Teachers come home to PJA

By Deborah Moon

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With the new school year a homecoming for three teachers returning to Portland Jewish Academy, it seems appropriate that the keynote speaker for the day school’s staff training will be Rabbi Alan Berg, who returned to Portland this summer after an absence of 26 years.

In the mid-70s to early ’80s, Berg was assistant rabbi at Temple Beth Israel and was Havurah Shalom’s first rabbi. He moved away from Portland but returned here this year. This summer he taught a course in the Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies at Portland State University.

As keynote speaker, Berg will discuss PJA’s recently adopted “Foundational Middot.” In May, the PJA board adopted a new mission statement (see box on next page), as well as six foundational values for the school. Those values are: limmud-study; kavod-respect; akharayut-responsibility; tikkun olam-repair of the world; klal Yisrael-community; hoda’ah-appreciation; and zehut-Jewish identity.

“These middot will become a regular part of life at PJA,” said Merrill Hendin, director of Jewish studies.

Community is one value that should be easy to bring to life at PJA this year. Staff turnover was very low this year, according to Colleen Sexton, director of general studies. Two teachers are actually returning to PJA after teaching elsewhere for one to two years. And a PJA alumnus is returning to the school as a teacher.

Commenting on the low turnover, Sexton said: “There are always many factors, but there’s generally satisfaction at PJA. The recent remodel helped make it a more attractive place to teach which has combined with increasing satisfaction with the academic program to create low turnover.”

Debra Paynter, who left PJA to teach at Catlin Gable last year, will be back teaching first grade at PJA this year.

“After a year away from PJA, I am more in touch than ever with the great gifts of friendship, love and community that I found at PJA,” said Paynter. “I am delighted to be returning to the school of my heart.”

Paynter has more than 20 years of experience teaching kindergarten through fourth grade. Previously, she taught first grade at PJA for two years. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Puget Sound.

Another teacher who has chosen to return to PJA is Susan Ramirez. Ramirez will be a second-grade general studies teacher. Previously she was a reading specialist and classroom teacher at PJA for 10 years. For the past two years, she has been a literacy specialist in public school. She has a master’s degree from Wheelock College and taught in day schools on both coasts before moving to Portland.

The second-grade position opened up when Sarah Safford, who has taught second grade at PJA for eight years, decided she wanted to shift to teaching kindergarten.

But Aliza (Hoffman) Olson will have perhaps the biggest sense of homecoming. Olson, 27, attended PJA for kindergarten through fifth grade in 1985-91.

Previously, Olson was Northwest area supervisor for Young Judaea and co-director of Camp Young Judaea for nearly three years. She also substituted at PJA before moving to New York for the past three years, where she was youth director for a Reconstructionist synagogue.

She said when she and her husband moved back to Portland, PJA seemed like an obvious place to apply to teach.

“I had wonderful times here as a student,” she said. “I learned a lot and it was a great basis for me.”

Olson said she is especially excited because she will be teaching Hebrew and Judaic studies in one fourth grade classroom while her former teacher and now mentor Shoshana (Levy) Antonovic teaches in the other.

“I enjoyed her as a teacher and I look forward to working with her,” said Olson. “Shoshana is a wonderfully kind and sweet person, as well as an amazing teacher.”

Olson also will head Havurah High while Havurah Shalom Rabbi Joseph Wolf is on sabbatical. She also will run the Reconstructionist synagogue’s tot Shabbats and help with other youth programs.

“I like to do lots of different things,” said Olson, noting she also intends to continue her work as a Reiki practitioner.

Located at 6651 SW Capitol Highway, PJA is accepting applications for students in transitional kindergarten (full day program for 4-year-olds) through eighth grade. PJA’s Early Childhood Learning Center also has some preschool openings. For a tour or application information, call Admissions Director Linda Nemer Singer at 503-535-3599.