Expert Faculty and Staff and Incredible Role Models
"Levey teachers are so dedicated, caring, and kind. Their availability to parents is incredible. We love our partnership with each of them,"
--Current Parent
Jeffrey A. Tremblay
Head of School
B.A. English, Minor Communications, University of New Hampshire
M.ED. Elementary Education, University of New Hampshire
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Jeff chose to enter into education almost thirty years ago because he wanted to help children as he had been helped in his childhood by his baseball coach.
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As a teacher and now as an administrator, Jeff brings the same skill set to his students and faculty that his coach and teacher brought to him: a kind, listening ear, a caring mentor, a very positive forward-thinker, and a role model to look up to each day. After being in a self-contained classroom for several years first in New Hampshire public schools then in independent schools in Southern California, Jeff was asked to coordinate his school’s diversity committee. He found his true passion — affecting a larger community with sustained change for the greater good. That decision to spearhead such important work many years ago propelled him on his current professional path and journey to Levey Day School.
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Heading into his sixth year as Head of Levey Day School, Jeff is humbled, enthusiastic, and so very positive about the future of the school. He is thrilled to be in Portland, have his son attend the school, able to work with colleagues who care very deeply for their students, and work with parents as true and trusted partners.
Cantor Dr. Melissa Adleman
Director of Jewish Life and Learning
Hebrew Language and Jewish Studies Teacher
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Ph.D. Educational Studies from Lesley University with a doctoral certificate in Jewish educational leadership from Hebrew College. The aim of Cantor M’s research was to gauge the impact of women-centered, biblical commentaries on women's study groups, as well as the influence of female biblical heroines as role models for students in pluralistic learning environments.
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Cantor Dr. Melissa Adleman is excited to be Levey’s Director of Jewish Life and Learning. She plays an integral role in bringing Ruach (spiritual enthusiasm) to our Tefilah (worship) and to Levey’s holiday celebrations in alignment with Jewish values and for all walks of life.
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The aim of Cantor M’s research was to gauge the impact of women-centered, biblical commentaries on women's study groups, as well as the influence of female biblical heroines as role models for students in pluralistic learning environments. Cantor M. is an Ordained clergywoman who has served diverse learning environments for over thirty years, and she is adept at developing and implementing strategies for students with a wide array of learning styles. As Cantor M. explained during the interview process, “I am cognizant of the very real extent to which each stakeholder contributes to an atmosphere of unconditional tolerance in order to learn, to grow, and to be heard. #Everyone’sLevey!”
Debra R. Kanter
Lower School
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Teacher
B.A. Business Administration, Simmons College
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Debbie began teaching at Levey Day School in 1994. She creates a warm, nurturing, welcoming, and safe first exposure to school. By integrating secular and Judaica curricula, she takes each child from their own point of entry and creates a strong foundation for future learning. She loves the fact that Levey is not just a wonderful learning environment, but a close community of families. Her students travel the year together, celebrating the Jewish holidays and life cycle events. They form strong bonds and connections that last through the years. Debbie loves to keep in touch with many of her former students and very happily attends their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and graduations.
Sarah Greenberg
Lower School
Grade 1
B.A. Education and Child Study and B.A. Jewish Studies, Smith College
M.A. Elementary Education, Brandeis University
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Sarah has been teaching at Levey for several years. She grew up in Slingerlands, NY, a suburb of Albany. She completed her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Brandeis University in the Delet program, which prepares educators to teach in Jewish Day Schools. As part of her Master’s work, Sarah completed a year-long teaching placement in the 1st grade and Kindergarten at Lander Grinspoon Academy, in Northampton, MA. Before joining Levey, Sarah worked at Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston, working with 2nd and 3rd grades, as well as working in Schechter’s after-school program. Sarah has worked with children in many different capacities through teaching Hebrew school and Israeli dance, interning as an elementary art classroom assistant for grades K-5, and coaching swimming. Sarah spends summers in Israel teaching English to native Israelis.
