Staff & Faculty Directory
Every member of our outstanding faculty has been carefully chosen not only on the basis of their field of specialization but also on their commitment to creating a positive educational experience for each child.
Click on a name to see the teacher's biography.
Administration:
Faculty:
Faculty & Staff Bios
Elementary School Division
Sally Brown is beginning her fifth year as a Kindergarten Assistant at the Lerner School. She is a graduate of Skidmore College with a BA in Political Economy. Prior to relocating to Chapel Hill, Sally served as the Religious School Principal of her synagogue in Indiana. Before coming to Lerner, Sally was a reading partner for grades K-5 in the Chapel Hill public school system for ten years. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and three children. Sally loves to read, take long walks and bake chocolate chip cookies with her family. She looks forward to getting to know the children each school year and loves being a part of the Lerner community.
Wendy Cohen is a third grade assistant. Wendy has a degree from George Washington University and taught preschool for thirteen years before coming to Lerner. At Lerner, Wendy has assisted in the Preschool classes, Kindergarten and 4th and 5th Grades. Wendy and her husband relocated to the area in 2007 from Connecticut. She loves traveling back up north to visit her children.
Barbara Deena is in her sixth year as a 1st Grade Teacher at Lerner. She has a M.Ed. in Special Education with a focus on Early Childhood special education from the University of Florida. Barbara grew up in Durham and returned to North Carolina in 2001 after teaching for almost a decade in Florida. She lives in Durham with her husband and two children. Barbara is excited about to be part of Lerner and to share the joy of learning with her students.
Arielle Derby is very excited to be back at Lerner, and thrilled to be teaching Fifth Grade. She grew up in New York City and still considers it her spiritual home, although she thinks North Carolina is pretty good, too. She has a BA in American Studies from Smith College and a Masters in Education from Bank Street College. When she's not busy dreaming up wonderful and exciting projects for the classroom she enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her wife, Laurel, writing herself lengthy reminder lists on post-its, and hanging out on the Weaver Street Lawn. She is looking forward to a fantastic year with your children!
Holly Fishback is the third grade teacher and very excited to be a part of the Lerner community! She is a graduate of the UNC-CH and received her teaching certification from Meredith College. She earned her national Board certification in 1999 and believes the national board process truly enhanced her teaching. Holly has taught for 14 years and loves to read and scrapbook. She has a wonderful husband, and three children (Matthew, Catherine, and Georgia) who keep her busy. Holly is looking forward to great year with her third graders!
Hinda Lind joined the Lerner School faculty in 1997 and has been teaching Kindergarten since. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Elementary Education. She also pursued graduate studies at Old Dominion University and Tel Aviv University. Prior to coming to Lerner, Hinda taught at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater in Virginia and in the public school system in Norfolk, Virginia. In addition to teaching at Lerner, Hinda is an active participant in the Jewish community, teaching at area Religious Schools and Hebrew Schools. In addition to teaching Kindergarten, Hinda leads our school-wide Shabbat Sing-Along on Friday afternoons.
Tori Morton is Lerner’s 4th grade teacher. She received a M.A.degree in Teaching from Meredith College in Raleigh and a B.A. in International Development from UCLA. Tori has lived and taught in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Durham. For fun, she likes listening to music, traveling, and learning about different cultures. She loves being a part of the Lerner School community.
Fiona Mueller is a 2nd Grade Teacher. At Lerner, she has previously taught Physical Education, 4th and 5th grades, and math groups from 1st to 4th grade. She was born and raised in the UK, and earned her teaching credentials at Lancaster University, England. She spent five years in public education in England and then enjoyed fourteen wonderful years teaching in American international schools in Italy and France. She moved to the United States fourteen years ago with her husband, Thomas (also an educator), and sons Benjamin and Jack. Fiona loves to spend time outdoors; gardening, canoeing and training her two Labradors.
Cecilia Payne is a Kindergarten Teacher. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she majored in Economics and Religion. She is a certified Montessori teacher. Cecilia has been teaching for twenty years. She began her tenure at Lerner in 1998 as a lead teacher in the Preschool program, and moved to Kindergarten in 2007. Cecilia is an avid nature lover and brings this enthusiasm for wildlife to her students. She lives in Durham with her husband and has three sons, Thomas, Daniel, and Michael. Cecilia looks forward to another wonderful school year getting to know the children.
Judaic Studies/Hebrew
Ronit Zahavi teachers Hebrew in Kindergarten, First Grade and third grade. For the last five years she worked at Lerner as a Hebrew teacher for multiple grades and as a 3rd grade teaching assistant. Prior to joining the Lerner faculty, Ronit taught Hebrew at Tarbut v-Torah in California, and was a Kindergarten teacher’s assistant at Temple Bet Shalom. Ronit was raised in Moshav Almagor in the north of Israel and is a certified nurse. She relocated to the USA 14 years ago, lived in southern California and then moved to Raleigh five years ago. Ronit has two children: Noaam, 14 years old and Ben, 11 years old, a dog and 3 cats. She loves sports, gardening and volunteering in her children’s schools.
Preschool Division
Cheryl Berkes is beginning her fourth year as a teacher in our Preschool program. She graduated from San Diego University in California with a BS in Psychology and Preschool Education. Prior to coming to Lerner, Cheryl had twelve years of experience teaching in preschools both locally and in California as well as in a special education/early intervention program for children up to three years of age. She lives in Durham and has a son who attends the 2nd Grade at Lerner.
Francie Jacobs-Segal has been a teacher in our Preschool program since 2005. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Preschool Education. Francie has been teaching in preschool settings for the past twenty years, the last five of which have been at Lerner. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and has two sons, Ethan and Jared, who live in NYC and Austin, respectively. Francie loves to read and spend time with her family, and she loves being part of Lerner’s wonderful community.
Cynthia Lieberman is beginning her second year in Lerner’s preschool program, joining Francie in the Daggim class. Cynthia has a degree in Dance, and a background in Dance Education with a strong emphasis on Creative and Developmental Movement. Prior to joining the Lerner faculty, Cynthia taught Dance Education in Danville, VA, Denver, CO, and in the NC Triad area. Cynthia is originally from Columbia, Maryland, and in her free time she enjoys hiking, reading, crafting, traveling, and spending time with her two furry angels, Jeremy and Luna. She is enthusiastic about sharing the joy of exploration, self discovery and creative expression in her classroom. Cynthia is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Lerner family.
Carolyn Rogers has been teaching in the Preschool program since 2001. She has a BA from Beloit College in Sociology and Education. Carolyn has her Level III Childcare Administrator Credential as well as a Level 8 Early Educator certificate from the Institute for Preschool Professional Development. Carolyn has worked in the field of Preschool Education for seventeen years. In addition to her years of experience in the US, Carolyn was an Preschool teacher in Israel for five years. She has also taught Religious School at the Chapel Hill Kehillah and participated in various JCC sponsored activities. Carolyn is the mother of four children, two of whom attend local colleges and two who are students at Chapel Hill High School. Her interests include hiking, bike riding, baking, and reading and speaking Hebrew.
Caryn Rosenberg begins her tenth year at Lerner this fall. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and has been teaching in the Lerner Preschool since 2002. Caryn moved to North Carolina in 1999 and currently lives in Durham with her husband and two young sons. Her interests include traveling, photography, shopping, and spending time with her family. Each year, Caryn looks forward to experiencing the joy of learning through the eyes of Lerner's youngest students.
Specialists
Julie Harris will teach Art this year. Julie is a certified teacher, having received her multiple subject Teaching Credential from San Diego State University, and Graduate degrees in Jewish Education and Jewish Communal Service from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Julie has taught General and Judaic studies, and has served as Director of Judaic Studies at a day school in Palo Alto, California. She has taken many courses over the years in painting, mixed media, mosaics, photography, quilting, and sewing. Julie and her husband Etan have two children at Lerner: Jayden (3rd grade) and Noam (5th grade). She loves to travel, exercise, bake challah, and work and play in her home art studio.
Janice Nicholson is the Lerner School Librarian. This is Janice’s fourth year at Lerner. She has an MA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MS in Library Science from UNC Chapel Hill. Her prior experience includes teaching high school English in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She is most proud of being a grandmother to her four grandchildren.
Marcie Ollis is the Reading Specialist at the Lerner School. Marcie is a graduate of Scripps College in California and holds a MA in Elementary Education from UC Davis, California. Marcie additionally holds certifications in Montessori Education, the Orton-Gillingham program, and the National Institute for Learning Disabled Education. She also has numerous certifications through the professional development program at the Hill Center in Durham. Marcie has worked in the field of education for thirty years in a variety of school settings. Prior to coming to Lerner, she taught at the Hill Center and in the Special Education program of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School System. She has also worked as a classroom teacher for Kindergarten and 1st Grade. Marcie has five children, and lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and teenage daughter. She enjoys making the world of language come alive for children.
Jordan Shamp is the Lerner School’s Physical Education Teacher as well as the Director of the After School program for Elementary school students. Jordan is a graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, with a BS in Physical Education. This is his fourth year teaching at Lerner. In addition to teaching the Elementary School students, Jordan also teaches P.E. in the Preschool program. During the summers Jordan directs local sports camps and he also plays basketball, soccer, and softball in local adult leagues. Jordan recently got engaged and loves to travel, play guitar, and spend time at home with his family and his cats.
