Nikki Nudelman
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hen Nikki and her husband, Harry Nudelman, were looking at schools for their daughters, Park’s motto “simplicity and sincerity” struck a chord. “It’s very similar to values that I was taught at the Elizabeth Morrow School in Englewood, New Jersey,” Nikki explains. “The 4 C’s — cooperation, consideration, compassion, and courtesy — were an integral part of that curriculum and I still hold those values in the highest regard. Walking through the halls of Park I know those values are woven into the fabric of our children’s school too, and it makes me proud to be a part of this community. Park emphasizes the importance of respecting the needs and feelings of others which will help take our children on their journey through life.” After attending elementary school in New Jersey, Nikki graduated from the Horace Mann School in New York. She studied international relations at Lehigh University, and then returned to Manhattan to earn her MPA in public and non-profit management from New York University. Nikki was able to combine her academic interests as a fundraiser for several Jewish organizations, traveling with donors to Poland, Cuba, Jordan, the former Soviet Union, Israel, Eastern Europe, and Ethiopia. “The highlight of my career at both the Museum of Jewish Heritage and UJA-Federation of New York was being able to provide people the opportunity to learn about and give to causes that were meaningful to them.” Nikki met Harry Nudelman while living in New York and subsequently moved to Boston where they settled in the Back Bay and now make a home with their daughters Samantha (Grade II) and Rachel (Grade I). Since
becoming a Park School parent in 2012, Nikki has been an active volunteer — serving on the PA Community Service Committee, helping at Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day, organizing the prize table at Springfest, and giving tours to prospective parents. In addition to serving on the Park School Board, Nikki sits on the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children Advisory Board (MGHFC), the Storybook Ball Committee (MGHFC), is an overseer at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), is a member of the ICA Education Committee, and is a former board member of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston. “I feel honored to have been chosen to serve on the Board at Park,” Nikki says, “and hope I can help emulate the values and good work of others that have created the traditions, academic excellence, and compassion for life that Park stands for.”
Emily Lubin Woods
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mily brings extensive knowledge of schools from years as a teacher and a trainer of teachers. She began her teaching career at the Fessenden School in 1997 and joined the Boston Public Schools in 2004 as a seventh grade English teacher in Roxbury. She then went on to participate in the pilot study of a New Teacher Development program and helped launch and ultimately scale the program district-wide. As a senior co-trainer, she designed and facilitated professional development for principals and teachers of all levels, specializing in differentiated instruction, analyzing student work to address the needs of students with disabilities, and instructional mentoring for novice teachers. She currently
The Park Bulletin | Fall 2014
spends the bulk of her professional time assisting non-profit organizations with strategic thinking and planning professional development around teacher leadership and teacher induction in high-need school systems. Emily holds a master’s from Boston University’s School of Education and earned her AB in French with a concentration in music at Bowdoin College, where she was a two-sport varsity captain. An active and loyal alumna of The Winsor School, Emily serves on Winsor’s Board of Trustees as well as on the advisory board of Teach Plus. She lives in Boston with her husband, Greg, and their three daughters, Millie (Grade I), Lizzie, (Pre-K), and Gracie. Emily gives Park high marks when it comes to differentiated instruction. When the Woods were considering schools for their daughters, Emily probed Merle Jacobs, director of admission, on the subject. “Merle showed a deep understanding of the ways in which teachers were working in the classroom to meet the needs of diverse learners, as well as the ways in which Park was supporting its teachers’ professional development,” Emily recalls. “It was a great example of Park’s abiding commitment to both its students and teachers. That commitment cinched Park as the right school for our family and will inspire and guide me as a new member of the Board.”
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