Staff Bios

The word “Founding” means that the staff member was present when the school opened in September of 2006.

Administration

Mr. Bowen (Founding Principal) attended Brown University and majored in Art and Architectural Studies. He moved to New York as a member of Teach for America's corps. '93 and taught 4th grade in Harlem. While teaching he studied theater and eventually was a board member of the Harlem Theater Company and later started a theater company called "Rising Circle". Before becoming a principal, he was a teaching artist and Program Director for DreamYard. He has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in print making from City College, a Masters of Science in Education Administration and Supervision degree from Pace University and is a proud member of New Leaders for New Schools' cohort 5.
Email Mr. Bowen.

Ms. Roberts (Assistant Principal-In Residence-September 2008) received her Bachelors of Arts Degree from the College of New Rochelle in 2001. She returned to the College of New Rochelle to mentor and tutor adult learners in preparation for college entrance exams. Ms. Roberts also entered the business of real property management and founded a Bronx based Real Estate company before obtaining a Masters of Science Degree in Education from Mercy College. Ms Roberts has worked with students with disabilities at both the High School and the Middle School levels. She has successfully prepared adolescents to outperform their mainstreamed peers for both NY State and Portfolio based assessments. She believes that her success comes from the belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
Email Ms. Roberts

Ms. Wargo (Director of Arts Programming/Visual Arts Teacher - Founding Faculty) holds a B F A from Tyler School of Art and an M F.A. from Rutgers University. As a collaborating artist, she has designed sets, sewn costumes and created installations for dance and music performances. Her work has been widely exhibited across the United States, most recently at the Bronx River Art Center and Platform Gallery in Seattle. Ms. Wargo was recently accepted into Bank Street's Educational Leadership Program with a focus on School Leadership in the Arts where she will earn a Masters of Science in Education. Ms. Wargo also currently serves as the cheerleading coach for The Taft Educational Complex.
Email Ms. Wargo

Student Support Services

Ms. Grant (School Social Worker - Founding Faculty) is a licensed certified social worker with over seventeen years of experience. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Pace University and a Masters in Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work. Over the past seventeen years, Ms. Grant has worked with various organizations in different capacities including but not limited to Life Skills Coordinator, Independent Living Skills Coordinator, Family Consultant and Program Director. She has a wide range of experience in working with various populations however her expertise is in adolescent behavior.
Email Ms. Grant

Ms. Vasquez (Guidance Counselor/Dean of Character Development- Founding Faculty) was born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She was the Project Coordinator for the Girls Incorporated Latina Initiative, and worked at the Momentum AIDS Project and the Hispanic AIDS Forum Inc. She continues to serve People with AIDS (PWA) as a part-time Volunteer Site Coordinator. She is a co-founder of La Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. at New York University (NYU). Ms. Vasquez earned her Bachelors of Science at NYU in Metropolitan Studies & Sociology and her Masters of Science in Counseling & Guidance from the College of New Rochelle. Ms. Vasquez was accepted into the College of Saint Rose (CITE) Educational Leadership & Administration Program.
Email Ms. Vasquez

Mrs. Perkinson (Guidance Counselor - September 2007) has worked in the New York City school system for over 14 years, and primarily as a teacher and most recently as a high school counselor. In addition to working in a traditional school setting, She has past experience working with the Department of Juvenile Justice. Ms. Perkinson is both city and state licensed, and received her formal education from College of New Rochelle, CUNY, Mercy College and Columbia University. She is pleased to have this opportunity to work with the DY Prep staff, students and their families.
Email Mrs. Perkinson

Mr. Jouas (Dean/Physical Education Teacher - September 2007) is the Physical Education teacher as well as the Dean of Discipline here at DreamYard Prep. Sports and recreation have had a tremendous positive influence in his life. Through these positive experiences, it has helped lead him down the career path in becoming a Phys. Ed. Teacher. Now, as a Phys. Ed. Mr. Jouas can share the joys that he has experienced through sport.
Email Mr. Jouas

Ms. Martoral (Parent & Partnership Coordinator - August 2008) was raised in the Bronx. She has worked with the NYC Department of Education for 12 years with a background in Special Education. She has past experience as a Parent Coordinator at another school and has been a PC since the implementation of the position in 2003. She is a parent of a former DreamYard Project participant and a Laguardia H.S. of Performing Arts graduate. Her formal background is from CNR School of New Resources and is currently pursuing her baccalaureate in liberal arts. She is ecstatic about the opportunity to work with parents that support their children in pursuing their dreams.
Email Ms. Martoral