Laurie Siegel is the Music Teacher at Lerner. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Music in Music Education from UNC-Greensboro with a voice concentration. She has been teaching elementary music since 1997 in North Carolina public and private schools and at the Lerner School since 2004. Certified in three levels of Orff-Schulwerk training, Laurie believes in incorporating singing, movement, instruments and student creativity into every music lesson. Laurie enjoys performing in the local theater community, both singing and acting. When not teaching or performing, she spends time with her husband, Daryn, and daughter, Danya
School Administration
Foley Coleman is the Office Administrator. This is Foley’s fifth year at Lerner. She is the voice who answers the phone at Lerner and is often the person at the front desk assisting staff, parents, and students alike. Foley truly enjoys her job at Lerner and all her interactions with the students. She lives in Hillsborough with her son, Grady.
Mary Crane is the Head of School of the Lerner School. Mary holds a BA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Dubuque, Iowa and a MA in Elementary Education, with a focus on Reading, from UNC Chapel Hill. She has almost twenty years of teaching experience in Preschool, Kindergarten and 1st grade combined. Mary has been at Lerner for eleven years and taught 1st grade at Lerner for five years before moving into a supervisory role. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband of 36 years and has three grown sons, all of whom she enjoys visiting.
Sarah Miller is the Director of Jewish Life at Lerner. She has a BA in Near Eastern Studies from Cornell University, and a Masters in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. She has over ten years of teaching and administrative experience. Before arriving at Lerner, she was on the faculty at Solomon Schechter Day School in St. Louis, MO, and served as the Director of Judaic and Hebrew Studies/Middle School Principal at the Austin Jewish Academy in Texas. Sarah proudly represents Lerner within the National Community Day School network as a participant in project SuLaM and as a member of the Jewish Educators Assembly. She lives in Chapel Hill with her two year old son Miles and her parents.
Ofra Sheetrit is the Director of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. She is a graduate of David Yellin College in Jerusalem, Israel, majoring in Hebrew as a Second Language and Preschool Education. Ofra has over twenty years of teaching experience both in the US and Israel. At Lerner, Ofra taught Hebrew and Judaic Studies for four years before becoming the program’s Director. In addition to supervising the program, Ofra is currently teaching 1st Grade Judaic Studies. She has three children: Lee who attends UNC-Charlotte, Aviv who attends UNC-Chapel Hill, and Noam who is in 9th grade. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, and of course, teaching at Lerner!
Susan Springer joins us this year as our new Director of Admissions. While this is a new position for Susan, she has worked closely with the admissions team for years as a volunteer and board member and has also been a substitute teacher. Prior to moving here in 2000, Susan worked in various capacities at a regional bank in Maryland, including strategic planning and commercial real estate lending, and as a fourth grade teacher at Germantown Elementary. Locally, Susan has volunteered as an adult tutor, a past board president of the Durham Literacy Center, the co-chair for the Jewish Federation's annual Mitzvah Day for the past five years, and has served on numerous school and community committees. She holds a BS degree from American University and an MA degree in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in Chapel Hill with her wonderful husband and two girls: Madison, a recent Lerner graduate, and April, a rising fourth grader. Susan is looking forward to working with Lerner's top notch faculty, staff and students!
Elizabeth Takla is our Business and Facilities Manager. She is a graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. This is Elizabeth’s fifth year at Lerner, and she enjoys being a part of the warm Lerner School community. She lives in North Durham with her husband, new kittens, and flock of hens. Elizabeth enjoys cooking, gardening, and speaking French.
Autumn Venuti is the Administrative Assistant in the Business Office. This is her first year at Lerner and she is looking forward to getting involved and is excited to interact with the students, families and volunteers. Autumn moved to North Carolina in 2007 and has enjoyed getting to know the community and loves the many friendly people. Autumn lives in Cary with her six year old daughter, Amelia. Together they love to cook, read, and play games.
Simone Soltan is the Director Emeritus of the Lerner School. In 1995, along with a dedicated group of parents, Simone officially opened the Jewish Community Day School of Durham Chapel Hill, now the Lerner School, with one class of 13 students housed in the Judea Reform Congregation building . She developed curriculum for both Judaic and general studies began the Library collection, ordered books and equipment, hired staff, and established the philosophy of the school , later called "One Child at a Time.” Over the next five years Simone led a successful capital campaign to build Lerner’s beautiful new campus, created a preschool program for children ages 3 and 4, and developed programming to complete the full range of classes from Preschool to Fifth Grade. By the time Simone retired in 2004 enrollment had grown to over 90 students, and the Lerner staff had grown from 3 to 30 teachers and staff, which included art, music, physical education, Hebrew, Judaic and classroom teachers. Simone has left a lasting legacy of love, caring and professionalism that still remain hallmarks of the educational experience at Lerner.