Pre-school Faculty


  • Mary Oben, Pre-school Teacher

    Mary Oben
    Pre-school Teacher

    Mary Oben has taught the preschool class for 4 and 5 year olds since 1994. She is also the preschool director. This Minnesota farm girl realized early in life that she wanted to be a teacher. She received her bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in home economics with a child development emphasis. Known as "Mrs. Mary", she believes that preschool children need to be able to play freely choosing from a wide range of materials that stimulate and teach in developmentally appropriate ways. "Over the years I've come to appreciate the special opportunity it is to work with 4 and 5 year olds. They are extremely open, and I am able to witness their tremendous growth," she said.


    Kim Dadachanji,
Pre-school Teacher

    Kim Dadachanji
    Pre-school Teacher

    Kim Dadachanji teaches the preschool class for 3 year olds. She joined NHA as a substitute before she began teaching preschool in 1996. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont, and she attained her bachelor's degree in elementary education from APEX, an innovative teacher education program for developing experiential education. "Mrs. Kim's" experience includes working at The Vicarage School of Montessori/KinderCare in Hamden, CT. The school's founders were Montessori teacher trainers, and Mrs. Kim was exposed to a variety of Montessori materials and training. Her knowledge enables her to provide a joyful environment that stimulates her student's innate sense of wonder and develops their enthusiasm to discover, learn, and grow.


    Concha Marchitelli,
Performing Arts Center Director

    Concha Marchitelli
    Performing Arts Center Director

    Concha Marchitelli is the founder, artistic director and administrator of the Dance & Drama program at New Hope Performing Arts Center. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Science from the University of the State of New York and two diplomas as a ballet and Spanish dance teacher from the Superior Conservatory of Dance and Music of Murcia, Spain, where she is from. She is certified by the Royal Academy of Dancing, the Spanish Dance Society and Kindermusik International. Her experience includes an additional 12 years as a Spanish dance teacher at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC., under the direction of Oleg Vinegradov. Since the program was established in 1991,she has produced and directed many dance performances and several musicals; among them The Wizard of Oz, Godspell, Cinderella, Peter & the Wolf, The Magical Land of Oz, Pinocchio, and Beauty and the Beast, all performed at venues like the Publick Playhouse and the Bowie Performing Arts Center. Mrs. Marchitelli adores working with children. "I rejoice when I successfully pass on to the children the love and appreciation for the performing arts," she said. Many of her students go on to pursue careers in dance or musical theater. She is proud to say that one of them performed on Broadway in the musical, "The Lion King."


    [High School Faculty] [Middle School Faculty] [Elementary School Faculty ] [Pre-school Faculty (this page)] [Specialty Faculty] [Administration] [Board of Directors]

    Top of Page