Learning Support specialist  Cary Benson graduated from the City College of New York, holds a master's degree in educational psychology from Rutgers University, and has more than 20 years experience in both regular and special education. She has been a learning consultant to the Metuchen public school system, and in addition to her work at our school, Cary has a private assessment and tutoring practice. She also enjoys painting, beading and working with computers.

Fourth and 5th grade advisor, language arts and Central Study teacher  Jeanine Consoli has a master’s degree in publishing from Pace University, a teaching certificate from Rider College, and has worked with children in a variety of settings. She has taught several elementary school grades in the Robbinsville and Manalapan school systems, has directed an after-school program at the Westfield YMCA , and has taught basic skills mathematics to 6th graders in Freehold Township. Jeanine’s two children also attend Princeton Friends School.

Math teacher and 5th and 6th grade advisor  Manjul Dravid graduated from the University of Poona, India, with a degree in chemistry in 1973 and received a master's degree in economics from Kanpur University, India, in 1982. She came to Princeton Friends School after teaching high school science, chemistry and math at the Delaware Valley Friends School, as well as in Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Manjul has taken finance and accounting courses at Stanford University, and she has been an economist, financial analyst and the head of her own consulting practice specializing in economic loss assessment. This is her ninth year at Princeton Friends School, where she teaches pre-algebra and algebra to 6th through 8th graders.

Language teacher  Silvia Estrada teaches our Spanish classes. Silvia graduated from Colegio Lehnsen in Guatemala City in 1982. Before moving to Princeton four years later, she taught English in the elementary grades and at the same time attended the Instituto Femenino de Estudios Superiores, where she received a degree in business administration. In the United States, she has continued her education at Mercer County Community College, earning an associate's degree in applied sciences and education, and at The College of New Jersey, which certified her as a teacher of Spanish. Besides teaching our 3rd through 8th grade Spanish classes, Silvia enjoys teaching a number of arts elective classes, including sewing, knitting, storytelling in Spanish and photography.

Math teacher and 3rd and 4th grade advisor  Richard Fischer earned his degree cum laude in English from Yale College, where he was a Scholar of the House (writing on the history of civilization). He has continued his education independently and with courses in math, music, drawing and Spanish. Since age 19, Richard has taught in a variety of settings, including public elementary school in his native Brooklyn. He also home-schooled his two sons for seven years and has tutored high school math privately for over 25 years. A former devotee of football, handball and judo, Richard is active in the country dance community as a caller, dancer, musician, and composer of tunes. At Princeton Friends School, in addition to teaching math at all levels, Richard has been the founder and leader of our Problem of the Week program, our community dancing, and our Dance Club.

Seventh and 8th grade advisor  Dave Gibson received his undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University in 1993, after which he launched an intensive course of independent study in world religions, mythology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and literature. In 1997 he entered Princeton Theological Seminary, earning his master's degree in divinity in 2000. Dave has worked as a chaplain's assistant at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, a youth minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Princeton, and a youth advisor at Trinity Church, also in Princeton, where he created programs for students in seventh through twelfth grades, developed curricula, taught religious education classes, coordinated outreach and volunteer activities, and directed student plays. In all his work, Dave has focused on leadership development, youth empowerment, and community building often using writing exercises to help young people discover their own voices. At Princeton Friends School, Dave works with our older students in a variety of ways, from teaching arts electives to facilitating Talk Show and other sixth through eighth grade programs.

Physical Education teacher  Jane Helstrom holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, as well as a master’s degree in Government Studies from Lehigh University. Jane was a four-year varsity athlete in basketball and volleyball during her undergraduate years and coached the women’s volleyball team at Lehigh while pursuing her master’s degree. Since 2002, Jane has worked as a head teacher for a class of four-year-olds at the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Nursery School, and for the past three years she has worked as head instructor in the Peddie School’s summer developmental basketball camp. The parent of three boys, ages 8, 10, and 11, Jane has coached extensively in community soccer and basketball leagues during the past six years. She is also an avid runner (having completed six marathons in the past six years), and she enjoys hiking and camping with her family. Jane brings to PFS a commitment to making physical education an enjoyable, inclusive, and lifelong activity.

