Meet Our Staff

The staff of Elysian Charter School is proud of its commitment to the children and families of our community. Each member of the Elysian team brings a unique background that contributes to the depth and breadth of our instructional program. Many of our teachers have been with us since we opened our doors and several are not only educators, but parents of Elysian students and graduates. Our teachers, administrative assistants, paraprofessionals and lunch/recess/afterschool staff are the heart of the Elysian Charter School and we invite you to get know us.

Lauren Barker — Lauren Barker
Fifth Grade Teacher

Lauren Barker recently moved to Hoboken from Connecticut where she has taught third and fourth grade. She is excited to be working with fifth graders at Elysian.

Ashley Choate — Ashley Choate
First Grade

Ashley Choate is a 1st Grade Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 2003.

Diane DeSombre — Diane DeSombre
School Nurse

Diane DeSombre, RN is our School Nurse. She has been at Elysian since 2002.

Marisa Dolan — Marisa Dolan
3rd Grade Leave Replacement

Tara Dublanica — Tara Dublanica
Social Worker

Angela Dunckley — Angela Dunckley
Kindergarten

Hi, my name is Angela Dunckley and I am one of the kindergarten teachers at Elysian. This is my 12th year at Elysian, but my 17th year teaching kindergarten. I love teaching kindergarten and love reading kids’ books. I have many favorites. The Adventures of Bumblebee Boy, Secret Pizza Party and The Great Lollipop Caper are just a few of the books I love to read with my class!

Cristina Francisco — Cristina Francisco
Third Grade

Adam Froimowitz — Adam Froimowitz
Physical Education

Adam Froimowitz has been working at Elysian since 2013 as our Physical Education and Health Education teacher. He is also one of the basketball coaches here at Elysian and is a member of the school climate team. Before coming to Elysian Adam has worked at a school in Queens, NY where he taught Physical Education/Health Education for five years.

Shaquana Ferguson — Shaquana Ferguson
Recess and Afterschool Aide

Susan Gilbertson — Susan Gilbertson
Admin. Assistant Enrollment / Food Srv. Director

Susan Gilbertson is the Enrollment Coordinator. She has been at Elysian since 1999.

Pam Gorode — Pam Gorode
Assistant Business Manager

Susan Grierson — Susan Grierson
Director

I have spent the last 25 years dedicated to developing student centered learning environments and positive school cultures that support and promote high expectations for every student and staff member. I am NYC born, raised and educated with degrees in education from Brooklyn College and CUNY. The goal of education at Elysian is to unlock each child’s potential so that they can discover the joy and wonder of learning.

Colleen Herlihy — Colleen Herlihy
4th Grade Leave Replacement

Paige Hill — Paige Hill
Teacher Aide

Diane Jackson — Diane Jackson
Lunch Staff

Amanda Johnson — Amanda Johnson
Paraprofessional

Amanda Johnson is a Paraprofessional. She has been at Elysian since 2013.

Brenda Johnson — Brenda Johnson
Breakfast and Lunch Staff

Abra Kessler — Abra Kessler
Second Grade

Abra Kessler has been a teacher at Elysian since 1998. Currently, she teaches 2nd grade. She has also taught 4th and 5th grades at Elysian. Abra has a bachelor's degree in English from Penn State University and a Master's degree in the Science of Education from The Bank Street College of Education.

Emily Killea — Emily Killea
Fourth Grade

Emily Killea is currently teaching Fourth Grade , and works at the Elysian summer camp program. Before joining Elysian, she spent time teaching Second Grade and Kindergarten. Emily graduated the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and English Language with a minor in Psychology . She comes from a family of teachers with both of her sisters teaching in New Jersey as well! Go to's I don't want them because of fingers abandoned

Lynn Kluepfel — Lynn Kluepfel
Special Education

Lynn Kluepfel is a Special Education Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 2004.

Derrick Ladson — Derrick Ladson
Creative Movement Instructor

Derrick Ladson has been with Elysian since 2002 as a Paraprofessional and now Creative Movement Instructor. Derrick has been teaching dance in Hoboken for several years at Multiple schools such as The Hudson School, Hola Charter School, Hoboken Charter High School, Stevens Coop School and Mile Square Theatre Dance Academy. Derrick has also taught dance for the City Of Hoboken’s Recreation Department.

Francine Ladson — Francine Ladson
Recess, Afterschool, Early Morning Staff

Francine Ladson is the Supervisor for Early Morning Drop-off, Recess and Aftercare. She has been at Elysian since 2001.

