Horace Mann Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010-11 - (Page 20)

marcia levy heads nursery division Marcia Levy Heads Nursery Division A sk a devoted educator when he or she chose to pursue a life in teaching and you often hear a similar story: “I knew from the time I went to school myself” or “I knew when I was 6, or 7.” person in Marcia Levy, a highly-accomplished early-childhood educator with over 30 years of experience.” Prior to coming to Horace Mann Levy served as Director of Columbus Pre-School in New York City. Reviewing her personal journey from that formative teenage time to the doors of HM’s Nursery Division on 90th Street in Manhattan Levy recalled, “I loved school and I connected easily with my teachers. I liked math especially and became close with my math teacher in high school. His wife died in a tragic car accident. The couple had very young children, and I stepped in to take care of them as their baby sitter every day after school, and as their mother’s helper in the summer. “That was a life-altering experience for me as a young person. Until then I thought I was going to be a math teacher. But I really felt the connection with those children, and I realized the kind of impact a teacher of young children can have. I was very blessed to have been in their lives,” Levy said. Calling herself “one of those lucky people” who knew what she “wanted to do in life early on” Levy said, “I chose to study a field I’ve always loved, and I’ve had the chance to work in that field all my life. Over the years I have developed a very strong belief system that I apply to my teaching. That’s one of the things that really attracted me to Horace Mann. I felt my beliefs about education came to life there.” The new Nursery Division Head earned her bachelors’ degree in early childhood education at Queens College, and had the chance to employ her education immediately, teaching in the Bronx at a school on the Grand Concourse until her husband, a special education teacher, decided to change careers and pursue his dream of becoming a veterinarian. That decision took the couple to Bologna, Italy for Dr. Levy’s veterinary education. But it didn’t interfere with Marcia Levy’s drive to teach. Wasting no time in identifying a need among fellow “expats” in Bologna, she launched an early-childhood program for the children of medical students there. “The program was for 2 to 4-year-olds, and I held it in my house. I used to pick up all the children, ride with them on the bus, walk ten blocks with them to my home and take them back to their homes,” she said, recalling the enthusiasm of a young, energetic That’s how it was for Marcia Levy, the new Head of the Nursery Division at Horace Mann School. In her case, however, by the time this teacher, teacher of teachers, and veteran administrator was 15 years old she had already honed in on the age group she wanted to teach: the youngest learners, as an early childhood specialist. The kind of teacher she wanted to be? The best possible. Sadly, a part of this future teacher’s early self-knowledge emerged from a tragedy in the life of a friend that occurred when Levy was a teen. But, perhaps the educator can find solace today in the legacy of learning she’s fostered among students and teachers alike, as a teacher and a teacher of teachers. That legacy of distinguished service and rich experience attracted Horace Mann School to Marcia Levy, and brought her to the position of Nursery Division Head. Levy entered the post after former Nursery Division Head Patricia Zuroski became the Director of Diversity Initiatives at Horace Mann’s Office of Diversity. “Our search for a new Head of the Nursery Division focused on bringing to Horace Mann School an educator with a passion for nurturing young children and guiding their development,” said Horace Mann Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly. “We found that Photo by Jasmin Ortiz Nursery Division Head Marcia Levy encourages students to describe their artwork. 20 Horace Mann Magazine Fall/Winter 2010-11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Horace Mann Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010-11

Horace Mann Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010-11
Contents
Letters
Greetings from Dr. Tom Kelly, Horace Mann School Head of School
Greetings From Melissa Parento, Horace Mann School Director of Development
Horace Mann School Today
Dr. Tom Kelly Looks Back, and Forward, with Appreciation
Patricia Zuroski Launches New Diversity Initiative
Marcia Levy is New Head of Nursery Division
News of the School
Alumni Council Corner
Bookshelf
Class Notes
Memorials
Philanthropy and You

Horace Mann Magazine - Fall/Winter 2010-11