Ms. Villanueva (Dean/Physical Education Teacher - September 2008)

English Department

Ms. Chu (English Teacher - Founding Faculty) was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a student, she played piano and soccer. In college, Ms. Chu majored in English Literature. After college, Ms. Chu moved to New York and taught 8th grade English, Social Studies, and Science at PS 220 in the South Bronx.
Email Ms. Chu

Ms. Cronan (English Teacher - September 2008) grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She attended Princeton University where she majored in English. While at Princeton, Ms. Cronan also studied Visual Arts and History. Ms. Cronan recently
moved to New York City and is enrolled in Lehman College, where she is working towards her masters in education.
Email Ms. Cronan

Mr. Holman (English Teacher - September 2008)

Math Department

Mr. Strommer (Math Teacher - February 2007) is a New York City Teaching Fellow in his first year of service to the NYC DOE. He attended Washingtonville High School in New York's Hudson Valley after moving there from the very neighborhood which houses DreamYard Prep. He successfully completed the rigorous Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Florida and has worked in the Information Technology industry as well as the banking industry for nearly twenty years. He graduated from Dominican College cum laude and is presently attending City College where he is in the process of earning a Masters of Science in Teaching.
Email Mr. Strommer

Mr. McDonald (Math Teacher - September 2008) has a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky and an MFA in Writing and Poetics from Naropa University. He has several years of experience teaching and mentoring young people from diverse backgrounds. This is his first year of service with the New York City Teaching Fellow. Mr. McDonald is presently attending Pace University where his is earning a Masters of Science in Teaching.
Email Mr. McDonald

Ms. Styron-Brodie (Math Teacher - September 2008) was born and raised in the Bronx where she benefited from two of its well-known educational institutions. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Computing and Management from Lehman College in 2000, and her Master's degree in Adolescent Education from Mercy College (Bronx location) in 2007. From 2001 to 2008, Mrs. Styron-Brodie served as a middle school math teacher on Manhattan's Lower East Side, where she was also the school's yearbook editor.
Mrs. Styron-Brodie currently resides in the Bronx with her husband and son.
Email Ms. Styron-Brodie

History Department

Ms. Birkbeck (Social Studies Teacher - September 2007) was raised in New York City and attended schools within the NYCBOE. She attended Morgan State University in Baltimore Maryland, but obtained her degree in history at Manhattan's City College. She later completed her Masters at Lehman College in the Bronx. She has taught at several city schools including middles schools and YABC (Young Adult Borough Center), and alternative school for high school aged students.
Email Ms. Birkbeck

Ms. Reid (Social Studies Teacher - September 2008) was born and raised in New York City and educated in the New York Public schools. She has a Bachelors of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Hunter College. She has obtained her Masters of Art in Secondary Education from The City College of New York. She has worked as a College Advisor for the Gear-Up and Liberty Partnership programs at Hunter College in the El Barrio area. She is a member of the PAL Advisory Board and the Neighborhood Advisory Board for the NYC Department of Youth in the Bronx.
Email Ms. Reid

Mr. Wing (Social Studies Teacher - September 2008) born and raised in New York City, Mr. Wing holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Civilization and a Teacher Preparation Certificate from Yale University. While at Yale, he worked at Amistad Academy, the flagship Achievement First school. He has taught social studies in private, non-profit, and public school settings and is a founding teacher of MSHS 336 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Email Mr. Wing

Science Department

Ms. Balay (Science Teacher - September 2008) grew up outside
of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She attended the University of Wisconsin-
Madison where she majored in Genetics. While in college Ms. Balay
conducted research on the sensory neuron pathways in drosophila,
worked for the WI teen crisis network, and the Boys & Girls Club. As a
student she enjoyed playing lacrosse and tennis. This fall she will be
attending Lehman College where she will be working towards her Master
of Science in Education.
Email Ms. Balay