Kimberly Berry
Lower School
Grades 2-3
B.S. Education, University of West Alabama
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Kim is an experienced and gifted teacher of over 20 years. She’s worked across grades in several states in both rural and urban settings, teaching in both public and private schools. Outside of the classroom Kim enjoys cooking with her youngest daughter. Kim’s oldest daughter is an artist working in Boston. She has always been inspired by the words of William Butler Yeats, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Kim’s biggest joy is to watch children become information seekers and lovers of learning.
John Curry
Upper School Teacher
STEM, Math
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B.A. Communications, Goucher College, Baltimore, Maryland
M.Ed., University of Southern Maine
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John grew up in Maine as the middle child between two sisters. He grew up in a
household that valued education. His parents are both college graduates and his dad, as a physician, studied long after his college years
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Shortly after leaving his job in insurance sales, John began substitute teaching and coaching. He quickly found a great passion for working with students and helping them learn all they can. As a long-term substitute in the Freeport school system at Mast Landing School, John has turned many heads of his administrators and colleagues with the way he teaches, engages children of all ages, and makes every student feel important. He loves math, STEM and technology and integrating these subjects in his class. John's goals at Levey is to make every child feel safe, comfortable, and happy. John grew up in athletics and currently coaches Lacrosse at Falmouth High School
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Lucy Knowlton
Upper School Teacher
English Language Arts and Humanities
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B.A. History and Focus on Gender & Women's Studies, and Teaching, Bowdoin College
University of Southern Maine’s Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) with a focus in Social Studies en route to an M.Ed.
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Lucy is excited to join the Levey community as well as to teach Humanities this year! She is a runner, baker, the roommate to a very skittish cat named Luna, and she uses she / her pronouns. While she grew up in a very small farm town in rural Maine, she's been very lucky to have taught, tutored, and coached in a variety of places since graduating from Bowdoin College in 2016. In addition to working in education, Lucy has been a baker, gelato scooper, cashier, and berry picker. She is all about conversation and collaboration, and especially loves connecting history and literature to issues in our modern lives.
Carly Johnson
Administrative Assistant to the Head of School and Visual Arts Specialist
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Communications and Art History, Suffolk University
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Carly is a native of York, Maine. She studied Art History and Communication at Suffolk University in Boston, MA before working in the world of hospitality as well as finance. Carly is an avid runner who is looking to tackle her next half marathon. Her other extracurricular interests include song writing, traveling and movies.
Sam Siewertsen
Movement and Dance Specialist
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ssiewertsen@leveydayschool.org
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B.A., Double Major: Dance and Holistic Health, Connecticut College
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Sam grew up in Westbrook, Maine where she began her dance training at Drouin Dance Center. After 16 years of dancing and competing, she continues to be involved as a faculty member and choreographer for the competition team. After graduating from The Maine Girls’ Academy, Sam’s love for dance led her to Connecticut College where she double majored in Dance and Holistic Health. Highlights from her dance journey include performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, presenting work at the American College Dance Association conference, and, most recently, attending Bates Dance Festival.
As she begins her new chapter, Sam desires to share her belief that dance can serve as a powerful vehicle of self-expression. Dance and movement can provide students with a voice in a way that words may not be able to. When not dancing, Sam enjoys spending time with her family, the beach, and taking weekend trips to NYC. Sam is so excited to be joining the Levey Day family!
Mario Roberge-Reyes
Physical Education Specialist
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mrobergereyes@leveydayschool.org
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Nursing program, Southern Maine Community College
Mario Roberge-Reyes is very excited to join the Levey Day family! Mario has spent much of his life in the Portland community, and can’t wait to expand his connections and share his passion for movement and teaching. Mario spent some time in Cusco, Peru teaching local Pre-K through middle school students english as a second language.
He believes exercise should be rooted in exploration and play, preferably in nature and with friends. His extensive experience with acting and passion for dance will hopefully be a welcomed addition to the P.E. classroom, and maybe he can find some time to teach the children a few of his ultimate frisbee moves!
