NOTABLE FACULTY & STAFF

Amy

BURNS

Conference Presenter

Presented at the NJAIS Innovation Conference in August at Peck. She presented about Canva to elementary educators.

GEMMA KEREMEDJIEV Associate Level Orton-Gillingham Academy Specialist

KRISSY COOMBS

2022 Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year for New Jersey Finalist

Adored Far Hills Country Day School educator Krissy Coombs was a finalist for the New Jersey Council for American Private Education (NJ CAPE) 2022 Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year for New Jersey.

Ms. Coombs is currently a Grade 3 teacher and team leader at Far Hills. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Williams College and her master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson, Ms. Coombs was a teaching apprentice at New Canaan Country School. She then came to Far Hills as a Preschool Assistant Teacher and never looked back. In addition to Preschool Assistant Teacher and Grade 3 Teacher and Team Leader, Ms. Coombs also worked at Far Hills as a Grade 1 Assistant Teacher and a Grade 1 Teacher and Team Leader.

Katie Foster

Met the Author of a Book Used in Our Curriculum

Over the summer, Upper School English Teacher Katie Foster went to an author’s talk at a local library on the Cape. Lauren Wolk is the author of the book Echo Mountain that Ms. Foster taught Grade 6 students last school year. The book was set during The Great Depression and Ms. Foster said, “Meeting and questioning an author helps us develop a better understanding of a text for both students and teachers alike.” Ms. Foster plans to incorporate another one of Lauren Wolk’s books into the curriculum this school year.

After two years of study that included 60 hours of coursework, a great deal of professional reading, and a 100-hour practicum tutoring a student diagnosed with dyslexia, the OrtonGillingham Academy has approved Gemma Keremedjiev’s application for Associate status. She will maintain her ongoing relationship with her mentor, OrtonGillingham Fellow Dr. Pledger Fedora.

LAUREN KELLY Technology with Purpose

STEAM Teacher Lauren Kelly attended the Innovation and Collaboration conference at Peck School this summer. The conference included exploring the Innovation and STEM Programs at Peck School. This was a great opportunity to gather ideas for revamping our STEAM (previously known as L&D and DLD) program. Ms. Kelly said, “Technology can be inserted with purpose into nearly every lesson, and collaboration is the key to innovation.”

Jen Wagar

Participated in “Prioritizing Relationships and Equity: Leveraging Student Ideas to Accelerate Learning”

This summer, Jen Wagar joined the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and completed the four-part webinar, “Prioritizing Relationships and Equity: Leveraging Student Ideas to Accelerate Learning.” During the webinar series, Mrs. Wagar learned how educators can accelerate learning for students when they develop classroom communities where students feel known and valued.

Far Hills Country Day School welcomed 12 new faculty and staff members to the team this fall.

Pictured are: (back row, left to right) Darryl Price, Facilities Technician; Sophia MoroDrabich, 1:1 Paraprofessional; Paige Kearnan, Grade 1 Teacher; Lauren Miska P'33, Lower School Learning Support Specialist; Philip Thornberry, Ph.D. P'27, Upper School Spanish Teacher; and Wendy Murphy, Preschool Orton-Gillingham Support Specialist, Preschool Teacher, and Team Leader; (front row, left to right) Eucabeth Williams P'29, Assistant Grade 1 Teacher; Phadadria Randall, LSW P'25, School Counselor and SEL Specialist; Allison Cirelli, Grade 2 Teacher; Lauren Kelly, STEAM Teacher; Kristi Thatcher P'23, Assistant Preschool Teacher; and Shane Gorman, Upper School Math Teacher.

Head of School Georgia S. Zaiser attended the installation ceremony for the new Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Head of School Jennifer Landis on Friday, September 30, 2022.

Pictured left to right: Julia Wall, Head of School at Stuart Country Day School, Liz Morrison, Head of School at Morristown Beard School, and a member of our Board of Trustees, Jennifer Galambos, Head of School at Kent Place School, Jennifer Landis, Head of School at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Julia de la Torre Head of School at Moorestown Friends School, Georgia S. Zaiser Head of School at Far Hills Country Day School, Amy Ziebarth Head of School at Far Brook School.