First and 2nd grade teacher  Jessica Hurwitz has spent most of her teaching career at Princeton Friends School, coming to us by way of other Quaker institutions. After graduating with a degree in English from Earlham College in 1996, Jessica spent a year teaching at Wilmington Friends School in Delaware. Her work has been enriched by participation in conferences and seminars sponsored by the Friends Council on Education, the Northeast Foundation for Children, and the All Kinds of Minds workshop, as well as through graduate-level courses at Bank Street College of Education.

Art Teacher  Kelsi Kosinski graduated with honors from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts with a degree in fine art. Although her primary media are ink and watercolor on paper, Kelsi works in many other forms including sculpture, ceramics, and collage. Before joining Princeton Friends School, she served as a member of the executive board of the Rutgers University Women’s Center, managed a ceramics studio, and taught at the Arts Council of Princeton. An accomplished poet and performer, Kelsi has participated in several slam poetry competitions and her written work has been produced for stage performances at The Cabaret Theatre in New Brunswick.

Language teacher  Jing-Lan Ku teaches our Chinese language classes, having received her degree from Fu-Jen University in Taiwan in 1970. She came to the United States a year later to pursue her education and earned a master's degree in nutrition in public health from the Teachers College of Columbia University. After raising three children and having a career as a consultant to the New Jersey Department of Health, Jing-Lan became certified as a teacher and taught Chinese in the West Windsor school district and in the World Languages Department of Mercer County Community College. Since 1990, she has taught Chinese to students from the Beginning School through the eighth grade at Princeton Friends School.

Sixth, 7th and 8th grade advisor  Kalpana Mehta who also teaches writing skills, literature, and Central Study, was born in Bombay, India and raised and educated primarily in England, earning her B.A. degree from The University of Exeter, Plymouth, in the field of Humanities (History and English and American Literature). Kalpana comes to us with 10 years of teaching experience, mostly at Sandringham School in St. Albans, England, where she taught elementary and secondary school Humanities, Geography, and World History. Kalpana brings to Princeton Friends School a wealth of experience in integrating curriculum around central themes.

Language Teacher  Bernadette Noll who teaches Spanish to our youngest students, holds a masters degree in education and is certified as a teacher of English as a second language. She comes to Princeton Friends with more than 10 years experience teaching k-12th grade students, as well as adults in a variety of school settings. With a broad range of academic experience and interests, Bernadette has also taught classes in science, mathematics, and the humanities.

6th through 8th grade science teacher  Brian Patton is a research scientist with over 13 years’ experience in educational and pharmaceutical settings. Brian has taught electronics and robotics to students of all ages, from elementary school through college. With a B.S. from Purdue University in Environmental Health Science, as well as studies in Biology and Anthropology, Brian’s creative gifts as an inventor have led him into a variety of highly specialized research fields, from cardiovascular medicine and molecular biology to robotics.

Learning Support teacher  Tracy Patton is a child development specialist with a wide range of experience, including work with children in nursing homes, group homes, and early-intervention programs. Tracy has a degree in biology from Purdue University, as well as three years of graduate study at Indiana University School of Medicine. At PFS, Tracy has been an assistant in our 1st and 2nd grade classrooms, the leader of our gardening group, and the source of a wide range of arts and crafts programs that showcase her many artistic interests.

Sixth-8th grade advisor and language arts teacher  Donna Raskin grew up in New Jersey and attended Sarah Lawrence College, where she earned an undergraduate degree in developmental psychology, and Lesley College in Boston, where she earned her master’s degree in education. Before joining the faculty of PFS, Donna taught kindergarten at the Sarah Lawrence Early Childhood Center, middle school English and History at the Brookwood School in Massachusetts, and 7th grade English at Dwight-Englewood School in northern New Jersey. In her spare time, Donna has also enjoyed both practicing and teaching yoga.

Beginning School head teacher  James Robinson came to Princeton Friends School after spending eight years working at two other Quaker schools, Media-Providence Friends School in Philadelphia and Wilmington Friends School in Delaware, where his teaching experience spanned the elementary grades. He received a degree in philosophy from West Chester University and has completed many hours of graduate work in early childhood education at Widener University. James has led our Beginning School since its creation in 1991.

