speech education teacher for grades Pre-K-1 in public schools in Queens, New York. Ms. Arellano received her BS in Special and Elementary Education from the State University of New York College at Genesco, and her MS in Reading Specialization from the City University of New York at Hunter College.

Mr. Atencio comes to us from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles where he was a science teacher and the Assistant Dean of Students. He earned his BS from the University of Richmond, Virgina in Chemistry and Physics and his MS in Chemistry from UCLA. He teaches physics and math, and is dedicated to producing students who can face the world in an inquisitive way, questioning intelligently and thinking for themselves. He is the faculty advisor to the Model United Nations.

The mother of two, Beth Baracani is among a small cadre of teachers who are parents at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she moved to Las Vegas with her family in 2006. This year marks her second year on our faculty. Ms. Baracani holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and a post-baccalaureate degree in education from Cardinal Stritch University. Her passion for teaching shines through every day in the classroom where she says “I just love the little ones and watching them grow and develop is so rewarding for me.”

Arriving from Long Island, New York, more than 18 years ago, Carla Behrin worked for the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas before joining our staff over a decade ago. In New York, she worked at The Huntington Jewish Center as executive secretary to Rabbi Neil Kurshan, president of the Nassau-Suffolk Rabbinical Assembly and author of the book, How to Raise Your Child To Be A Mensch. Ms. Behrin herself knows more than most about raising children. She raised her grandchildren — one who is currently a student at The Adelson Educational Campus, and one who is an alumnus of the school. She also has been involved in catering for more than three decades and has owned her own restaurants. Today, when requesting a table at a local restaurant and asked how many children she has, she replies, “hundreds, but I only brought two with me.” Ms. Behrin claims to be one of the few people in the world who looks forward to Monday morning — “so I can go to work and see all my children.”

Believing that athletics play a significant role in the social and physical development of today’s youth, Rob Blackwell is a very positive role model for students. He is a former athlete, coach, counselor and faculty mentor at both the independent school and collegiate level, including assistant men’s basketball coach at Division I St. Francis College, located in Brooklyn Heights, New York. His goals are to provide a wide variety of activities and sports, creating a positive learning environment while instilling pride, and offering students the opportunity to compete interscholastically. A graduate of New York’s St. Bonaventure University, Coach Blackwell is the recipient of multiple awards for coaching and sportsmanship.

Beth Blaustein moved to Las Vegas two years ago from Beachwood, Ohio. She joins The Adelson Educational Campus this year as the Lower School Computer Technology teacher, the lower school Librarian and upper school Library/Media Aide. She holds a BS in Elementary Education K-8 from Ohio State University and a Technology Certification from Notre Dame College of Ohio. She is thrilled to be growing her programs from the ground up.

Ms. Borenstein received her BS from the University of Arizona with a major in Family Studies and a minor in art. She then went on to continue her education, receiving a post graduate degree in counseling and child development from the Cairn Miller Institute in Melbourne, Australia. Shortly thereafter she worked as an art teacher at an after-school educational facility working with children ranging in ages from 18 months to 12 years. She is excited to be part of The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy team and thrilled for the opportunity ot provide a fun, enthusiastic and creative environment in which the children can grow and flourish.

Laura Bruni graduated from California State Polytechnic, Pomona with a BA in Architecture and a minor in Philosophy.  Ms. Bruni continued her education and went on to earn a California Teaching Credential along with special certification to teach English as a second language. She was a teacher for 11 years in California, as well as a literacy coach where she helped train and support teachers in implanting the literacy program. Her training includes two-years of early literacy training through LAUSD, participant in the UCLA literacy project, LAUSD training in literacy for readers and attended the California Governor’s Literacy Institute.  Ms. Bruni was a state presenter at the California Kindergarten Conference where she presented material that promoted literacy across the curriculum.  She was selected as a lead teacher to promote effective instructional strategies as part of a special program through USC.  She also received extensive training in Writer’s Workshop to effectively promote writing in elementary schools when her school received the largest Annenberg Grant ever given to one school.

Deborah Castille received her undergraduate degree in child development, with an emphasis on family studies, from California State University, in her hometown of Los Angeles more than 20 years ago. Since then, she has built a successful and rewarding career working with young children — and still enjoys every minute of it. Married for 18 years, Ms. Castille has three school-aged children. Debbie looks forward to beginning her masters program in early childhood education within the next 12 months.

