Akiba friends and family,
I have great news to share about bringing new, bright and energized educators into the Akiba community. We welcome several new Akiba team members this fall, and are excited at this opportunity for growth and strengthening of our school.
Learn more about our new faculty pictured above, from left:
Alejandra Guzman - Middle School Math Teacher and Learner Support Specialist
Alejandra has spent the past seven years teaching in Shanghai, China. In addition to providing math instruction, she evaluated students for math, science, language and literature skills. She developed individualized study programs based on students' needs. She also has 12 years experience in international trade negotiation. Alejandra holds a master's degree in business and economics.
Keith Johnson - Middle School Social Studies Teacher
Keith brings to Akiba more than 10 years experience teaching at the Village School in Pacific Palisades, CA. A humanities and history buff, he wrote and directed plays at the Village School and led yearly student trips to Boston and Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from California Lutheran University.
Lekisha Le Blanc - Middle School Science Teacher
Lekisha is a longtime science and math educator who has taught at Parish Episcopal School and Fusion Academy Dallas. She has dynamic leadership experience, having served as dean of students and founding principal at other academic institutions. She holds a master's degree in general education from Loyola Marymount University.
Melinda Williamson - 3rd Grade General Studies
Melinda is a passionate educator who not only brings with her teaching experience from St. Monica Catholic School in Dallas, but real-world expertise gained as a product designer for companies like Ericsson and Rubbermaid. She holds a master's degree in education from SMU.
Lyn Meltzer - Kindergarten Judaic Assistant
Lyn is a beloved Akiba substitute teacher and private speech therapist who will now make her love for teaching a full-time pursuit. She holds a bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Not pictured:
Syma Guttman - Mechina Teacher
Syma brings years of experience teaching at well-respected schools like Mesorah High School for Girls and Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy. She spent several years as a youth group director and volunteering with Yachad. Syma holds a master's degree in Jewish elementary education from Yeshiva University.
Rabbi Shmuel Lipskier - 5th Grade Judaic Studies
Shmuel's pursuit of religious studies took him from New Jersey to Australia to the U.K. while he pursued degrees at Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester, the Rabbinical College of America and Yeshiva Machon Chaim. Fluent in both Hebrew and Yiddish, he led a bar mitzvah club for teens and was a club leader for students at a public school in New York.
Avia Trachtingot - 2nd Grade Judaic Studies
Avia, a native of Israel and fluent Hebrew speaker, has undergone intensive training in iTaLAM, a digital blended learning environment based on the successful TaL AM Hebrew language and Jewish heritage curriculum. She also spent more than 10 years creating, developing and leading projects in academia for institutions like Bar Ilan University. She holds a master's degree in political science, journalism and public communication from Bar Ilan University.
Please join me in welcoming our new faculty and staff.
