Heilicher Jewish Day School

Lisa Bottolene, Grade 5 General Studies Teacher (BS in Elementary Ed., St. Cloud State Univ, MA in Teaching and Learning, St. Mary’s Univ.), is beginning her seventh full year as a teacher at the Day School. She is very excited about her new role. Lisa is married to Scott, and has three children; Ava (3), Vincent and Florence (1). In her free time, Lisa enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing games, taking her dogs for walks, watching sporting events, and spending time at her parents' lake home. Lisa loves learning, and is always looking for ways to improve her teaching. Lisa is also the HMJDS Diversity Coordinator. Something interesting about Lisa? She and her husband went to high school together, but did not date until 10 years later. Lisa looks forward to growing and changing with the school over the upcoming years.

Tim Broms, Grades 6, 7, & 8 Math and Grade 7 Science Teacher (BS in business, Univ. of Minn.), made a career transition before joining the Day School faculty in 2007, having worked in the business world for 25 years where—in addition to running his own three businesses—he worked in adult education. Tim travels extensively and recently participated in a mission to Africa in which he helped to build a grade school. He collects elephants (not live) and has a passion for traveling and cooking. He and his wife live

in Plymouth; they have two grown children.

Jenna Budda, Grade 5 General Studies Teacher (BS in Elementary Education, minor in English, Univ. of Wisc.), will be in her fourth year on the fifth grade team and is excited for the opportunity to share her classroom this year. Prior to joining the HMJDS community Jenna taught sixth grade in Chicago at the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School for four years, with a specific focus in middle school language arts. Prior to working in the Jewish Day School she taught in an inner city Chicago school. Currently Jenna lives in St. Louis Park with her husband and daughter Peyton, who will be one in September. Jenna enjoys spending time with her family, reading and doing just about anything that will allow her to spend time outdoors. When she is indoors Jenna loves to cook and attempt new recipes, as well visit as many new and interesting restaurants as possible. She serves as Athletic Coordinator for intramural sports programming and as the Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator.

Sean Herstein, Grades 5 & 6 Judaic Studies Teacher See Grade 3-4 Team for complete biography.

Mollie Karon, Grade 5 General Studies Teacher(BS in Elementary Education, minor in health education, Univ. Wisconsin-Madison), is starting her third year on the fifth grade team. She is looking forward to creating a welcoming environment within her classroom. She previously taught a 4th and 5th grade resource class at Shabonee Elementary in Northbrook, Illinois. When she is not at school, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching sports, attending dance and yoga classes, cooking, and running or walking around Lake Calhoun as often as the Minneapolis weather will permit.

Beverly Moore, Grade 6 General Studies Teacher (BA in Literature, minor in Biology/Mathematics, Franklin Pierce College, New Hampshire; MA in Literature, Western Ill. Univ.; MA in Gifted Ed., Univ. of St. Thomas; coursework towards MA in Judaic Studies, Gratz College), begins her seventh year at the Day School. Bev has been actively involved in Jewish education in the Twin Cities for the last 23 years, written curriculum, and taught grades K-12. She has also been involved with Minneapolis Federation Education Bridge for the last seven years. Bev serves as the Head of the Science Department for the Day School. Additionally, Bev runs the High Holiday education program for grades K-12 at Beth Jacob Synagogue. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Marv, and their two Basset Hounds (Porthos and Penelope). Her hobbies are reading, traveling, astronomy, swimming, jazz, and movies. She also collects turtles.

Maia Poling, Grade 5 General Studies Teacher (BA in Communications, University of San Francisco; MA in Teaching, Lewis and Clark College-Portland, OR), brings a wide range of teaching experiences from Kindergarten through eighth grade. She has developed inter-disciplinary units while teaching migrant students and public school students in Portland. She has had a variety of teaching assignments at the San Francisco Day School which have included serving as an advisor for seventh and eighth graders and developing curriculum for this advising program. She has also been Director of the Day School Summerbridge program, providing enrichment opportunities for fifth and sixth graders.

Lynn Slobodien, Grade 6 General Studies Teacher (BS in History, Wesleyan University; MA in Education, UCLA), participated in seminars at the Bay Area Writing Collaborative and studied strategies for teaching writing to middle school students across the curriculum at the Bard Institute for Writing and Thinking. A course in teaching the Hebrew Bible used traditional Jewish study methods to understand Biblical passages and expand her strategies for helping students deepen their textual interpretations. Lynn’s extensive teaching experience at the Urban School of San Francisco, Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, and Sequoyah School has been at both the middle and high school levels.

Christine Yussen, Sixth Grade General Studies and Resource Teacher (MAEd in Elementary Education, Univ. of Minn., BS in Foundations of Education, Univ. of Minn.), is beginning her fifth year at the Day School. Previously she has worked nearby in the Hopkins Public School District for four years. In Hopkins schools, Christine worked with special needs children as a learning resource teacher, reading tutor, and long-term substitute in first grade and ELL. She enjoys seeing students progress through the personalized, small-group learning opportunities the Day School provides. Christine is particularly excited for this year as she will assume the new challenge of being a sixth grade homeroom teacher. This is Christine’s third year as General Studies Curriculum Coordinator, and serving as a member of the Leadership Team. Christine is a native of the Twin Cities and enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing the trombone, being active around the city lakes, gardening, and traveling.