School to Welcome New Faculty Members

Memphis, TN (7/28/2008) – Memphis Jewish High School will soon begin its third year with 20 students in its freshman, sophomore and junior classes. "The past two years have been exciting and very rewarding, this last year in particular," said Andy Groveman, president of MJHS. "In May, the school received full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), an honor achieved in less than two years after opening its doors. And in July, MJHS received full membership into the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), a voluntary organization regulating interscholastic athletic competition among Tennessee schools. Both critical steps help ensure the future of our school."

In addition, MJHS is welcoming several new faculty personnel for the upcoming school year:

• Dr. Elizabeth McBride, Head of School, brings over 20 years of experience in education including administration and teaching. Dr. McBride earned her Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Memphis, her M.S. in Psychology at the University of Memphis and her B.S. in Psychology at Mississippi State University. Most recently, she served as an Adjunct Professor for Instruction & Curriculum Leadership in the University of Memphis’ College of Education.
  
  
• Dr. Mark Cowett, Dean of General Studies, has over 34 years of teaching and administrative experience at both the college and secondary school levels. Dr. Cowett received his PhD in American History and English from the University of Cincinnati, his MAT and MA from the University of Chicago, and his BA from Lawrence University. Dr. Cowett has served as Head of Upper School and/or Academic Dean at private schools in Virginia, Tennessee and New York.
  
  
• Yona and Yossi Cohen will join MJHS’ Judaic Studies faculty. Yossi graduated with a Master’s degree in Land of Israel studies and Archeology from Bar Ilan University in Israel. He also earned a B.Ed in Bible and Talmud from Herzog College (Israel), and is a graduate of the ‘Har Etzion’ Hesder Yeshiva, Alon Shvut (Israel). Yossi was an advisor of Judaism seminars for non-religious teenagers in the ‘Gesher’ organization (Israel), was a member of the ‘Torah Mitzion’ Kollel in Cleveland, Ohio, is a registered Israel Tour Guide and served in the Artillery Division of the Israel Defense Forces. “Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow men and bringing them near to the Torah” is one of Yossi’s favorite quotes.
  
  Yona was also educated in Israel at the Matan Institute in Jerusalem for Jewish studies, and at Technion in Haifa where she earned a B.S. in computer engineering. Yona taught Hebrew language for the municipality of Jerusalem in a Hebrew Ulpan, and was a program writer in Lamdeni Private Ulpans in Jerusalem. She was a developer and team leader in Surf communication solutions, Bigband networks, and NDS. She also holds two patents: one for a real time fax over packet based network and a second for a back-to-back modem repeater.
  
  
• Deborah Penny will be teaching English in the General Studies department. She received her Master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University.
  
  
• Genie Stringer will be teaching Science in the General Studies department. She received her Master’s degree from the University of Memphis.

"We are delighted to welcome these outstanding educators to MJHS. They epitomize the standards of excellence for which we continue to strive," said Groveman.