Epstein Hillel School has hired Halie Pica as the lead teacher for the new pre-K program at EHS, which will open in September 2024. In this role, Pica will help plan and implement an innovative curriculum that weaves pre-kindergarten experiential learning and academic milestones with joyful childhood discovery and exploration. Pica is currently a first grade co-teacher at Epstein Hillel School, where she is known for her compassion, creativity, and the ability to nurture the potential in every child. Her time on the faculty at EHS makes her uniquely qualified for the pre-K lead teacher position, as she will be able to seamlessly integrate the new program into Epstein Hillel’s program and culture.
“Our pre-K will have the same values and vibrancy as our K-8 education,” said Head of School Amy Gold. “Not only is Halie a beloved teacher on our faculty, but she truly embodies the joy of learning, compassion, love of Judaism, and commitment to tikkun olam that we want to instill in our students from the youngest ages. I’m confident that Halie Pica will help make our program one of the premiere pre-K experiences on the North Shore.”
From a young age, Pica was inspired to pursue a career in early childhood education and early intervention, in which she has over 20 years’ experience. She grew up in Manchester, N.H., where her mother helped found the preschool program of the local Jewish Federation. “I spent years observing children’s Jewish educational experiences at this magical age,” said Pica. “I always loved seeing the pure excitement when a child met an academic benchmark. I saw the joy through their eyes when they made challah on Shabbat or when they were introduced to a tradition related to a Jewish holiday. It fueled my soul.”
Pica earned her undergraduate degree in social work from the University of New Hampshire and has her MSW from Simmons College, where she studied clinical social work with a focus on the mental health and education of children. She also has a professional certificate in Jewish Communal Services from Hebrew College. Over the past two decades, Pica has worked in child development at many early intervention programs in the Greater Boston area, including those in Andover and Stoneham. After moving to Swampscott in 2007, Halie continued her career as a child development specialist at North Shore Early Intervention (now known as Aspire Developmental Services) in Salem. Concurrently, Pica taught Hebrew school at Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott and Temple Emanu-El in Marblehead. From 2018-2020, Pica was a teacher in a multi-age toddler classroom at the Montessori-based Aleph Academy Preschool in Swampscott. Since 2021, she has been working in first grade at Epstein Hillel School.
Pica said, “I have had the utmost pleasure teaching young children on the North Shore, and I’m so lucky to be a faculty member at EHS, where I have spent the last few years learning and growing as an educator. I’m thrilled to be returning to my roots and my soul’s purpose as an early childhood teacher. The foundational years before kindergarten have a profound impact on our lives, and I’m inspired to explore and innovate in the pre-K at EHS. My goals are to foster imagination and love of learning in my students, and partner with the families to support their children’s holistic development. We will not only cultivate young minds, but we will create a
space where creativity thrives and Judaism is woven into our educational journey.”
Pica currently lives in Swampscott with her husband, Al, and their two children, Andy (an EHS graduate, class of ‘22) and Bo (a current seventh grade student at EHS). When not teaching, Pica enjoys walking her dogs and spending time outdoors with her family.
This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE
