General Studies

Morah Judy (Co-Teacher, General Studies, Kindergarten)

Morah Judy is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Master of Arts program in Educational Studies with a certification in Elementary Education. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she did work toward a PhD in Children’s Acquisition of Culture. She was an instructor at Hampshire College and did a teaching practicum at the MacDowell Elementary School in the city of Detroit. Judy has been teaching at HDS since 2004

Morah Hadas (Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Kindergarten)

Hadas began in the Gan in March 2010.  Formally an attorney in Israel, she was chosen by the Israeli court system to teach children about citizenship, democracy, violence pervention and human rights.  She was also an instructor at Ben Gurion University in the area of law and legal affairs. Hadas is in Ann Arbor while her husband completes a post doctoral position at the University of Michigan.

Morah Debbie (Gan Co-Teacher, General Studies )

Morah Debbie began at HDS in 2009, teaching first grade. Prior to that, she was a kindergarten teacher in the West Hartford public school system, and at the Jewish Community Day School in Watertown, MA. Morah Debbie has a Master’s Degree in Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, with a focus in literacy. Her undergraduate degree is in Early Childhood Education from the University of Wisconsin where she also minored in Human Development and Family Studies. While in Hartford, Morah Debbie was the kindergarten team leader responsible for facilitating weekly meeting with colleagues.

Morah Eleanor (1st)

Morah Eleanor will be the first grade teacher beginning in early December 2010 when Morah Debbie leaves to have her baby. Morah Eleanor has been an elementary school teacher in the Van Buren school system for over 30 years where she was a lower elementary classroom teacher (first and second grade), a math teacher, a resource teacher, and a teacher of special education. In her many years at Van Buren, she has supervised student teachers, participated in a national study on early literacy, and been trained on multiple approaches to learning how to read and write. Morah Eleanor has undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from the University of Michigan.

Morah Leah (2nd)

Morah Leah has been at HDS since 2007, as an assistant in first and second grades and as a Curriculum Specialist. She also taught in the Saline Schools after-school program where she led art, math, and science activities for students in grades 1-8. Prior to coming to Ann Arbor, Morah Leah taught for Town School for Boys in San Francisco with a focus on life sciences for 5th and 6th grade. Morah Leah has a BA in Biology from Carleton College and teaching credentials from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at San Francisco State University.

Morah Eileen (3rd and 4th)

Morah Eileen came to HDS in 2000 with twenty years of experience in general elementary education, English as a Second Language, Judaics, Hebrew, and French. She also holds a Certificat d’Etudes Pratiques and a Certificat d’Etudes Françaises from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She obtained an Honors degree in French, as well as a post-graduate Degree in Education from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Morah Eileen has taught in Israel, Detroit, Rhode Island, and Boston.

Morah Carol (5th)

Morah Gannon obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Eastern Michigan University (’93) with a major in mathematics and a minor in science. She was a member of the Golden Key and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies and was on the Dean’s High Honor List. Morah Carol has worked as an instructor in mathematics at Washtenaw Community College.  She has been at HDS since 1996.

Moreh Aron (1st and 2nd)

Moreh Aron has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan (’82), a teaching certificate in elementary education from Eastern Michigan University (’90), and a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Marygrove College. Moreh Aron conducts seminars for elementary and preschool teachers on teaching Hebrew immersion. Moreh Aron has been teaching at HDS since 1990.

Morah Sharon (3rd and 5th)

Morah Sharon began at HDS in the fall of 2011.  She taught for four years at the Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School in Toronto, for grades 3, 4, and 6.  She also taught in afternoon religious schools, as a private tutor, and as the Bnai Mitzvah Coordinator for a Humanistic Temple.  Sharon is a graduate of York University where she received a B.A. in Education, a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in religious studies, and a specialized certificate in teaching Hebrew and Judaic Studies.  She did her teaching practicum in a Hebrew school, a day school, and a secular school.  Morah Sharon was born in Israel.

Morah Aaron (4th)

Morah Aaron began teaching full-time at HDS in 2011, after being a long-term substitute during the winter of 2011.  Moreh Aaron is studying Arabic and Political Studies in the Honors Program at the University of Michigan.  He received a fellowship in Foreign Language Studies and is participating in the University of Michigan's Arabic Flagship Program.  Aaron taught at Beth Israel Religious School, and was a senior counselor at Camp Ramah.  He lived in Israel for two years and is fluent in Hebrew. Aaron attended Jewish day schools in Chicago through high school.

