Leadership & Administration
Jesse Tobin
Director of Teaching & Learning Through my graduate studies I have discovered my true passion for developing and implementing curriculum in the early childhood years. I believe young children are naturally curious about the world around them. Developing inquiry skills early in life fosters children’s curiosity, understanding of the natural world, and their love of learning. My undergraduate degree is in Early Childhood Education from Boston University. After graduating, I spent three years as the lead teacher in the Early Childhood Learning Laboratory at BU and completed my masters in curriculum and teaching with a focus on science for young children. |
Savita Brewer
Learning Administrator After teaching at Temple Beth Shalom for several years, I returned as administrator. I am a graduate of Boston University with a double major in International Relations and Psychology. Before coming to TBS, I worked in various capacities for a number of small businesses in the area. Whether as a bookkeeper and administrator for Last Minute Productions and as a receptionist at a local pediatrician, I enjoy supporting the needs of a bustling office and bringing my organizational skills to the role. I love the way the Temple Beth Shalom community embraces the Jewish culture in the curriculum and I appreciate being part of a warm and welcoming community. |
Masha Silva
Curriculum Coach I am devoted to reaching each and every student and instilling in them a love for learning. I am passionate about designing age-appropriate lessons and activities that teach fundamental academic and social skills and I focus on developing strong relationships within the school community. I hold a masters from Northeastern University and a BS in Education from Necrasov University, St. Petersburg in Russia. I bring over 16 years of teaching experience. Before coming to Temple Beth Shalom, I taught toddlers at the Maimonides School in Brookline, preschoolers at Yal-Day-New in Brighton and pre-k children at A to Z Preschool in Needham. |
Sandy Gold
Curriculum Coach Having worked in educational settings across the lifespan, I strongly believe in the importance of early childhood education. I feel privileged to help foster a sense of wonder and curiosity, to lay the foundation for a love of reading, and to help instill a sense of self in young children. I can't think of anything more special that being able to do this work through a Jewish lens in partnership with families. I have a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from NYU and a Master's Degree in Special Education from Boston University. Previously, I have been the director of an early learning center and am adjunct faculty at both Framingham State University and Hebrew College. The majority of my teaching and professional development work focus on inclusion and best teaching practices. |
Ellen Dietrick
Senior Director of Learning and Engagement My work with young children has taught me that children are intrinsically motivated to learn and capable of much more than we sometimes assume. They are curious and filled with rich imaginations. At TBS, I am honored to have the chance to witness learning moments every day. I hold a masters in education from the University of Virginia and before arriving at TBS I spent ten years directing the early childhood program at Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, Virginia. I am also the author of the children's book It's Israel's Birthday, featuring preschoolers on an imaginary journey to Israel. I have been involved in several national Jewish early childhood projects including as Co-Founder of The Paradigm Project, on the board of the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, as a Jim Joseph Leading Educators Online Fellow, and as a mentor for the Jewish Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute. I am also a graduate of the Covenant-JECEI Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship and the Covenant Fellowship for Early Childhood Leadership. |
Lindsay Mangold
Leader of Adult Learning My name is Lindsay Mangold and I am so excited to join the TBS Children's Center community. After starting my career as a 3rd and 4th grade classroom teacher, then coaching teachers in classrooms K-5, I noticed that children as young as kindergarten already had clear beliefs about themselves and their abilities. We know through the study of child development that these beliefs begin taking shape at birth. For the past 4 years I have worked in partnership with EEC to coach teachers and directors in 38 early childhood centers across the state. The power of Early Education is undeniable. I believe in the responsibility that Early Education spaces have to provide an environment that affirms children's identities, develops their curiosity, and cultivates their joy. In order for this to happen for children, it must start with an environment that affirms the identity, develops the curiosity, and cultivates the joy of the adults. I can't wait to support the amazing leaders and educators at TBS to lead to the best possible outcomes for the children and families of TBS and beyond. |
Bri Phelan
Curriculum Coach Coming to TBS, I coached early educators in preschools across the state. Prior to that, I worked as a third grade ELA teacher for Teach for America in the Mississippi Delta, and then as a special education teacher and Language Based Learning Disability Program Lead at Match Community Day Charter School in Hyde Park, MA. In that role, I provided reading intervention to struggling readers, consulting with general education teachers on best literacy practices in the classroom, and coaching fellow special education teachers in the subject of reading intervention. I have a Master’s Degree in Special Education, Moderate Disabilities with a focus in Literacy and I come to Temple Beth Shalom with a long standing fire in my heart for early literacy education, |
