Academic Faculty

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	THE ACADEMIC FACULTY Roy O'Neill Principal Mr. O'Neill joined Ballet Tech in 2001 as a fifth grade teacher and was appointed Principal this year. Prior to his appointment as Principal, Mr. O'Neill took many leadership roles at Ballet Tech including membership on the School Leadership Team and Inquiry Team, and mentor teacher to new teachers. Upon completion of his B.A. in English Literature from UCLA, Mr. O'Neill completed his teaching certification program at California State University, Dominguez Hills. In 2003 Mr. O'Neill earned his M.S. in School Administration and Supervision from Mercy College. Mariana Fernandez Faculty - Spanish (Grades 4-8) Ms. Fernandez joined Ballet Tech in 2003. She has thirteen years of teaching experience. Prior to Ballet Tech she taught at FDR High School and Gregorio Luperon High School. Ms. Fernandez has a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish Education from Saint Thomas Aquinas College. She earned her masters in Learning Technology from Mercy College. Teaching is her passion! Michelle Lum Faculty - 5th Grade (501) Ms. Lum joined Ballet Tech this year. She studied Education and English Literature at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC. Upon completion of her B. Ed. she embarked on a journey to Japan where she taught English to middle school students. After 3 years and frequent travels to countries in Asia, her next teaching opportunity led her to New York City where she spent 7 years teaching at PS 154 in Harlem. While teaching 3rd graders, Ms. Lum received a scholarship from the Cosby Foundation to study learning differences at Fordham University. The following year she was appointed Academic Intervention Service teacher and worked primarily with struggling readers from Grades 2-5. She continued her studies at Fordham University and in 2007 received her M.S. Ed. in Literacy Education. Sean Nadel Faculty - 4th Grade (401) Mr. Nadel joined Ballet Tech this year. This is his fourth year teaching. He spent three years at PS 99 in Brooklyn, teaching two years of Spanish (Pre-K to 6th Grade) and one year teaching 5th Grade. In 2005, he received his B.A. in Spanish Studies from Fordham University. Mr. Nadel continued his studies at Fordham and received his M.S. Ed. in Curriculum and Teaching in 2006. Kerry Powers Faculty - Middle School Humanities Ms. Powers has been teaching New York City middle school students since 1997. She joined Ballet Tech as the middle school Humanities teacher in 2002. Ms. Powers holds a bachelor's degree from Seton Hall University and a master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. Throughout her tenure as teacher, Ms. Powers has strived to perfect her craft and inspire her students to explore their own stories, as well as the stories of others. She loves sharing her knowledge and curiosities about young adult and teen fiction, traveling the world, and the evolving idea of equal rights. In the summer of 2009 she studied in Turkey with a U.S. DOE Fulbright-Hays seminar award. Cari Sobolewsi Faculty - 5th Grade (502) Ms. Sobolewski joined Ballet Tech in 2007 as interim fourth grade teacher, after graduating from SUNY New Paltz. She spent the 2008-09 school year teaching fourth grade at PS 154 in Harlem, and is happy to be back at Ballet Tech teaching the fifth grade. She is excited to be part of the School Leadership Team this year. Ms. Sobolewski received her B.S. in Nutrition from Lehman College. Katie Yamasaki Faculty - Visual Art (Grades 4-8) Ms. Yamasaki joined Ballet Tech in 2000 as the Spanish teacher and Guidance Counselor. She received her M.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in 2003 and rejoined Ballet Tech's faculty that fall as art teacher. Ms. Yamasaki works closely with the entire academic staff to fully integrate the visual arts into their curriculum. Besides working as a teaching artist, she is a muralist, fine artist, and illustrator. She has had the great fortune to do murals and other art collaborations all around New York City, New Jersey, Detroit, Indiana, Tennessee, Mexico, Japan, Namibia, and Cuba. To see Ms. Yamasaki's work (and some of her Ballet Tech students' work) please visit katieyamasaki.com.