Morah Bev (Hebrew Resource Assistant)

Morah Bev has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Science from the University of Michigan (’78) and attended a five-month Kibbutz Seminary program in childhood education. She lived in Israel for seven years. Before coming to HDS she worked for five years teaching Hebrew language, Hebrew songs and Israeli dancing to Jewish youth groups. After serving as a substitute for one semester in 1992, Morah Bev began working at HDS in the fall of 1995.

Fine Art, Music and Dance Education

Morah Deborah ( Fine Arts)

Morah Bev (Choral Music and Dance - biography above)

Morah Maria (String Instrumental Music)

Morah Maria began teaching at HDS in 2009. She is working on her PhD in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, which she expects to receive in 2011. Morah  Maria has a Masters in Violin from Bowling Green State University where she taught young students at the Bowling Green State summer string program. She has a BA in Violin from Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She attended a special high school of music in St. Petersburg.

Morah Debra ( Recorder and Klez Kids Band)

Morah Debra is a board certified Music Therapist (’03), a licensed Kindermusik educator (’03), and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Therapy summa cum laude from Eastern Michigan University (’03). She also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Math from Vassar College (’89), and a Masters of Science Degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin (’93). Morah Debra teaches music at a number of local schools and centers including the Jewish Community Center preschool, Creative Arts Therapies of Detroit, Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, and Building Bridges Therapy Center and Cross Bridge Academy in Plymouth. Morah Debra started teaching at HDS in 2007.

Library

Morah Janice

Morah Janice has a Masters of Education degree in Reading Instruction from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She worked as an elementary school teacher for 10 years in the Philadelphia area. Morah Janice began working at HDS in 2006.  Morah Janice is also the HDS resource teacher for math enrichment.

Technology and Computer Education

Morah Carol (biography above)

Physical Education

Morah Kim

Morah Kim received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreational Management and a Teaching Certificate from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, where she was  active in collegiate sports as a swimmer. She has worked at HDS since 2000 and has also taught at High Point School and Honey Creek Charter School in Ann Arbor. She is also a teacher at the Jewish Community Center’s Early Childhood Center, and is the waterfront director for Raanana Day Camp.

Resource Teachers and Learning Specialists

Morah Caroline (Resource Teacher)

Morah Caroline has been teaching in elementary schools since 1990. She has teaching certificates in elementary education from the states of Maryland and Michigan. Prior to moving to Ann Arbor, Morah Caroline was an elementary school teacher in Baltimore County, Maryland, where she taught second through the fifth grades. In Ann Arbor she taught at Eberwhite Elementary School as a long term substitute in a variety of positions, including third grade teacher, special education teacher, and resource teacher for all grades. Morah Caroline has a law degree from University of California, Hastings College of Law. Her undergraduate degree is from Brown University. Morah Caroline began at HDS in 2010.

Morah Andrea (School Psychologist)

Morah Andrea received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Princeton University (’79) and a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan (’90). She has a private practice in Ann Arbor, and formerly worked as a clinical staff psychologist at the Pediatric Brain Injury Day Treatment Program and at the Family and Law Program of the University of Michigan Medical Center. In her private practice, she serves as a consultant specializing in helping individuals, schools, communities and other organizations cope with crises and traumatic events. Morah Andrea started at HDS in 1997.

Morah Barbara (Special Education)

Morah Barbara began teaching at HDS in 2007. She came with over 30 years of experience working in the Ann Arbor public schools and area private schools as a language arts consultant assigned to Thurston, Eberwhite, Carpenter and Freeman. She was a classroom teacher at Northside and Logan schools, and a teacher consultant assigned to Burns Park, Mitchell, St. Francis, Dicken, and most recently Ann Arbor Open where she managed the special education program. She has worked extensively with teachers, parents, and directly with students in the classroom and in one-on-one sessions. Morah Barbara’s two sons attended Hebrew Day School in its early years, and Morah Barbara is a past-president of the school. Morah Barbara has a BS in Education from the University of Buffalo and a Masters in Education (’71) from Penn State in Developmental and Remedial Reading.

Morah Jennifer (Teacher Support, Core Standards)

Morah Jennifer joins our staff once again, this time in the role of teacher support in adoption and implementation of the common core academic standards. Her main job will be to help each teacher use the standards to further the educational excellence of the HDS academic program. Morah Jennifer has degrees in education from the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University. She is a recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt award for excellence in Jewish Education and was one of the HDS kindergarten teachers for 10 years from 1999 to 2009. In addition to her work at HDS, Morah Jennifer also teaches graduate classes for teachers and a system of professional learning called Collaborative Analysis of Student Learning. All of her three boys will be students at HDS this year.