Bios

=Biographies= Monte Joffee is the lead author of this proposal. He was a co-founder of The Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights, NY ([|www.renaissancecharter.org]) and served as its principal for 14 years. He earned a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Active in both the small school and charter school movements, he has been active in mentoring numerous new school leaders. Dr. Joffee served as an adjunct instructor at the College of Saint Rose; his students from a course in educational issues are the co-authors of this proposal.

Theresa Costello is a special education teacher in an elementary school in Long Island City, New York. She recently completed her Masters in School Administration, preceded by her Masters in Special Education. For years, she worked at summer camps in Esopus, NY for children with developmental disabilities, deafness, and HIV/AIDS. She spent this July volunteering with the indigenous Otomi women and children in San Ildefonso, Mexico.

Hollis Dannaham has spent 20 plus years working with at-risk and special needs students in a variety of capacities. Her most recent work has been as the Director of Academic Intervention at Explore Charter School in New York City. Her work there provided special education services for 65 students and at-risk intervention services for 200 students. She passionately believes in leveling the playing field for students with disabilities. She has recently left New York City and will be teaching reading to 1st and 2nd graders in a rural community.

Karla L. Chiluiza graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics and a master’s degree in mathematics education. Ms. Chiluiza was a founding math teacher and Dean of Studies at the Eagle Academy for Young Men, an all-male public high school in the South Bronx. Currently, she teaches calculus at PACE High School and is pursuing a graduate program in economics and education at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Eva Sievert is a founding teacher at Manhattan Bridges High School, a small public bilingual Spanish/English in New York City. She has taught ESL to students of all ages from Kindergartners to adults, in both public and private schools, both in New York City and in Mexico. While most of her teaching experience is with Spanish-speakers, she has worked with students from a variety of language backgrounds. Ms. Sievert is dedicated to helping students achieve academically in English while continuing to develop their native language skills. Nicholas Tishuk is Director of Programs and Accountability at The Renaissance Charter School. As an English teacher and educator in Brooklyn and Queens for the last six years, Nicholas is interested in developing pedagogy based on social justice, critical thinking, and creative programs that spark authentic learning in students. He is currently developing curriculum around wikis, on-line collaborative leaning communities that function as a digital analogue to real-life classroom focusing on interdisciplinary, constructivist pedagogies.