Meet Our Educators

Stacey Shulman

Director of Early Childhood Education

Stacey Shulman has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching for over 20 years. She is delighted to be the Preschool Administrator supporting the children, families, and staff.  Stacey has a passion for early childhood education. Stacey is married with three children and currently resides in Natick.

Holly Darides

Preschool Assistant Director

Holly Darides grew up in beautiful Vermont and attended college there as well. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and is EEC certified. Holly has called Massachusetts her home since 1997. She taught in a variety of educational settings for many, many years and has created beautiful memories.

Holly stepped into the role of Assistant Director in 2024 and enjoys working closely with our special Temple Emanuel Preschool community of little learners, amazing educators and families.

Holly likes spending time with her special family and friends, barbecuing, listening to music, taking walks, being in nature and especially photographing flowers and other nature items.

Talia Aviksis

Toddlers

Talia Aviksis is excited to return to Temple Emanuel Preschool.  She previously worked at the JCC for 8 years as a toddler and Hebrew teacher. Talia worked at Camp Grossman as the Jewlery Specialist in the summer of 2021.   She loves working with children and sharing her passion for her culture and unique personalities through her teachings.  Before Talia moved to the United States, she worked in grades 1-6 IDF (Israeli Army).  Talia earned her Infant/Toddler/Preschool certificate through MassBay Community College and continues to further her career by taking child development classes.

Dorothy Cohen

Toddlers

Dorothy Cohen has a bachelor’s degree in Art History and a Masters in Elementary Education from Lesley University. This is her third-year teaching at the Temple Emanuel Preschool.  Dorothy is a lead teacher with over 10 years of experience teaching in the classroom. She has a passion for working with toddlers and she believes it is such an important age and stage to build a bond with children while helping them grow and develop.

Ilana Dresdner

Toddlers

Ilana Dresdner has a Bachelors degree in Art History from New York University and Masters degrees in Museum Studies from the University of St Andrew’s in Scotland and Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She is currently working toward her EEC lead teacher certification. She loves art, reading, and languages. She comes from a family of Klezmer musicians and is happy to share klezmer and Jewish culture with the next generation. She also ran a summer camp with them in New York until they moved to Maine. She is delighted to get to know all of the children and toddlers and help them grow. Ilana currently lives in Medford.

Razan Houmani

Toddlers

Hello, I’m Razan, a 24-year-old with a passion for education and a background in Biochemistry. Born in Kuwait City and raised in Beirut, Lebanon where I received my early education. I earned my Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from LIU Lebanon. I am a dedicated educator with a strong background in Science and Mathematics and a passion for early childhood education. I hold an EEC Professional certificate, which I earned in 2023, and am currently pursuing a Master of Education (MEd) with a focus on math teaching at Framingham State University. As a teacher at Temple Emanuel Preschool, I find joy in fostering a positive environment for toddlers to grow. I play a crucial role in shaping the early educational experiences of toddlers. My responsibilities involve creating a nurturing and engaging environment, implementing age-appropriate educational activities, and fostering the social and cognitive development of the children. I find fulfillment in contributing to their growth and creating a positive foundation for their future learning endeavors. Beyond education, I immerse myself in various hobbies that bring joy. Art is my personal passion, allowing me to express creativity. Hiking, and my love for music, holds a special place in my heart, and I enjoy listing to diverse genres, coupled with a penchant for dancing.

Kim Proulx

Toddlers

Kim Proulx has been in the field of early childhood education for over twenty-five years, working primarily with toddlers for many of those years. She has an associate degree in ECE from the University of Maine, Farmington. A recent addition to Temple Emanuel, Kim is excited to become a part of the welcoming environment and to support each child through many toddlerhood adventures. She lives in Chelmsford with her husband, Brian and teenage daughter, Alex.  

Penina Scharf

Toddlers

Penina Scharf joined Temple Emanuel Preschool in 2013.  She brings a love of Judaism and an enthusiasm for helping children to blossom to grow.  She enjoys guiding children as they strive to be independent learners and to accomplish new milestones. Penina has a BA from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago. She lives in Newton with her husband and three children.

Marissa Silberstein

Toddlers/ Floater

Marissa has been teaching at Temple Emanuel Preschool for the past six years. She has absolutely loved her time here! Marissa is part of an amazing staff that feel like family and the Temple Community is very warm and welcoming! The families are very special, and it is so joyful to see them walking down the hall with their children who are so excited to come to school every day! Temple Emanuel Preschool is a warm and welcoming home away from home!