Mr. Chow will be teaching various math courses in the Upper School. He comes steeped in the field of mathematics as a graduate with a BA in Economics from Oberlin University, an MA in Economics from the University of Chicago, an MPA in Public Finance from New York University and an MS in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) from Columbia University. James has also taught in the area of math, math enrichment and science in various schools in California.

Throughout her more than 19 years of service to the educational community, Stacy Colwell has provided excellent leadership to a variety of schools with a continual emphasis on improving instruction for all students. Her background as a school administrator, teacher trainer, mentor, and classroom teacher give her a broad perspective on the needs of the entire school community. She holds a master’s in education, focusing on educational administration, from Washington State University, a multiple-subject teaching credential from California State University, San Bernardino, and a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Married for more than 20 years, with a daughter who attends The Adelson Educational Campus, Ms. Colwell enjoys quality time with her family, reading, playing games, swimming and golfing.

Elizabeth Corlin, a Los Angeles native, received her bachelor’s degree in modern Jewish history from the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) where she helped to found a branch of Hillel, serving as both director of communications and president. A Pardes Educators Program participant, she studied at both Pardes and Hebrew University, receiving a Certificate of Advanced Torah Study and a master’s degree in Jewish education.

Thom Culcasi has been a musical director, voice teacher and singer/actor for the last twenty years all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. As a musical director and conductor, Thom has worked for the Rubicon Theatre Educational Outreach and Youth Program in Ventura, California for the last two years. Thom’s recent Las Vegas projects include musical director for The Buddy Holly Story for Super Summer Theatre and conductor for the upcoming production of COMPANY for the Nevada Conservatory Theater. Mr. Culcasi was a teaching fellow at Wesleyan University’s Center for Creative Youth in the music and theater programs. He graduated from The Boston Conservatory and its sister schools The New England Conservatory and Emerson College.

Sara Douglas moved to Las Vegas from Akron, Ohio, and is the middle and upper school library media specialist. Sara received a bachelor’s degree in childhood education from Bowling Green State University and a masters degree in Library and Information Science from Kent State University. Sara describes her position at The Adelson Educational Campus as her dream job. It is every librarian’s dream to be able to help build the library from the ground up and to ensure every book, magazine, and database in the collection is both relevant to the curriculum and exceptional in its field.

Lauren Eisenberg completed a BA degree, double majoring in English and Jewish Studies, in Durban, South Africa and then made aliya. She obtained her teaching certificate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and taught high-school English. Lauren then studied at the University of California, Santa Barbara and gained her masters degree in English Administration. She is passionate about Jewish Education, and for the last 30 years has worked as an educator, administrator, programmer and fund raiser. Currently, Lauren teaches adult education classes for Congregation Ner Tamid and is also the facilitator for the Hadassah Leadership Academy.

This is Debbie’s second year in the preschool. She is excited to be working with the three year-old class this year. A former New Yorker, she received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Queens College. She extended her studies in Early Childhood Education at Southern Nevada Community College. Mrs. Fink and her husband moved to Las Vegas nine years ago. They have one child who attends The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy.

Kathryn is very passionate about health and wellness and loves to teach adolescents how to engage in the healthiest behaviors possible. During an internship at Las Vegas PBS-affiliate station, she helped to create the health documentary, “Fit Kids: Healthy Families,” which focuses on reducing childhood obesity in the Southern Nevada area. She earned her masters of public health from the University of Arizona, and her bachelors in public relations from Pepperdine University in California.

Felicia Frazee joined the The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy in 2007. This will be her third year teaching second grade. A native Texan, Ms. Frazee has called Las Vegas home for two years. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

In addition to coordinating the science curriculum for both the lower and middle schools, Pat Gaido also teaches science for grades 4-8. These courses include introductory physics, introductory each science, introductory biology and introductory chemistry. Ms. Gaido’s joined the school in 1999. She came to us from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she was an undergraduate academic advisor for the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences. She graduated cum laude from West Virginia University earning a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, with a specialization in biology and general science.