Mr. Fath (Earth Science Teacher - September 2007) was raised in rural Oklahoma. He attended Oklahoma State University where he majored in Geology. In college, Mr. Fath conducted research on concentration Triclosan (an antibacterial found in hand soaps and household cleaners) in Oklahoma's ground water and surface water. He also helped create the Leadership Minor Program and was first student to graduate with a minor in Leadership Studies. Mr. Fath has studied geology in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, Colorado and Italy. Upon graduation Mr. Fath moved to New York City to teach Earth Science at DreamYard Prep. Mr. Fath is currently working on a Master of Science in Secondary Science Education from Pace University.
Email Mr. Fath

Ms. Wong (Environmental Science/Living Environment Teacher – Founding Faculty) was raised in Queens, New York City. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and majored in anthropology and biology with a minor in chemistry. In college, Ms. Wong conducted research in various scientific fields ranging from gene therapy to human evolution. She also assisted in teaching high school biology in West Philadelphia. After college, Ms. Wong moved back to New York City and started her new exciting career as a biology teacher. She is completing her Masters of Science in Education from Lehman College.
Email Ms. Wong

Specialized Instruction

Mr. Bekker (Special Education Teacher - September 2008) was born on Staten Island, went to Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, and then on to Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York. As an undergraduate, he majored in English, minored in coaching and was very active as a member of the Football Team and many social organizations. Mr. Bekker has taught Special Education in the Bronx for the past 5 years and looks forward to building a strong connection with the students and faculty at Dreamyard Prep.
Email Mr. Bekker

Ms. Bibi (ESL Teacher - September 2008) is an English as a Second Language teacher who delivers instruction in the context of empowering students to be independent learners. She specializes in writing integrative curriculum that promotes literacy across the content areas. She also serves as an instructor for the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) on the State University of New York, New Paltz campus. Ms. Hussain has earned a Baccalaureate in English Literature from Fordham University
and a Masters in Higher Education Administration from New York University. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at the City University of New York, Hunter College.
Email Ms. Bibi

Ms. Marte (ESL Teacher - September 2007) is a native New Yorker. She was born and raised in the Washington Heights/Inwood area of Manhattan. She currently resides in the Bronx. Johanna graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor or Arts in History and a Creative Writing Minor in December 1998. She is an alumna of the New York City Teaching Fellows (Cohort 5). She currently holds a Master's of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from The City College of New York. Johanna was accepted into the Bilingual/ESL Teacher Leadership Academy (BETLA) at the Bank Street College of Education in September 2007.
Email Ms. Marte

Ms. Ulferts (Special Education Teacher - September 2007) teaches 9th and 10th grade English and a 10th grade honors history Regents prep course as the primary teacher in DY Prep's Bridges program, which provides support for exceptional students. She is a native of California and attended the University of California, Los Angeles, from which she graduated in 1995 with a B.A. in Political Science. Ms. Ulferts also has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing and Literature from Bennington College in Vermont and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Urban Education from Mercy College in the Bronx. Prior to becoming a teacher through the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, Ms Ulferts spent a decade as a newspaper writer in Florida, where she specialized in covering issues involving health care, education and natural disasters.
Email Ms. Ulferts

Ms. Then (Spanish Teacher - September 2007) was born in the Dominican Republic. She went to George Washington High School. She obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Spanish with a minor in Secondary Education from City College. In the summer of 2007, she began City College's graduate masters degree program in ESL from grades K-12. She was accepted to the TESOL Stream A program. She is excited about teaching and having a positive impact on the lives of her students.
Email Ms. Then

Arts Department

Ms. Wargo (see Above)

Mr. Bergman (Theater Arts Teacher - September 2008)

Email Mr. Bergman

Mr. Ewashchyshyn (Creative Writing Teacher - September 2008) was born and raised in Recfie, Brasil, where he developed a love for writing, music, and acting at an early age. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from St. John's University and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education/English from Brooklyn College. In his previous school, Mr. E. taught creative writing, structured Regents essay writing and was involved with the Drama Club. Before becoming a teacher, he was in several local bands. Currently Mr. E is a performance actor with the New Vaikuntha Players and raises tropical birds out of his home in Long Island.
Email Mr. Ewashchyshyn

Ms. Watson (Poetry Slam Coach - September 2008) graduated from The New School, where she studied Creative Writing and earned a certificate in Drama Therapy. She has been a performer and teaching-artist for ten years. Her solo performances have toured the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Her one woman show, Roses are Red, Women are Blue, debuted at the Lincoln Center in 2005. Renée's picture book, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, (Random House) and her middle grade novel, Serenity's Prayer, (Bloomsbury Publishing) will be published in 2010. Renée's poetry and essays have been published in Rethinking Schools, With Hearts Ablaze and Theater of the Mind.

