It’s a homecoming for Gabriel Felder, as Stamford’s Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy of Connecticut graduate is coming back to lead the middle school as its new principal. Felder attended BCHA from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“We are so excited to be bringing Gabe back to BCHA, the institution that fostered his initial desire to pursue education professionally, and after having gained tremendous experience in a distinguished career as an educator over the past 10 years,” said Rabbi Tzvi Bernstein, head of school. “His desire to give back educationally to the Jewish community in which he was raised speaks volumes about how effective our school has been to the success of the special Jewish community that it serves.”
And to say that Felder is excited about returning to the BCHA is an understatement.
“Bi-Cultural’s Torah-value driven education informed so much of my own core beliefs in what strong classrooms and culture look like,” said Felder. “They shaped me and so many others into successful Jewish leaders in their fields. The opportunity to return and be a part of the team of amazing educators is one that is deeply humbling and motivating for me as I hope to continue that tradition of excellence.”
For Felder, one of his first missions is to build relationships with the middle school community.
“Through these relationships, I hope to find and cultivate leadership opportunities for our preteens and teens in and out of the classroom that builds a holistic and well-rounded education experience,” said Felder.
Felder was previously the dean of language arts and special services at Achievement First Apollo Middle School in Brooklyn, where he led many academic initiatives. He served as a member of the school’s leadership team, planned and led staff professional development for over 30 teachers and over 15 staff members, and coached and managed the ELA department of eight teachers and 400 students across grades 5-8.
As a member of the school’s leadership team, Gabe was responsible for creating and cultivating a vision for the ELA department and adjustments to the ELA curriculum and assessments. He led staff professional development on topics such as data-driven instruction and student data analysis, real-time feedback, classroom culture, Common Core State Standards, student-centered discourse, academic rigor, lesson planning, culturally responsive teaching, co-teaching, and adult culture.
In addition to being a proud graduate of BCHA, Felder is also a graduate of the City University of New York-Brooklyn College, where he received a master of arts degree in education with a Students with Disabilities 7-12 Certificate. He also graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor of arts degree in political communications.
Felder will be filling the position previously held by David Giver, who has been named the new BCHA upper school principal.
“We are looking forward to seeing all that Gabriel brings to the middle school,” said Giver. “While it is sad to leave my home there, I am grateful to be back in the upper school, where I have been a teacher over the past seven years. It is an exciting time here at BCHA.”
Paul Silverfarb is director of communications at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy.