After teaching in our preschool program for two years, Jennifer George has joined our Junior Kindergarten Program. Prior to joining The M.I.S. Hebrew Academy faculty, Ms. George taught at The Challenger Schools for six years, both in Northern California and Las Vegas. While there she participated in Challenger's teacher certification and attained their highest level, Master Gold Teacher. Previously, she was with Achieve in Northern California teaching special needs children ages 7-12 in their after-school recreational program. While living in Northern California she attended both Foothill and West Valley College, studying early childhood education. Ms. George recently completed her Child Development Accreditation, a nationally accredited certificate program for early childhood educators. This is Ms. George’s fifth year at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy.

An 18-year veteran teacher, Yvonne Greenfield began her career at The M.I.S. Hebrew Academy in 1999, after relocating from New Jersey. Ms. Greenfield, who views each child as a unique person, believes in teaching the entire child, focusing on confidence-building and elevating self-esteem. She is selflessly devoted to making a difference in each child’s life and inspiring a lifelong love of learning, so it came as no surprise when Ms. Greenfield was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Summerlin Children’s Forum in 2000. She recently completed her Child Development Accreditation, a nationally accredited certificate program for early childhood educators. Yvonne is also active in the community, teaching religious school and helping in various local youth activities.

Naomi Guy has been teaching more than 35 years, the majority of which has been in middle schools and high schools in Israel. Born in Jerusalem, she joined The Adelson Educational Campus as a Hebrew teacher in 2005. Her main goal is to teach Hebrew in Hebrew, and represent Israel and its culture to allow her students to be able to apply their Hebrew to real-life situations. Her educational philosophy is that all students love to learn, and that a teacher’s duty is to encourage them by making the teaching more interesting, challenging and meaningful for them. Ms. Guy holds a master’s degree in general and Jewish history from Israel’s Hebrew University. Additionally, Mrs. Guy spent four intensive weeks at Boston’s Hebrew College with educators from all over the United States, immersing herself in the art of Hebrew language teaching.

Gordon Hale joins the Adelson Educational Campus with over 34 years of teaching experience in various high schools. Gordon, who is a recipient of multiple teaching awards, has a Masters in Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. He was awarded his B.S. in Journalism/Spanish from Pittsburgh State University in Kansas.

Jeffrey is an East Coast transplant who loves teaching art and chess to his students. He has a BA in English from Fordham University in New York. Prior to joining The Adelson Educational Campus, Mr. Harris taught locally at 100 Academy of Excellence and Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. He also enjoys mentoring young students.

With a passion for tapping into little ones’ minds to create great thinkers and learners who are not afraid to take risks, Dena Henke strives to create a challenging and safe classroom environment for children to thrive and grow. A teacher at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy since 2004, Ms. Henke has been teaching for over 16 years. She holds a Master’s degree in psychology and a BA in human development. Gifted in art, Ms. Henke is fond of using this medium in the classroom to challenge creativity.

Dr. Hindman brings the knowledge and skills he learned from his medical training at the University of Alabama to the science classes at the Adelson Upper School. A true Renaissance man, he graduated from the University of Alabama with a medical degree and from Stanford University with a B.A. in Music. He has worked both in various schools in the east and west coasts as a science, math and music teacher.

Betsy Hoff comes to The Adelson Educational Campus via the New York City school system. Holding an undergraduate degree in sociology and secondary education and a masters in business, she is proud to call herself a lifelong learner and brings this passion for education into the classroom. Ms. Hoff draws on her varied experiences as an international management consultant, professional development director and adjunct college professor to foster an appreciation of professional and cultural diversity in her students. Having lived abroad, gone dog sledding in Lapland, camped under an African moon and climbed glaciers in New Zealand, Ms. Hoff enriches her teaching by impressing upon her students that all of life’s experiences are opportunities for learning.

After studying at the University of Pittsburgh from 2001-2005 and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Jacki Holjencin relocated to the Las Vegas area. Shortly after arriving, she was thrilled to accept a position as a preschool educator at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. She joined the school in 2005 as a teacher in the preschool and junior kindergarten and is currently taking classes to complete her master’s degree in special education.

Ms. Innazzo, who goes by “Kiki,” taught preschool and religious school for the past 13 years. Kiki studied at the school for Jewish Studies in New York and is currently completing her accreditation in Early Childhood Education. Kiki started in 2008 with The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy and she is very excited to be teaching three year-olds with her co-teacher Susy Torres. Kiki also has two children enrolled at The Adelson Educational Campus.

