Rebecca Named Preschool Director

In her mentor's footsteps Berman teacher named to head preschool

by Adam Kredo, Staff Writer

In times of tragedy, consistency can be a comfort -- and Rebecca Gautieri is willing to be that rock.

It is Gautieri, after all, who, as acting director, has been maintaining stability at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy's preschool since the death last year of its longtime director, Zlata Geisinsky.

Gautieri, who was named permanent director of the Rockville preschool, says she has sought to follow in the footsteps of Geisinsky, who served as the preschool's director for nearly two decades before dying of cancer in June.

"It's been helpful to have someone who knew how Zlata liked to do things," explained Gautieri, an Olney resident. "I think that was a comfort" for both the preschool's students and families.

Geisinsky "was really my guide and mentor," added Gautieri, 51, who taught a Berman class for 4-year-olds for a dozen years before being appointed acting director at the start of this school year. "I was blessed to learn from her all these years."

At least one parent gives Gautieri high marks for her executive performance thus far.

"She spent so many years as a teacher under the wonderful guidance of Zlata ... and I think Rebecca is trying to keep the nursery school running in the same way," said Devorah Grayson of Silver Spring, whose five children have attended the preschool.

Following Geisinsky's death, Berman's preschool was in a shaky state of affairs.

"We did not have the time to search properly for a replacement," Joshua Levisohn, Berman's head of school, said via e-mail. "I chose Rebecca to serve in this capacity because I felt like she had leadership capabilities that could blossom when given the chance."

During past five months, Levisohn added, Gautieri has proven herself to be an able leader.

"Her eagerness to grow and learn from everyone has particularly impressed me ... and stands her in very good stead as she develops in this position," he wrote.

Childhood education, however, wasn't Gautieri's initial calling. She began her career as a nurse.

Raised in Bethesda, Gautieri earned a bachelor's degree in nursing at Boston University. One aspect of the job, though, was particularly appealing.

"What I liked about nursing was teaching," Gautieri recalled.

So when the first of her three children enrolled in Berman's preschool, Gautieri was eager to play a role. She soon signed on to be a fourth-grade teaching assistant in Berman's lower school.

"I felt like I had wanted to be part of that world," she said. "I just wanted to be part of my children's education."

After working with fourth-grade students for a year, Gautieri found that she was more "suited to younger children." She quickly earned her early childhood teaching certificate, "and I've been there ever since. I just felt this came more naturally to me."

Though she's been a stalwart educator for more than decade, Gautieri said her new executive role still comes with a few challenges.

"Changing my role and relationships with co-workers" has taken adjustment, she said, adding that above all, "I miss being in the classroom all the time."

Still, she added, "there hasn't been anything that's a complete surprise because I've been there a long time."

Now that she controls the preschool's curriculum, Gautieri said she plans to boost Hebrew language instruction. Teachers also will be offered more professional development opportunities .

Levisohn said he, too, expects big things -- though the preschool won't stray too far from the path Geisinsky forged long ago.

"First and foremost, [we aim] to continue the preschool as Zlata's legacy, with a very warm environment," Levisohn wrote. "I look for a preschool that continues to be a place where parents and kids are very happy coming in every morning, where kids rejoice in their Judaism and in their interaction with their peers."