Ms. Bennett comes to Atlanta by way of California. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice/Pre-Law, Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision.  She comes to YOY with 24 years of educational experience, covering all realms and genres of ELA and Literature, and serving in all administrative positions from Interim Principal, Assistant Principal, Disciplinary Dean, and  Department Chair. She is inspired by words and written expression and hopes to enhance this inspiration in each student she encounters.  She believes in the concept of “Each One, Teach One” …. where every student brings something to share in the learning process.  With the implementation of the “Nurtured Heart Approach” philosophy into her teaching style, she looks forward to each student’s growth, both in knowledge and character.

          Mr. Christopher Ellis is a native of Atlanta.  He attended Auburn University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, concentrating on Actuarial Science.  He discovered that teaching was a more rewarding and fun career than working in insurance. Mr. Ellis holds certification from the state of Georgia in all content areas of secondary mathematics.  He has been with Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael since 2015, having taught all different levels of mathematics.

          Dr. Richard Katz is a trained linguist, specializing in language history and how grammatical features come about. He earned his Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Georgia. He first came to Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael in the fall of 2018 where he teaches Language Arts and English to the 9th and 12th grade. In class, he works on strengthening students' skills in close reading and argumentative writing. Outside of class, he is writing a book about the history of grammatical structures like the perfect tense. 

            Mr. Tarpley was born in Atlanta and educated in the city of Atlanta Schools. He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in History from Georgia State University, as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the Woodrow Wilson Law School. Mr. Tarpley taught in the Cobb County School system for 13 years, where he was also Assistant Principal of Walton and Lassiter High Schools. He served as the Principal of Pinecrest Academy for the last 23 years.  Mr. Tarpley is married to Pamela and they have two children, Katherine, a radiology student, and Hamilton, who lives and works in Berlin, Germany.

          Rabbi Jake Czuper has had the opportunity to teach students in both formal and informal educational settings. With a B.A. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Education and Special Education, and Semicha from Beis Medrash L'Talmud (Lander College), Rabbi Jake is passionate about teaching Torah and sharing his knowledge of Positive Psychology and health to best impact his students. Rabbi Jake looks forward to teaching PE and Health classes at Y.O.Y. and getting to know the student body.

          Mr. William Ellis attended both the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. He holds a BS Ed. in Secondary Social Science Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership and Supervision. He taught in the Gwinnet County school system for over 35 years; was department chair for eleven years; and served on the committee that developed the geography certification test used in the State of Georgia to certify teacher expertise in the subject of geography.  Mr. Ellis began teaching at Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael in the fall of 2009 and now teaches the full range of social sciences including AP US History and AP US Government.

          Dr. Thomas Rounds is physics and chemistry teacher here at Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael. Dr. Rounds grew up in Maine and received his B.A. in chemistry from Bowdoin College and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from MIT. He moved to Atlanta in 1991 and returned to teaching high school in 2003. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf and cooking. He has two grown
daughters and four grandchildren all of whom live in New England.