Milly started her career as a Language Arts teacher in 1991 at the Emerson Academy in Louisiana. In her teaching career Milly developed and implemented a highly effective writing process which increased student achievement and engagement. She completed her BA from the University of Memphis with a major in English and a concentration in British Literature. Milly has taken various graduate courses at the University of New Orleans and continues to pursue a Masters of Education program at the University of Nevada.

Working with and educating children has been Shelley Kalb’s passion since she was a youngster herself. Prior to becoming our Director of Admissions, Shelley was a kindergarten teacher at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. She enjoys meeting prospective families and students and contributing to the growth of the The Adelson Educational Campus community. A certified reading specialist for grades K-12, Ms. Kalb holds a master’s in education from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland, where she taught first and second grade at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Day School.  She and her husband, Matthew have three children enrolled in the school. Her eldest is a member of the first graduating class of The Adelson Upper School.

Elizabeth Keleman (RN, BSN, NCSN) is pleased to be the school nurse. She is a registered nurse and received her BS in 1998 from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles. Ms. Kelemen brings 10 years of critical care and emergency room nursing experience, and is a member of the National Association of School Nurses, The Amercian School Health Association and The Juvenile Diabetes Reseach Foundation. She is a parent of two children at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy.

Daniel Kelly graduated from Pepperdine University in 2006 with a BA in liberal arts and a BS in physical education. He was a 42nd round draft pick of the Cincinatti Reds in 2002, and played on the Pepperdine baseball team. He is the middle school baseball coach.

Jacqueline Kerns is a physical education teacher and aquatics coordinator at The Adelson Educational Campus. Originally from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, she attended college at Penn State New Kensington where she played volleyball and basketball.  She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a bachelors of science degree in professional studies with an emphasis area in physical education and aquatics. She is also a certified Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor for the American Red Cross. Last year, she was the assistant coach for JV girls' basketball and was the head coach for middle school girls' basketball. This school year, Jacqueline is the head coach for varsity volleyball and girls' basketball. In addition, she will be teaching water aerobics and running a Sunday swim program at the school.

Ms. Koehler comes to Las Vegas by way of Ohio, where she was a middle school 8th grade science teacher. She received her BA in Education with a concentration on Middle Childhood Education Science and Language Arts from The University of Toledo. She loves the water and has certifications from the American Red Cross for lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR/AED for the professional rescuer.

A Las Vegas native, Becky Lamph attended Southern Utah Univeristy in Cedar City where she earned a degree in U.S. History and Althletic Training. She worked in the Clark County School District for six years, teaching social studies and serving as the head track and cross country coach at Green Valley High School. She is excited to be teaching P.E., coaching varsity cross country and varsity swimming at The Adelson Educational Campus where the smaller class sizes and state-of-the-art facility provide optimal conditions to help our students and athletes reach their highest potential.

Sherry Lasky has made teaching her life’s work for the past 38 years, 19 of which have been with The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. A tremendous asset, Ms. Lasky brings expertise, professionalism, history and stability to our school every day. A graduate of the University of California at Fresno, majoring in history and elementary education, she holds lifetime teaching certifications in California and Texas, and has maintained a Nevada teaching credential in elementary education since 1990. Ms. Lasky’s value to our community has also been recognized, notably as a 2004 Summerlin Children’s Forum Evening of Excellence honoree.

Terri Leitner is a rare native of Nevada and proud parent of a student at The Adelson Upper School. Prior to joining us, Mrs. Leitner was involved in customer service positions, property management, database management and operations management. She is the mother of four, and a grandmother of three.

Olivia Lowe grew up in Montgomery, Pennsylvania and graduated from Clarion University of Pennslyvania with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in coaching. She has taught kindergarten in her home state and first grade here in Las Vegas. She moved to Las Vegas in 2007 and enjoys coaching, playing soccer and hiking at Mt. Charleston with her dog.

Hava Lurya was born in Israel, and has over 30 years experience teaching Hebrew and Judaic Studies in America and Israel. Most recently, she was a Hebrew and Judaic Studies teacher at Yavneh Day School in California. She holds a doctorate of education from University of Budapest, and her bachelors and masters are from Bar Ilan University in Israel. Her daughter will be an Adelson Upper School student. Hava has four daughters and five grandchildren. She enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to be able to share her love of Israel, Hebrew, and Judaism with everyone at the Adelson Campus.

