Hillel Academy of Broome County

SPANISH:  JENNIFER COPPOLA (Profe Jenn) teaches Spanish. 

I was  born and raised in Endicott, NY.  My father moved here from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily when he was nine years old and my mother was born and raised in Owego, NY.  Since I had such deep Italian roots I wanted to learn as much as I could about the country and learn the language.  My grandmother taught me to speak a little and I could understand most when spoken to.  She then took my sister and I on a trip to see our extended family in Sicily the summer before my senior year.  The high school I attended did not offer Italian therefore I took the closest to the language, Spanish.  From then on I fell in love with the language and the culture.  I took as many classes as I could in high school and I majored in it my first four years at Cortland.  I pursued my dream of returning to Europe when I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain for a semester the fall of 2002.  I also studied abroad in Cuernavaca, Mexico during the winter session of 2003.  While in Spain I volunteered to teach English at an after school program to 4th and 5th graders, and this is where I fell in love with teaching.  I began teaching Spanish to two different private schools in my area, Hillel Academy and The Susquehanna School at South Bridge.  I taught ages 3-16; from preschool to Spanish III.  I realized that my passion was to teach elementary school, I graduated from SUNY Cortland’s Masters of Science in Teaching program in May of 2011.  I had the privilege of student teaching with Coreen Sines at Hillel Academy, and have since happily rejoined the Hillel faculty teaching Spanish. 

You can also find her professional webfolio at this address: https://www.taskstream.com/TS/smith1568/JenniferCSmithsWebPortfolio.html

The Hillel Spanish website at this address: https://www.taskstream.com/ts/smith1568/SpanishatHillelAcademy.html

MUSIC:  STEPHANIE BARNER is the new general music teacher at Hillel Academy. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and her Master of Arts in Musicology from The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University. Her main instrument during college years was saxophone, and she participated in ensembles such as Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Suspended Element Quartet during her time at Crane. Stephanie has had the pleasure of studying saxophone with April Lucas, Professor of Saxophone at Binghamton University; Patrick Murphy, Visiting Instructor of Saxophone at the Crane School of Music; and Christopher Creviston, Professor of Saxophone at the Crane School of Music. Performances include New York State All-County Festival, New York State Conference All-State Festival, Single Reed Summit at the Crane School of Music, Binghamton University Saxophone Quartet, Binghamton University Summer Youth Music Festival, and S.R.O Productions of Binghamton, New York.

Ganeinu:   Christy Williams

I teach the Ganeinu class at Hillel Academy. I graduated from Cortland with a Bachelor's degree in Childhood Education. In May 2011, I completed my Master's degree in Special Education.  I love working with children, and I feel the most fulfillment when I am teaching.
I bring plenty of enthusiasm into my teaching. I want my students to enjoy themselves while they are learning. I want them to feel safe and to feel special. I feel that each child has something to teach and to share with others. Planned instructional activities should incorporate the students' experiences, background knowledge and interests.

SOCIAL STUDIES:   Michael Hoose, 8th grade Social Studies (Regents Global History I) & Technology Coordinator

Michael joined Hillel Academy in November, 2007. Prior to coming to Hillel, Michael worked in public schools teaching social studies and elementary classes.  Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, and Master of Arts from SUNY Empire State College, and has completed post graduate study at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.  He is New York certified in social studies 7-12, elementary nursery to 6, and as a school administrator.  Michael also has a great love for computers going back to the days when he owned a Commodore 64, and the computer he uses now at home he built himself. A native of the area, Michael resides in Nichols with his wife Sandra and three sons, and has a daughter attending Brigham Young University.

JUDAISM: Judy Silber
Judy grew up in Rochester and then went to Brandeis University where she graduated with honors with a B.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.  She spent her junior year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. A year at Machon Gold in Jerusalem ended with exams in a shelter during the 6-Day War, but she got her teaching certificate and a life-long love for Israel.  After she married Rabbi Silber, they lived in a number of cities and she taught in the day school where he was the principal.   From kindergarten to 8th grade, she has worked with hundreds of children over the years. She has also taught Hebrew reading and conversation to adults.  This is her 12th year at Hillel Academy.