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Employee Directory

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  • Photo of Eti Bezalel
    Eti Bezalel
    Teacher, Jewish Studies
    (949) 509-9500 x5107
    Michlala L'minhal College, Tel Aviv - A.A.
    Bio
     
    “Listening to the children singing in Hebrew and learning about the Holiday Stories throughout the year truly warms my heart.”

    Mrs. Bezalel attended Miclala Leminhal College in Israel and she completed an accounting major. When Mrs. Bezalel immigrated to the United States, she found her passion was to teach Hebrew to children. She then became certified in early childhood development. Mrs. Bezalel completed various Hebrew courses to be able to teach Hebrew as a second language and has now spent the last 27 years at TVT and. It is her love of teaching Hebrew to children every day, and seeing their faces light up as they experience their love of the Hebrew and Jewish heritage that has helped Mrs. Bezalel to stay at TVT.

    In Mrs. Bezalel’s free time, she enjoys cooking, Israeli dancing, reading and drawing.
  • Photo of Rochelle Brown
    Rochelle Brown
    Teacher, Music
    (949) 509-9500 x5112
    Manhattan School of Music, New York - B.A.
    Bio
     
    "I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but more importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all the arts are the keys to learning." -Plato, 410 B.C.

    Mrs. Brown is a graduate from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Her major was piano performance. She also studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. Pnina Saltzman was her master teacher. Mrs. Brown has been involved in many music organizations, including the Music Teacher Association of California and The Orange County Orff-Schulwerk Association where she has been the Vice-President of Programming for the past 15 years. Mrs. Brown’s education, combined with her love of children coupled with her love of Judaism, makes Tarbut a perfect fit.

    In her free time, Mrs. Brown loves to be with her family and friends.
  • Photo of Erin DeSplinter
    Erin DeSplinter
    Science Teacher and Faculty Leader
    (949) 509-9500 x5135
    St. Mary's College - B.A.
    Bio
     
    “In order to understand Science, students have to DO Science!  This means my days are filled with questions and wonder.  There is no greater joy than igniting the curiosity of students and taking them on a journey where they get to explore and discover.”
     
    Mrs. DeSplinter earned her B.A in Elementary Education and a minor in Biology at St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana.  She has been an elementary science teacher and classroom teacher for over 17 years, taught in 9 different states and 7 private independent schools.  In addition to teaching, Mrs. DeSplinter has developed and written several science curricula, and worked at Northwestern University at the Center for Talent Development for gifted learners. 
     
    In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband and three children, attending her kids’ hockey and soccer games, and going to the beach!  
  • Photo of Robin McCarthy
    Robin McCarthy
    Teacher, Kindergarten
    (949) 509-9500 x4327
    University of New Mexico - B.S.
    Bio
     
    Robin has been in education for over 20 years, as a classroom teacher in grades TK-3rd for public, private, and homeschool charter schools. She has been a mentor to many student teachers and served on many professional committees throughout her teaching career. 

    Robin has four children of her own. In her spare time, she loves being outside in nature, either at the beach or in the mountains. She also loves yoga, reading, and traveling.
  • Photo of Laura Rosin
    Laura Rosin
    Teacher, Kindergarten
    (949) 509-9500 x5134
  • Photo of Kassandra Virag
    Kassandra Virag
    Reading Specialist, Lower School
    (949) 509-9500 x5196
    Bio
     
    Mrs. Virag has a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Masters degree in Management and Administration of Educational Programs. She also has a Multiple Subject Credential and over 15 years of experience in literacy education. She is a certified literacy coach and has had experience teaching grades K-5. Before teaching at TVT, she has had the pleasure of teaching grades K-5 in public and private schools. She looks forward to continuing to build a rich literary environment and fostering a love of reading in our students.

    She was born and raised in Orange County, California. In her spare time, she enjoys being a mama of two young children, traveling and drinking good coffee.
  • Photo of Fay Wyles
    Fay Wyles
    Teacher, Art
    (949) 509-9500 x5176
    University of New Mexico - B.F.A.
    Bio
     
    “I love to inspire the artist within every child. Whether we are learning the art of decoupage, painting, drawing, sculpture, mural collaboration, or ceramics, a common thread connects each lesson. We are engaged in the hands-on, creative process- exploring, experimenting and expressing ourselves to create a unique artistic learning experience."

    Ms. Wyles will be teaming up with Helaine Yeakel to teach Art at the TVT Lower School. She has her Bachelor of Fine Art from University of New Mexico, and has been a professional artist for over 15 years. She has had great experience working creatively with companies like Disney and Universal Studios. Ms. Wyles has a passion for teaching art to kids and has an extensive background in private and non-profit art education. She is also an artist and volunteer with the Laguna Plein Air Painter’s Association (LPAPA), where she mentors children in the history and fundamentals of Plein Air Painting. In her free time, Ms. Wyles can be found either surfing, dancing Flamenco, or painting outdoors and in her studio.
TVT Community Day School is a TK-12 Independent Community Day School in Irvine, CA
Founded in Loving Memory of Naomi Gelman Weiss