Orly Maayan has been with The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy since 2005 as a Hebrew teacher, bringing love and passion to teach about Israel and its official language to our lower school students. Ms. Maayan enriches our Hebrew programs with multi-media and hands-on learning. Born in the southern city of Eilat by the Red Sea, Ms. Maayan holds a masters degree in the science of metaphysics from the University of Sedona, Arizona, and a bachelors degree from University of Lexington. She is also a member of the ATA (American Translators Association) and a Reiki Master. She has two amazing children in Las Vegas, two dogs and a cat.

Mandy Mace grew up in Texas and has lived in Las Vegas for the past year and a half, where she has been program director at the JCC. She has her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies with an emphasis on education from the University of Utah. She loves to the great outdoors and traveling. In addition to teaching math, she coaches volleyball.

Ira Madnikoff earned a bachelor’s in criminology at the University of Florida and his juris doctorate from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois, and soon thereafter decided to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming an educator. From the first time he stepped into the classroom, Mr. Madnikoff knew instinctively that he could marshal his experience in many different educational settings toward his goal of becoming a phenomenal teacher. He taught high school social studies in Miami, Florida, for four years, garnering a breadth of experience that included teaching honors and advanced placement (AP) courses, U.S. and world history, government, economics and human geography.

Prior to entering K-12 education, Dr. Mahoney was a university scientist and faculty member at the University of Missouri. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctorate in molecular biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and conducted post-doctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Mahoney made the move to private K-12 education in 1998 as founding science chair at Columbia Independent School in Missouri, shortly after serving as principal investigator in an NIH-funded research effort at the University of Missouri aimed at better understanding why cells become cancerous. In 2004, Paul Mahoney was a finalist for the position of Educator Astronaut with NASA. Since then, he has maintained close ties with NASA, working with them to improve the science and math curricula for our nation’s students

Bill comes to The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus from Christopher Homes. He is a CPA with nearly 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. After serving five years with KPMG, Bill worked as a controller and entrepreneur for various companies, mostly in the construction and non-profit arenas. Outside of work, Bill volunteers his time as the president and coach of a local Little League organization. Originally from New Jersey, Bill and his wife have called Las Vegas home for more than 15 years. They have two children.

Shirley Mayer was born in Israel and relocated to Southern California at the age of eight. She has taught Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the U.S. and Argentina. She earned her Bachelors from UC Berkeley and her Masters degrees from Yeshiva University and Columbia University. She enjoys swimming, hiking, and playing with her four children. She is excited to be joining The Adelson Campus, where she can impart her love and passion for Judaism and Hebrew.

Antoinette taught kindergarten at the Isidore Newman Independent School in New Orleans for more than a decade before moving to Las Vegas. She received her BA from the University of San Diego, California in French and Spanish. She is also fluent in Italian. She did her post graduate studies in elementary teaching at California State University, Dominquez Hills. She holds teaching credentials in both California and Lousiana.

Jennifer Newman received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and went on to pursue a career in teaching grades K-2. Ms. Newman joined The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy in 2006. Ms. Newman team teaches first grade with fellow faculty member Nancy Zoller. Working together, they strive to build a positive, creative atmosphere each and every day for their students.

Amy joined The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy in 2005. She currently indulges her strong passion for educating and working with toddlers and young children by teaching the two year-old program. Ms. Novak earned her bachelor’s in early childhood education from Western Illinois University and is completing her master’s in the same field from the University of Phoenix. Her goal is to earn a doctorate in education and, in the future, teach early childhood education, child development and special education classes at the university level.

Robin earned her MS in Elementary Education from Hunter College in New York, and her BA in English from SUNY, New York. She has taught elementary-aged children in New York and California, and is herself, the mother of two young children. She is also an entrepreneur, having founded Evolve With Yoga, a yoga studio in New York. Ms. Oshins moved to Las Vegas to once again teach young children.

Wendy Parnell is a true Las Vegan, completing all her kindergarten through college education in Las Vegas. She joined The Adelson Educational Campus after spending the last 30 years working for “Corporate America” in marketing, accounting and human resources. As the Accounting and Human Resources Manager, she is proud to be a part of the faculty and staff that is supporting this campus.

Craig Partridge brings more than 25 years of college counseling experience from both the private secondary school and university levels to The Adelson Educational Campus community. He works with students and parents to guide them through the college admissions maze, including helping to identify appropriate college matches for each student, guiding students in the preparation and presentation of their credentials, interpreting college entrance testing, evaluating scholarship opportunities, and readying students for college visits. A cum laude graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, Mr. Partridge holds a master’s in education, counseling and human services. 