Melissa Landera — Melissa Landera
Melissa Landera

Melissa Starrett Landera has been teaching at Elysian since 1997. She has taught kindergarten, first grade and currently teaches second grade. Melissa loves working on special projects with her class and taking them on fun trips. Recently, she's become an afterschool club leader which is lots of fun!

Samantha Leone — Samantha Leone
Special Education Teacher

Joshua Levitin — Joshua Levitin
Music Teacher

Diane Macon — Diane Macon
Business Manager

Diane Macon is the Business Manager. She has been at Elysian since 2013.

Robert Maltese — Robert Maltese
Maintenance

Robert Maltese is the Facilities Manager. He has been at Elysian since 2015.

Maureen Melnick — Maureen Melnick
Literary Support, Basic Skills

Maureen has been at Elysian since 2011. She currently works with students in K-5th grade and enjoys working with so many different students and teachers throughout the school. Prior to coming to Elysian, she ws both a classroom teacher and Reading Specialist in the New York City Public School System. She began teaching in 1991.

Regan Michaels — Regan Michaels
Eighth Grade/Humanities

Eighth Grade/Humanities

Josie Miguel — Josie Miguel
Kindergarten

Darcy Minsky — Darcy Minsky
Special Education

Darcy Minsky is a Special Education Teacher and the ED/CST Chair.

Shareza Mohammed — Shareza Mohammed
Paraprofessional

Shareza Mohammed is a Paraprofessional. She has been at Elysian since 2005.

Rosio Montayo — Rosio Montayo
Paraprofessional

Diane Murray — Diane Murray
Sixth Grade

Diane Murray has been a teacher at Elysian since 1999. Currently, she teaches 6th grade math and science, directs the school plays, and is a member of the School Climate Team.

Leah Oppenzato — Leah Oppenzato
Seventh Grade/Humanities

Leah Oppenzato started at Elysian with its first seventh grade class in 2002. She attended Swarthmore College and Bank Street College of Education. Class pets are one of her favorite aspects about Elysian, and as well as human animals, her room has been home to hamsters, a chinchilla, a snake, a degu, a guinea pig, and a bearded dragon.

Megan Park — Megan Park
Fourth Grade

Megan Park is a 4th Grade Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 2010.

Mariana Peralta — Mariana Peralta
Spanish Teacher

Odalys Pla — Odalys Pla
Paraprofessional

Odalys Pla is a Paraprofessional and Aftercare Aide. She has been at Elysian since 2005.

Gail Prusslin — Gail Prusslin
Speech-Language Specialist

Gail Prusslin is the Speech Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 1998.

Hillary Quist — Hillary Quist
Seventh/Eighth Grade Math

Hillary Quist is the 7th and 8th Grade Math Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 2008.

Roberto Rosa — Roberto Rosa
Paraprofessional/ Tech Coordinator

Roberto Rosa III is a Paraprofessional and the Technology Coordinator, He has been at Elysian since 2012.

Alyssa Rosen — Alyssa Rosen
First Grade

Alyssa Rosen is a 1st Grade Teacher. She has been at Elysian since 2007.

Deb Rosner — Deb Rosner
Administrative Assistant

Deb Rosner is Elysian's Administrative Assistant since June of 2014. Deb became an Elysian parent when her child was in Kindergarten the first year the school opened. She happily volunteered as a class parent for multiple years. She became the PTSO's first president and then PTSO's treasurer up until her younger child graduated in 2013.

John Rutledge — John Rutledge
Fifth Grade

John Rutledge has been a teacher at Elysian since 2005. He currently teaches 5th grade, coaches the school's elementary and middle school rugby teams and co-directs the Elysian summer camp program. John also organized the school's recycling initiative and currently manages the school store. Before joining Elysian, John spent 10 years working in human resources for various NYC companies. John and his wife, Sarah, reside with their 3 boys in Jersey City.

Eric Schau — Eric Schau
Middle School Science Teacher

Jill Schifter — Jill Schifter
Art Teacher

Ashley Shirazi — Ashley Shirazi
6th Grade

Lenore Silver — Lenore Silver
Special Education

Daisy Tavarez — Daisy Tavarez
Recess and Aftercare

Lakeisha Thomas — Lakeisha Thomas
Teacher Aide

Kate Windram — Kate Windram
Third Grade