Mr. Gonzalez (Theater Arts Teacher - September 2007) is a playwright/director originally from Puerto Rico. He holds a BA from the University of Puerto Rico in Theatre and French and an MFA in Directing from Columbia University. He is the co-founder of theatrewagon, an international artist collective based in New York. His work has been presented at Classic Stage Company, Dance New Amsterdam, The Chernuchin Theatre, Uncle Ming’s, The West End Theatre, Dalton School, Araba Theatre, the D-Lounge Cabaret, Taller Cé and The Kraine. He is the author of seven original plays and adaptations. Having taught all throughout New York and Puerto Rico, he currently teaches at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning and DY Prep, where he teaches Theatre Arts Integration and runs the after-school Theatre Company.
Email Mr. Gonzalez

Mr. Nadel (Visual Arts Teacher - September 2008) is a native of the Bronx. He is a product of the NYC public school system. He recently graduated from Brooklyn College with a Masters in Arts Education focusing on Visual Arts. Prior to joining DY Prep, he taught at Henry Street School for International Studies. He has been a practicing artist for over 20 years, widely exhibiting his paintings and sculptures. In 1999, he won an Arts for Transit poster contest with his painting "Night Game" depicting the 161st - Yankee Stadium subway platform. He finds that being from the Bronx, winning an award for depicting the Bronx and now working in the Bronx is a poetic journey home.
Email Mr. Nadel

Ms. Bickart (Media Studies Teacher - September 2008) is an interdisciplinary media artist. She works in video installation, video performance and experimental documentary. Her work has been presented in theaters, galleries and museums globally, in locations including London, Argentina, Israel, Croatia, Australia, Russia, Romania, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, and Memphis, Tennessee. Bickart received her B.A. from Douglass College, Rutgers University and was a Stanton Anthony Scholar. She received her M.A. from the New School for Social Research in Media Studies, where she received the Departmental Scholar Award. In 2005/2006 she was Guest Faculty in the Film/New Media Department of Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY and consulted to develop the Radical Film/New Media Laboratory project. In 2007 she was nominated for a Rockefeller (Renew) Media Fellowship.
Email Ms. Bickart

Ms. Williams (Dance Teacher - September 2007) is a singer, dancer, actress and teaching artist. She received her BA in African American Studies at the College of Wooster and is a current MA candidate in Performance Studies at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She has studied various forms of dance from ballet, modern, and jazz, to African, Dunham technique, hip-hop, and Brazilian. She has received training from Howard University, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Florida Dance Festival, University of the Arts, and University Federal of Bahia/Brazil. She strongly believes that the arts serve as a site for social change and is committed to every child's ability to dream through the arts.
Email Ms. Williams

School Support Staff

Ms. Bonilla (School Clerical Aide - April 2008)

Email Ms. Bonilla

Ms. Delgado (School Secretary - September 2007) was born and raised in the Bronx. She has worked for the ISC (former District Ten office) for 10 years at the Arts and Suspension Department. She has a Pupil Accounting Secretary license, and worked for small Elementary/Middle School last year.
Email Ms. Delgado

Mr. Jabbie (School Safety Aide - October 2007) is a School Aide responsible for providing assistance to teachers and students. Along with promptly providing copies and stationary to school staff, he also helps maintain a peaceful environment by assisting students in engaging and productive extracurricular activities such as lunch time tournaments and coaching them in making better decisions. It is a motivating experience that definitely gives him the opportunity to gain the learning experience he needs to extend his goals of becoming a certified teacher (Educator). In September, he plans on restarting classes on a part-time program at the City College of New York, pursuing a degree in economics.
Email Mr. Jabbie

Mrs. McIntyre (Principal and Payroll Secretary - September 2007) is native to the Bronx. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY where she also minored in Communication. Mrs. McIntyre has worked as a Family Worker for the Head Start program and as a Case Manager for a social services agency before making a home at DY Prep. As a proud and active sister of the first Latina sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, Latin Sorority, Inc., Mrs. McIntyre is involved in many community service and educational activities.
Email Mrs. McIntyre

Mr. Rivera (School Safety Aide - September 2008)

Email Mr. Rivera

Mr. Shivcharron (School Safety Aide - September 2008)