Some people believe that education is merely teaching curriculum, but Trish Pedrick would disagree. Ms. Pedrick cautions that educators must reach children as well as teach them. The wisdom of that philosophy is reflected in her successful career, devoted to independent school education and middle school students. She brings a wealth of experience not only in teaching mathematics, curriculum analysis and mapping, but also in developing mathematics curriculum, and determining and implementing age-appropriate content. Through praise and support, she motivates students to become confident in their ability, to be curious and question, to value mathematics, as well as to become problem solvers, think critically and reason. Ms. Pedrick completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics and educational curricula at the University of Delaware and did advanced studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She taught in northern Delaware and Miami before moving to Las Vegas to join our faculty in 2007.

Peter Randazzo moved to the Las Vegas area in 2007 to escape the cold weather of East Rockaway, New York, where he was a bus driver for seven years. He has been married for 43 years and has two children and four grandchildren. He has three grandchildren at The Adelson Educational Campus.

Alicia returns to teaching after taking time off to be a stay-at-home mother and active PTA volunteer. Previously she taught first and second grade at various area elementary schools, including Lummis, Red Rock, Fong and Elbert Edwards. Ms. Rivera holds a MS in Science from Nova Southeastern University and a BA from the University of Detroit.

Mrs. Alicia Rosenberg is a talented and enthusiastic professional educator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in elementary education from Nova Southeastern University. She comes to The Adelson Educational Campus from an independent K-12 college prep school in Broward County, Florida. Mrs. Rosenberg is responsible for integrating technology into the classroom for grades K-4. She understands the importance of providing a nurturing and differentiated learning environment in which all children can learn and grow.

Justin Sakofs received his MA from Hebrew College in Boston. He undergraduate degree is from Toronto’s McGill University’s Faculty of Education, where he specialized in Jewish Education. He brings his expertise in Bible and the history of its interpretation to connect with students and find their place within history. Previously, he worked at the Striar Hebrew Academy of Sharon, Massachusettes, Montreal’s Aigua School and various synagogues in Canada, Massachusettes and New Jersey.

As our Head of School begins his third year of service at The Adelson Educational Campus, he ranks among our nation’s most respected educators. During his 37 years as a professional educator, Paul Schiffman served as a teacher, a principal, assistant superintendent and head of a New York premier private educational institution. He plays an active role as a mentor for aspiring school leaders through the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Mr. Schiffman earned his bachelor’s degree in business education from the State University of New York (SUNY), Albany, and his master’s and certificate of advanced studies in educational administration from SUNY, Brockport.

With deep expertise and great enthusiasm and commitment, Paul Schiffman is known for his warm, collaborative leadership style and ability to build and sustain strong and effective partnerships with parents, faculty and the community. He brings a unified administrative approach to The Adelson Educational Campus, working with the heads of our lower, middle and upper schools to nurture a rigorous academic program within a caring campus community, where camaraderie, mutual respect and trust allow excellence to flourish and students to achieve their full potential.

Paul and his wife Sandy enjoy hiking, reading, traveling to offbeat places, and visiting with their daughters and family in their leisure time. His personal hobbies include furniture painting and glass marble bead making.

Courtney Schorr grew up here in Las Vegas. She received her bachelor's degree in Fine Arts/Film Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder. After a short three-year stint working in Hollywood, Miss Schorr moved to New York to get her masters in education from Bank Street College and to pursue her calling which is working with children. Miss Schorr has taught at independent schools in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, and she is thrilled to be teaching closer to her friends and family out west.

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Karin Soresman studied in South Africa, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. After immigrating to the United States, she earned another bachelor’s degree and went on to teach in day schools for two decades. Throughout her impressive career, she has received many awards as well as recognition for excellence, conferred by institutions in both South Africa and the United States. Nominated for “Teacher of the Year” (a Disney award), Ms. Soresman advanced all the way to the final round, and was later recognized by KVBC-TV, Channel 3 in Las Vegas as their “Teacher of the Month.” With extensive training in speech and drama, she has produced many plays, and has completed her director’s certificate in preschool education. Ms. Soresman says she is “thrilled to be entrusted with educating and promoting the best interests of each child in line with the philosophy of The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy.”

