Ariela Cepeda

Sergeant At Arms

Dominican teacher, completed her degree at the university Santiago technology. He has a master's degree in business management from the university American UNICLAU based in Miami. She is currently in her last semester. She has a degree in the master of science in Educational Leadership management and Emerging Technologies in Marconi virtual campus. She worked for 9 years as a middle level teacher in a public school in the Dominican Republic. At New York department of education entered as a substitute teacher and currently worksas a lead teacher on the Head Star Peninsula.

Jolene Witkin

Sergeant At Arms

I am Jolene Witkin, mother of 6th grader Isabella Gilyard. I wanted to be a part of the parent round table because I feel that ALL parent have the right to be heard and voice their opinions regarding their child’s education. I believe that successful education is a partnership with parent, teacher and student. We need to hold everyone accountable in order to make lasting changes to the school. Too many times there are only a few parents that dominate the conversations, when everyone deserves to be heard, and I feel that needs to change. When I am not a parent to an active 12 year old, I am the executive director of construction at my firm, where my main job is to make sure that occupied buildings remain safe and code compliant. I came to emblaze because I wanted a different type of education for my child, one were they grow the WHOLE child, not just academic. I really think that was lost over the course of the last two years with the pandemic, but I believe with hard work and effort that we can once again make this school a place where growing the WHOLE child is once again a priority.