Science and music teacher  Carol Saggiomo specializes in teaching our youngest students, having spent many years at PFS working in our 1st and 2nd grade classrooms, both as an assistant teacher and as a learning specialist. Carol holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Villanova University and a masters degree in elementary education from Holy Family University. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, where she has pursued studies specializing in teaching children with reading disabilities. Before coming to PFS, Carol worked for four years in the pre-K program at the George School Children’s Center, directing programs in music and creative movement and creating academic curriculum for children with special needs.

Educational Media Specialist  Sal Scafidi who also teaches 5th Grade Technology Skills, has been a librarian for 14 years. He has a Masters of Library Service from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Towson State University. He has been the director of an early childhood center that worked with at-risk families, manager of a soup kitchen, part of a collective that published the Alternative Press Index, and driven a school bus. In the off-season, he loves to travel.

Central Study teacher  Chris Searle brings a wealth of teaching experience to Princeton Friends, where in addition to his Central Study classes, he will also lead our 7th and 8th grade American history seminars. Chris has taught 5th grade at Buckingham friends school; 7th grade and world culture in the Pennsbury school district of Pennsylvania; and American history, psychology, sociology, and math to students in 6th through 12th grade at the Wyncote Academy in Glenside, PA. Outside the classroom, Chris has also served as a trustee of the Quaker School at Horsham, a Friends school for children with learning differences, worked with at-risk youth, and has a passion for the martial arts. Recently, he has also begun graduate studies, focusing on business applications in school settings.

4th and 5th grade advisor and Central Study teacher  Cheri Sistek earned her undergraduate degree in anthropology and sociology at Santa Clara University, as well as a master’s degree in cultural anthropology from Duke University and a master’s in elementary education from The College of New Jersey. She has worked for more than 25 years in education, as both an administrator at the college level at Duke, Barnard College, and Princeton University, and as a teacher in elementary and middle schools, including Newtown Friends School and public schools in California. Cheri's wide range of experience in school settings has also included administering the Duke Young Writers' Camp and founding Duke ACTION, a hands-on science camp for middle-school aged girls.

Learning Support specialist  Bota Temirbayeva holds a bachelor’s degree in English education from Kokshetau Institute of Education in Kazakhstan and a master’s degree in reading and language arts from Rider University. She has worked as a reading and writing instructor and as a supervisor of teaching assistants at the Center for Reading and Writing at Rider University, where she assessed and developed learning plans to strengthen students’ reading fluency and comprehension, writing, and vocabulary development. At Princeton Friends School Bota also supervises the After-School Homework Program, offering one-on-one assistance to students who need support in carrying out homework assignments.

First and 2nd grade teacher  Mayda Velez-Cruz comes to Princeton Friends after teaching for more than ten years at the Edward J. Patten School, a public elementary school in Perth Amboy, NJ. Throughout her teaching career Mayda has served as a bilingual teacher for children in grades three and four, guiding students through various levels of language proficiency with the aim of preparing them for inclusion in the mainstream classroom. Mayda brings a rich blend of experience to Princeton Friends, not only in bilingual and literacy education, but also in various aspects of language arts instruction and curriculum development.

Beginning School assistant teacher  Jessica Zimmerman came to Princeton Friends School as a counselor in our After-School and Summer Camp programs, where she specialized in caring for the youngest members of our community. Jessica has received two associate’s degrees – one in education and one in special education – from Mercer County Community College and has studied fine arts and photography at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. An accomplished photographer, singer and actress, Jessica's work in the classroom often combines her artistic talents and teaching skills.

After-School and Summer Camp Director  John Zimmerman was mentored by Rip Pellaton, the programs' founder, and served for many years as the assistant director of our Summer Camp and ASP. John's philosophy on childcare is a simple one, "Have fun, play fair, stay safe." In 2001 John Received an award from the New Jersey School Age Childcare Association for his "Key Contributions" to childcare. When not working with children, John serves as the president of the Town and Country Players in Buckingham, PA and is an award-winning director of community theater at many of the local theaters. John studied musical theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has been teaching theater to children since 2001. By blending his theater and childcare backgrounds, John and his staff create a safe environment full of creativity and imagination, where Pirates, Dinosaurs, Storybooks, and all other childhood flights of fancy are given life.