Shalom Corner Staff
Lynn Kaminski, Director
Lynn taught kindergarten in the Wellesley Public Schools for 27 years. She was previously a teacher at the Open Center for Children in Somerville, and she worked at the Tufts Educational Day Care Center and the Eliot Pearson Children’s School while earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Tufts University.
Over her years in kindergarten, Lynn came to appreciate the importance of the foundation laid in preschool to students’ later success, which motivated her to complete her license as Director while still teaching.
A long-time member of Temple Beth David, she lives in Westwood with her husband and two children - all active members of the Beth David community. She is thrilled to be the first Director of Shalom Corner, and to be back with the young children - and remarkable teachers - who will make up this preschool experience.
Nandita Banerjee
Shemesh (Twos) Morning Teacher
Nandita earned her bachelor in science from Kolkata University (India) and got her CDA (Child Development Associate degree) from Dean College (Franklin MA). She has been working with children since 2012. Nandita enjoys spending time with her son and her husband. She loves reading, cooking and traveling. She is looking forward to working with Shalom Corner. For her, the most exciting part of working with children is watching them grow.
Marcia Schwartz
Shemesh (Twos) Afternoon Teacher
Marcia has been in the childcare profession for over 30 years. She has worked mostly with infants and toddlers and enjoys watching them learn and grow. When not at work, she loves to get together with family and friends. She enjoys being out in nature and especially enjoys taking walks along the beach. Marcia, her son Seth, and his cat Luna have lived in Mansfield for 5 years. Marcia is excited to be back at Shalom Corner, working with Nandita and Bianca to make the toddler classroom warm and inviting. She is looking forward to another great year of learning and fun - not only for the toddlers, but for herself.
Bianca Acevedo
Shemesh (Twos) Teacher
Bianca joined the Shalom Corner team in the Summer of 2022 and has quickly become a beloved fixture of our staff. Her excitement in working with toddlers and watching them grow and change made her a natural addition to the Shemesh classroom.
Michelle Piatt
Keshet (Threes) Head Teacher
Michelle grew up watching her mother teach in their temple's preschool and during high school, began working there as a camp counselor during the summers. She always dreamt of teaching herself. Following earning her Master's degree in Studio Art Teaching, she has been teaching in Jewish preschools for over a decade in NJ and MA. She loves to utilize art to make the curriculum fully immersive!
Outside of school, Michelle fills her time parenting her twins, Liam and Ryleigh, with her partner, Derek; caring for and playing with their two dogs, three fish, and five chickens; and learning American Sign Language. She is looking forward to bringing ASL into the classroom whenever possible along with art, science experiments, Hebrew, Spanish, yoga, obstacle courses, and silly dance parties! This year, Michelle will be stepping up to an additional role at TBD as the Program Coordinator for Families with Young Children too!
Cindy Marchant
Keshet/Alim (Threes-Fives) Teacher
Cindy has been in the teaching field for over 20 years. She started as an assistant teacher in a toddler classroom in her 20's then became OCCS certified and taught at Harvard University for 10 years. It has always been her goal to make children in her care feel loved and seen, to respect them as individuals and help them grow through play and exploration. Cindy has a 7-year-old son named Camden and most of her free time is spent with him. Her other hobbies and passions include hiking, seeing live music and photography. She is excited to be a part of Temple Beth David Shalom Corner and looks forward to a wonderful school year!
Bonnie Rubenstein
Keshet/Alim (Threes-Fives) Afternoon Teacher
Bonnie is thrilled to join the Shalom Corner staff on a more permanent basis after being with us last year as a substitute teacher. Bonnie has been in the early childhood field for over 16 years. While Bonnie received her Bachelors’ at Brandeis University in English with a minor in Judaic Studies, and her Master’s in Social Work from Boston University, it wasn’t until she became a mom that she realized her passion was working with young children. She entered the field once her youngest daughter entered preschool and has been teaching ever since. Bonnie lives in Sharon with her husband, two daughters, and their dog Hershey. When not in the classroom, Bonnie enjoys reading, spending time with her family, riding her peloton and all things Disney.
Shaney Wacks
Alim (Fours-Fives) Head Teacher
Shaney graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2010 with a degree in English/Communications. Education and childcare have also been her passions, and for 8 years she worked as a pre-k teacher at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston. In 2020 she took some time off to have her son Aaron, who just turned two! She returned to work in January 2021 and spent 6 months working in the infant room with Aaron by her side. In 2021 she also made the decision to move forward with her director certification, which was completed last year. When not teaching Shaney enjoys writing, singing, and spending time with friends and family. She is very excited to be part of the Temple Beth David family, helping our school grow and thrive!
Suman Iyengar
Substitute Teacher
Miss Suman was with us last year, so many of the children already know her. The staff is familiar with her warmth and comfort with the children, as well. Suman is the mother of two teenagers and has worked at Temple Beth Shalom's preschool as well as at Shalom Corner. We are delighted to have her back five days a week, helping in all of the classrooms and acting as a substitute when needed.