Julie Steed started last year at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy teaching preschoolers before moving to the administration. She is an East Coast native. For 25 years, Ms. Steed operated a preschool in her home, fulfilling her desire to teach and be a stay-at-home mom for her four children and later to school her two grandchildren. She joins our faculty from Seton Academy West, where she was also a preschool teacher. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, she came to Las Vegas 10 years ago, by way of San Jose, California. Her commitment to teaching continues to be fueled by her love of children and “the joy of watching them grow, learn and develop into their own little selves.” She holds an E.C.E. in preschool early childhood education, and is also a C.D.A. (Child Development Associate).

Melody Hope Stein lives her life like a work of art in progress. Art is her passion, and it is nourished by teaching art. A professional artist who exhibits and sells works in the New York metropolitan area, Ms. Stein has taught art at every level from preschool to adult in both private and public institutions. She has owned an art rubber stamp company, published a national art magazine and owned an art business in Las Vegas. Currently president of the Las Vegas Polymer Clay Guild, she runs the Bottles of Hope program at the Nevada Cancer Institute.

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Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Suzan Torres lived in Los Angeles for 24 years and taught at Temple Emanuel, a preschool in Beverly Hills, before moving to Las Vegas five years ago. This is Susy’s third year teaching at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. Mrs. Torres is accredited by the Child Development Association, has her associate’s degree in early childhood education and is currently completing her bachelor’s degree. The mother of two of our students, she is excited to be able to impart her knowledge and skills to her students at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy for the third year.

Ms. Tregerman is a transplant from Baltimore, Maryland and a graduate of the University of Maryland in Baltimore County. She holds a BA in political science. She moved to the Las Vegas area eight years ago, and has three children enrolled at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. Stacey joined the faculty of The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy in 2008. Stacey is currently completing her accreditation in Early Childhood Education.

Jocelyne Uy has been teaching math since 1992 in grades K-12, as both a private tutor and classroom teacher. She has also practiced as a licensed immgration attorney in Michigan, Nevada and Canada. In 2007 Ms. Uy joined The Adelson Upper School math department. She continues to challenge her students to think out of the box, self teach, analyze and solve problems independently. She is honored to serve as math department chair for The Adelson Upper School and is dedicated to positive and successful development of the math department.

Music has been the focus of Susan Vex's life since, at the tender age of five, she was admitted to Julliard Preparatory School. Continuing her education at the High School of Music and Art, she conducted the choir and orchestra at the opening of New York City’s Lincoln Center. Ms. Vex was certified to teach Hebrew and Judaic music at age 17, and after graduating from Queens College, received her license to teach K-12 music. She had a successful career in show business, appearing in major productions all over the world. Ms. Vex has taught at The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy since 1998, and chairs the music department at The Adelson Upper School.

Jesse Wagenaar is both our physical education teacher and head soccer coach for the varsity boys’ team and 7th-8th grades. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wagenaar instructed P.E. at the public school level, and was the women’s head JV soccer coach at Graceland University. He looks at his work as important, valuable and incredibly fulfilling. Soccer has been a family love – his youngest brother currently plays in England as a goalie and represents Team Canada.

Rabbi Yussman has an esteemed record of collaborating with top school leaders internationally, such as fellowships at the Harvard University Principals’ Center, the Bar Ilan University Principals’ Center, and the Hartman Institute of Jewish Studies. He has developed innovative Judaic Studies curricula, many of which are published and used in Jewish day schools throughout America. Rabbi Yussman deems his Israeli army service to be one of his proudest accomplishments. He holds a bachelors in Psychology from Boston University, a masters in Jewish education from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he was ordained by Rabbi Daniel Landes at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and he is in his final year of coursework for his Doctorate in Education from UNLV. He was previously a principal and teacher at some of the finest Jewish day schools in America. He is also a proud parent of three girls in our lower school.

Nancy Zoller has educated young children for 35 years, yet she still brings unbridled enthusiasm to the classroom. Ms. Zoller and first grade teacher Jennifer Newman combine their talents to create a nurturing classroom environment where children love to learn. For 25 years, Ms. Zoller distinguished herself as lead second grade teacher at Dedham Country Day School near Boston, where she developed curricula and received grants for community service work. A graduate of Smith College, Massachusetts, she holds degrees in psychology and education.