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Hello!

My name is Nicole Sauls.  I teach 11th grade American Literature and 12th grade AP Literature in Maryland.  It feels weird to say that this is my 8th year teaching because virtual instruction feels almost like an imaginary period of time.  Regardless, I was interested in classroom technology tools (even before the pandemic), so I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in instructional/educational technology.

A “weird” school fact:  My school made me the Drama teacher for three years—I have no background in drama and have a phobia of public speaking (outside of the classroom).  It turned out to be a really interesting experience, but I am very glad they hired an actual Drama teacher for this school year.

Beyond teaching, I write dramatic stories for my partner’s DnD campaigns, run an Anime Club for my students, try not to adopt every stray cat or dog I see, and taking care of my actual cat, Calypso.

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Hi Everyone! My name is Deborah Parker. I am currently in the Speech-Language Pathology Master's program here at Towson. I am the proud mother of a 7 year old son with autism. I work part-time as a Community Support Professional working with adults with autism in the community or at their jobs providing on-job support. I enjoy traveling and reading Sci-fi romance novels. I look forward to meeting and learning from everyone in this class.

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Hi there,
My name is Abbye Bemb. I am a married mother of 2 grown children. I grew up in Silver Spring, MD, and attended Towson University for my undergraduate degree in Biology and 2nd Ed certification. I have been working as a Medical Technologist for the past 30+ years, and am currently on travel assignment at Georgia State University in Atlanta. I’ve been pursuing my Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, but Covid and the traveling nature of my job has made it difficult. Having read some of your bios, it reminded me of the 10+ summers that I spent at Kaufmann Camp on the Chesapeake from around 1970-1980. I am really looking forward to this class :)

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Hello! My name is Aliya Smelkinson and I am finishing up my degree in Leadership in Jewish Education and Communal Service. As a part of the program, I am spending the year interning with Jewish Volunteer Connection. I teach 1st grade religious school on Sunday mornings and tutor Hebrew throughout the week. I love seeing live music, catching up with friends from Camp Louise, and reading. I spend lots of time babysitting, seeing family, and recently, I watched all of the films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. I am excited to learn with you all for the remainder of the semester!

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Hi all! My name is Jodi Teitelman and I'm a student in the Leadership in Jewish Education and Communal Service program. Originally from West Hartford, CT, I have found a home for myself in the Baltimore area and have involved myself in the Jewish community here. I work part-time for Jewish Community Services - Baltimore and intern for The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. Additionally, I teach 6th grade at religious school and spend my summers at Camp Louise. On top of all of this, I still manage to find time to eat good food, watch good TV, hang out with friends, and do my school work. I'm looking forward to this class with you all!

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Hello there! I'm Yoni Payne, first year LJEC student. I was born in Israel, grew up in Philadelphia, spent the last several years living in Frederick MD,  and just recently moved to Pikesville.

I earned a BA in History from Brandeis University in 2017 and spent the next few years working in the nonprofit field. Currently, I teach Sunday school at Beth El in Pikesville in addition to studying and teaching martial arts. When not studying or teaching, I read, listen to music, and write creatively.

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Hi! My name is Sydney Marantz. I graduated from Towson this past May with my B.S. in Family Studies and Human Services. I am currently in the accelerated MA program for Leadership in Jewish Education and Communal services and I will be graduating this May. Originally from New Jersey, I now live in Gaithersburg, MD. I currently work at The Associated: The Jewish Federation of Baltimore as an Israel and Overseas Associate. I also teach religious school at a synagogue in Pikesville in addition to working one-on-one with students who have additional learning needs. I love to bake and am always looking for good new recipes!

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Hi guys! My name is Rose Haas and I am in the LJEC program doing my MA in Jewish Education. I'm from Los Angeles, CA which I've turned into a personality trait since moving to the east coast. I came out here to DC for my BA in Jewish Studies and Special Ed at American University and graduated in 2020. I then moved to Baltimore last year to do my MA at Towson and I'm graduating in May! I am a teacher at a Jewish Day School in Pikesville and I hope to someday pursue my PhD in Jewish Education and become a principal. In my free time, I enjoy listening to Jewish music, eating, learning Hebrew, and watching Criminal Minds.

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Hi Everyone! My name is Jessica Kless. I am originally from the Cleveland, OH area (Go Browns, Cavs, and Guardians!) I attended Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland for my B.S. in Music Education. I moved to Maryland in 2014, and have been teaching elementary orchestra (3rd-5th grades) at multiple schools in Anne Arundel County since then. This is my last semester in the MAIAI (Interdisciplinary Arts Infusion) program at Towson. In my spare time, I enjoy playing my cello, reading, cooking, doing yoga, and watching The Great British Baking Show. My favorite food is chocolate. I live in Columbia, MD with my husband and our dog, Matilda. I am looking forward to learning and connecting with you all this semester!

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Hello everyone,

My name is Neil Fung and I am in the Instructional Technology Masters program here at Towson University. I currently work as a Learning Assistant (tutor) at Harford Community College. I am excited to announce that I was recently hired as the Instructional Design Intern at the Fire Safety Research Institute. I start there on June 6th and end when I graduate at the end of the Fall semester. My hobbies include playing music and playing video games. I am aiming to be an instructional designer for higher education or a company.