New Faculty and Staff for 2023-24
Paideia is excited to introduce the new faculty and staff who will be joining us for the 2023-24 school year!
Tom Taylor
Head of School
Perhaps the biggest change in the Paideia School lineup is the head of school. Tom Taylor will succeed Paul Bianchi as Paideia’s second-ever head of school in our 52 year history. Tom received his BA in physics and theater from Oberlin College in 2004 and his MA from Columbia University. He recently completed his PhD in education policy and leadership from the University of Minnesota. This upcoming year will be his 20th year of teaching, spending 7 years at Breck School and 12 years at Riverdale Country School where he held various faculty and administrative positions, most recently serving as the head of upper school at Riverdale.
Jennifer Rhodes
Teacher, Half Day
In Half Day, we welcome Jennifer Rhodes as an assistant teacher in AM Half Day. Jennifer graduated from Kennesaw State University with an associate degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been both a private nanny and a lead pre-k teacher for more than 5 years.
Isaiah Day
Teacher, Grades 1-2
In the Elementary School, Isaiah Day will be joining Kaela Nicholson as an assistant teacher in their first and second grade class. Isaiah graduated with a BA from Guilford College in 2014 and started teaching 2nd grade math and science in 2015 at The Kindezi School.
Theresa Watkins
Teacher, Grades K-1
Theresa Watkins will be an assistant teacher to India Stubbs in their kindergarten and first grade class. Theresa graduated with a BA from Brooklyn College. She started teaching in 2001 in New York, before teaching at The Children's School for 14 years. Most recently, she taught kindergarten at the Torah Day School.
Ali Nathanson
Psychologist, Upper Elementary
Ali Nathanson will step into the role of the Upper Elementary Consulting Psychologist. Ali graduated with a BA from DePaul and has her MA and PhD from The University of Tennessee. Ali did her post-doctoral fellowship at Emory and has had a private practice since 2015.
Emily Eliasen
Permanent Substitute, Elementary
Emily Eliasen will become a permanent substitute in the Elementary School. Emily graduated with a BFA from Wright State University. She started working as a part-time substitute at Paideia this past spring, but joins us full-time this year.
John Terry
History, High School
Within the High School, there is a change in leadership as Stacey Winston steps into the role of interim High School principal with Miranda Knowles becoming interim assistant principal. One new faculty member joins the High School this year, History teacher John Terry. John graduated with a BA from the University of Arkansas in 2008, before pursuing his MA and PhD in History and Classics at the University of Virginia. Prior to coming to Paideia, he taught at the Westminster Schools for seven years.
Kellie Bruce
Director of Parent Involvement
Kellie Bruce will serve as the director of parent involvement this year. Kellie graduated with a BA from UGA. She has served in numerous leadership roles in parent involvement and board leadership since 2004 at Morningside Day Out Preschool, Cliff Valley School and the Paideia School.
Patti Crenshaw
School Nurse, Junior High
As we expand our campus across Ponce De Leon, we welcome two new nurses for the Junior High: Patti Crenshaw and Cherise Hendershot. Patti Crenshaw has a BSN from Kennesaw State University and a BA in business from Oglethorpe University. She previously worked at Northside Hospital but has been working part-time at Paideia for the last six years, most notably as the school nurse two days a week during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cherise Hendershot
School Nurse, Junior High
Cherise Hendershot has a BSN from Desales University and a MSN from Rutgers University. She worked at Overlook Hospital and Hackettstown Regional Medical Center in New Jersey before moving to Atlanta. Shortly after her children started at Paideia, Cherise began filling in as a substitute nurse. Both Patti and Cherise look forward to joining the school in a full-time role.
We look forward to welcoming these new faculty and staff members into our community. We wish them the best of luck during their first year and hope that if you see them around campus, you introduce yourself and extend a warm welcome.