Russell Kaback
Music specialist
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B.A. in Studio Art, Clark University, Worcester, MA
M.S. in Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Russell is a songwriter and performer who has lived in the Portland area since 2015. He grew up in Montreal and went to Talmud Torah school, where he learned Hebrew, French and English in equal parts. He is a certified elementary school teacher, and has taught music in K-12 settings since 2004, including in the School District of Philadelphia, and at Lander-Grinspoon Academy in Northampton, MA.
Russell loves Jewish music, language and heritage. He works in his home music and recording studio, performs live, records his songs, and is involved in all things musical. His solo musical story, based on his grandfather’s life during the Holocaust, debuted in 2023 and has been performed in schools and public venues. Russell is also into Ayurveda, dance and learning new things!
Sherri Quint
Accountant
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Originally from Northern Maine, Sherri moved to the Portland area in 2009 to work for Temple Beth El. In addition to her duties as Controller at TBE, she is the Cemetery Director for Temple Beth El’s Memorial Park. She is also currently the Financial Director for Shaarey Tphiloh Synagogue, Bookkeeper for Hebrew Free Loan of Maine and the volunteer Treasurer and Managing Director of the Southern Maine Jewish Cemetery Association (SMJCA). Sherri has also been an active member of the Portland Chevra Kadisha since 2011 and is a licensed Funeral Attendant in the State of Maine. She was elected as Board Chair for the Jewish Cemetery Association of North America (JCANA) in July of 2020 and was appointed Vice Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals by the City of Westbrook in March of 2021.
Sherri currently lives in Westbrook with her Basenji, Pippin. In her spare time, she can be found roaming cemeteries throughout Maine enjoying the history and riding her Harley.
Erin Hickey
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher (Beginning Fall, 2024)
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B.A in Studio Arts from University of Southern Maine
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Erin enjoys instilling a passion for learning as well as an interest in discovery. She also
knows the importance of teaching empathy and compassion. She has a love for
teaching and enjoys incorporating the interests of the students she teaches in her
lessons. She truly treasures the bonds she forms with her students and their families.
Erin has 7 years of experience as a lead preschool teacher at the Casco Bay YMCA,
and is currently working towards her General Elementary Certification through the
University of Maine System. She worked as a substitute teacher for Village Elementary
School in Gorham Maine, and was the Early Learning Readiness Coordinator for the
Pineland YMCA in New Gloucester, Maine. Erin loves the arts, and spent a summer
interning in the Painting and Fabrication Department at the Smithsonian Office of Exhibit Central in Washington DC. She enjoys finding ways to incorporate her enthusiasm for art in the classroom.
When at home Erin enjoys nothing more the spending time with her family, and myriad of pets. She loves cooking, painting and being creative with her two girls. She greatly enjoys spending time in the outdoors; camping, hiking, swimming, gardening and just appreciating the vast treasures of nature.
Abby Halpern
Jewish Studies and Hebrew Language Teacher (Beginning Fall, 2024)​
ahalpern@leveydayschool.org​
M.A. in Judaic Studies with a Concentration in Education, Siegal College of Judaic Studies, Cleveland, OH
B.A. in Jewish Art, Jewish Theological Seminary of America; B.A. in Art History and Visual Arts, Columbia University
Morah Abby has a passion for Jewish life and learning developed over twenty years in Jewish education. She specializes in experiential learning, Hebrew language, and the integration of Jewish learning into a variety of curricular areas. Her experience encompasses classroom teaching at a Jewish day school in Cleveland, planning family programs for synagogues and schools, and teaching in various after-school Judaics and Hebrew contexts. She lived in Haifa, Israel for a year and a half before moving to Maine, where she was most recently the Director of the Kadima Beth El Religious School at Temple Beth El. Outside the classroom, Morah Abby likes to sing, dance, lead Shabbat services, and dream up fun projects to do with her kids.
Morah Abby is a strong believer in the human rights of children as expressed by activist Janusz Korczak: “Children are not the people of tomorrow, but people today….They have a right to be treated by adults with tenderness and respect, as equals. They should be allowed to grow into whoever they were meant to be. The unknown person inside each of them is the hope for the future.”