Zosh Simonson

Floater

Zosh Simonson earned his B.A. in Judaic Studies from University of Hartford in CT. Zosh has been part of the Temple Emanuel community since 2017. He recently came back to join the preschool staff after briefly teaching third and fourth graders at the Rashi school in Dedham. He grew up in Sharon, MA and now lives in Newton. In his free time, he enjoys bowling, hiking, puzzles, board games, and playing with his cats.

Bonne Boodman

Preschool

Boone is a wife to Bobby and mother to two wonderful children, Kimberly and Brian, and a grandchild named Isabella. She also cares for a dog named Teddy and a parrot named Geddy.

She initially pursued a career in the medical field. However, life took a wonderful turn when she substituted in her child’s classroom. That experience ignited a passion that she hadn’t anticipated. Bonne realized how much she loved working in education and especially the joy of working with young children. This revelation helped her make a significant decision: to return to school and pursue a career in early childhood education.

Over the past 35 years, she has dedicated herself to teaching 3 and 4-year-olds. Her philosophy as an educator is centered on promoting good self-esteem, fostering strong social skills, and nurturing a love for learning. Each day in the classroom is an opportunity to inspire and guide young learners as they begin their education journey.

In addition to her teaching career, Bonne finds joy in various hobbies. These include painting, sewing, scrapbooking, making jewelry, and baking. Learning piano has enabled her to play children’s songs in the classroom. These creative outlets provide a fulfilling balance to her professional life and allow her to express herself in different and exciting ways.

As she reflect on my journey, she is filled with gratitude for the opportunities that she has had working with the incredible and supportive staff at Temple Emanuel Preschool. She looks forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of young children.

Denise Drago

Preschool

Denise is a Pre-K and music teacher at our school. Before coming to Temple Emanuel, she spent 10 years as a preschool teacher at The Suzuki Preschool of Newton. She graduated with a MFA in Theater from The New School University, and has been directing children’s theater, performing and teaching in early education classrooms ever since.

Denise has a true passion for working with our youngest learners. Nurturing and helping each child progress in all areas of development, especially with their social and creative skills in a warm, fun, positive, environment is what she strives to achieve.

Keisha Leslie

Preschool

Keisha Leslie was born in Belize but grew up in Framingham, MA. Sheis a proud mommy to 2 beautiful children Gabriel, 9 years old and Nalah 5. In her free time, she enjoys decorating, painting and doing anything with interior design. Keisha and her husband enjoy comedy shows. Keisha has been a preschool teacher for over 12 years. Working with children is her passion. Knowing that the role of the educator plays a huge part in a child’s life is a driving force to be the best each day. Cultivating a space full of fun, love, and excitement to encourage learning is a goal. Keisha is full of energy, ready to meet your children and learn all about their personalities.

Amber Martel

Preschool

Amber Martel has had a passion for working with our youngest learners since her own school days. With over 20 years of experience with Infants, Toddlers, and Pre-K students – both in the classroom and home settings, she is excited to join the Temple Emanuel Preschool as a Pre-K and Extended Day teacher! 

Amber loves teaching new skills through sensory exploration and play. She is a life-long learner and continues to take courses in child development to enhance her classroom experiences for her students.

Tanya Ospovat

Preschool

Tanya was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she pursued her education in special education and speech and language pathology. After completing her Masters degree, she moved to Israel where she furthered her expertise as an educational counselor. Twenty-four years ago, she relocated to the USA, where she’s dedicated her career to working in various educational settings, including preschools and elementary schools. Her passion lies in contributing to children’s growth and witnessing their progress which brings her immense joy. Lev S. Vygotsky said: “What a child can do today with assistance, she will be able to do by herself tomorrow.” Tanya sees her role as an educator in supporting learners to master each piece and the whole.

She enjoys traveling, reading, cooking different cuisines, and spending time with her family. Exploring new places and trying new dishes bring her happiness. She also likes to relax with a good book and cherish moments with her loved ones.

Beth Glick

Social Worker

Beth Glick is a clinical social worker and previously worked in the Lexington Public Schools as a school social worker and assistant principal. Beth enjoys spending time in the classrooms talking with the children about social-emotional topics. She is also a musician and integrates music into her teaching as she sings with the children about kindness, feelings and other topics. Over the past couple of years, Beth has led a monthly parenting group at TEP and has been honored to get to know the TEP parents. She is the proud mother of two grown daughters and enjoys spending time with family and friends, being in nature and reading.