Our Faculty

HLA2 Leadership

Head of School: Ashley Furan

Ashley Furan is the founding Head of School at HLA2. She has been committed to the education reform movement in New York City since 2004 in both district and charter settings, serving as an America Reads/America Counts tutor at various DOE schools before joining Teach for America. Ashley taught at Explore Charter School, KIPP, Public Prep, and served as an Assistant Principal at Success Academy before moving into her role as the Head of School at HLA2. She is a graduate of both New York University and Hunter College, and is an alumnus of Teach for America New York. Ashley is passionate about cross-cultural communication, embracing a sense of curiosity about the world and others, and being a life-long learner. These passions make her extremely dedicated to bringing HLA2’s mission to life: to be a diverse by design public charter school which prepares students to be successful global citizens.

Director of Literacy: Katie Shuman

Katie Shuman is the Director of Literacy at HLA2. She has a decade of experience working for educational equity, supporting research-based literacy instruction for students and educators across greater New York City. Prior to her work at HLA2, Katie taught as a Reading Specialist at the Hellenic Classical Charter School and worked as a Program Manager with Literacy Trust, managing implementation of a literacy intervention for early elementary students with public school partners. She holds degrees in Childhood Education from SUNY Cortland and as a Reading Specialist (Applied Educational Psychology) from Teachers College-Columbia University. Currently, she is studying best practices in non-profit leadership as a member of the Emerging Leaders program through Princeton AlumniCorps. Katie is steadfast in her commitment to ensuring all students receive a robust, culturally responsive education and is excited to bring this passion to her work with staff, students, and families at HLA2.

Director of Hebrew Curriculum and Instruction: Sarit Delouya

Sarit Delouya is an experienced teacher and leader. After obtaining her teaching degree and teaching Hebrew in Israel, Sarit moved to the United States in 2009 to teach Hebrew at Hebrew Language Academy, the founding school in the Hebrew Public network. There, Sarit led her students to speak Hebrew at a high level, with the ability to have every day conversations in Hebrew as well as read and write. Over the years, Sarit has taken on increasing responsibilities as a school leader and is now the Hebrew studies assistant director of curriculum and instruction at HLA. In that role, Sarit oversees HLA’s K-3 Hebrew curriculum and supervises nine Hebrew teachers. In addition, Sarit mentors the leaders of Hebrew immersion summer camps and is beloved by her students, colleagues, and supervisees. Sarit has created assessments, attended and led Hebrew teaching workshops, including OPI and ACTFL workshops. Sarit divides her time between HLA and HLA2, leading our school’s Hebrew curriculum instruction.

Dean of Student Support Services: Danielle Bocchino

Danielle Bocchino is the Dean of Student Support Services and will be wrapping-up her ninth year working in public schools. Most recently she’s spent the past three years creating and leading innovative educational experiences for children at Vineville Academy of the Arts, an urban, public elementary magnet school in Georgia. She began her career working with the NYCDOE as a guidance counselor at I.S. 223 in nearby District 20. She holds a BA degree in Education and Psychology from Adelphi University. Her graduate studies include both MA and Ed.M. degrees in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Mrs. Bocchino is a certified school counselor and licensed mental health counselor (LMHC). Her experience with Response to Intervention, and promoting success for all students through inclusive practices, supports her goal to maintain a school culture that welcomes, recognizes, and celebrates diversity in all of its forms.

Director of Math Instruction: Katie Passley

Katie Passley is the Director of Math Instruction. She comes with 11 years of experience teaching and leading in diverse schools in Tennessee and North Carolina, and most recently served as the Academic Dean at Harlem Hebrew Language Academy. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from East Tennessee State University and earned a Master’s Degree and an Education Specialist Degree in Instructional Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University. She believes that relationships between families and schools are key to students’ success in education, and she looks forward to fostering these relationships at HLA2.

Director of Operations: Marie Lucas

Marie Lucas is a dedicated and caring leader, always ready to support and equip staff in providing a high quality education and students to engage in a rich learning experience.  Marie has worked in education since 2001, serving in Early Intervention and working with Title 1 and No Child Left Behind Act. In 2012, she joined a Staten Island Charter School as a member of the operations team and quickly grew a love for the Director of Operations role.. She has since continued to serve in charter schools as a Director of Operations, enjoying the work that comes with being the backbone of support to any successful school.

Teachers & Staff

Social Worker

Danielle Enga

Music Teacher

Irina Lopukhin

Physical Education Teacher

Murad Alhidami

Kindergarten Teacher

Carla Guamanzara

Kindergarten Teacher

Kim Lambadaridis

Kindergarten Teacher

Emily Reich

Kindergarten Teacher

Jumee Park

Kindergarten Teacher

Natalie Alfarhan

First Grade Teacher

Milana Feldman

First Grade Teacher

Reiyah Benyamin

First Grade Teacher

Shivani Rawat

First Grade Teacher

Myriam Hernandez

First Grade Teacher

Victoria Krummer

Second Grade Teacher

Annecia Williams

Second Grade Teacher

Elana Tennenbaum

Second Grade Teacher

Jinny Vincent

Hebrew Teacher

Nirly Neeman Eyal

Hebrew Teacher

Maya Bosnino

Hebrew Teacher

Ella Zamir

Hebrew Teacher

Nava Ginzburg

Hebrew Teacher

T’helah Ben-Dan

Hebrew Teacher

Ora Zaltsman

Senior Operations Associate

Judith Damti

Operations Associate

Nassor Isom

Operations Assistant/Bus Monitor

Lashawn Lewis

Finance Associate

Charita Whitaker

Nurse

Carole Alexander