Paulson Director

Malka Lowenstein is the Paulson Director of the 92nd Street Y Nursery School. Over her 20-year career in Early Childhood Education, Malka has developed extensive experience as both a classroom teacher and as a successful school administrator. She comes to this position with a deep understanding of child development, family and classroom dynamics, and early childhood philosophy and curricula.

Prior to joining 92Y, Malka served as the Director of the Early Years & Kindergarten at the Berlin Cosmopolitan School (in Germany), the Associate Director of the Park Avenue Synagogue Early Childhood Center, as well as the Director of Young Family Education. Malka has a BA from Columbia University and an MA from the University of Pennsylvania. Before moving to Berlin, Malka was a classroom teacher (ages 2-5 years) at independent schools for ten years.

Malka has developed Early Years music curricula and facilitated educational workshops on bilingual education as well as using puppets, music, and children’s books as a platform for children to develop empathy and intercultural competence. Malka has also led music classes for children and adults, building singing communities which bridge children’s experiences at school with their world at home.
 

Associate Director

Tracy Birkhahn is the Associate Director for the 92nd Street Y Nursery School.

In her current role, Tracy meets and works with parents to discuss and explore developmental or parenting issues and concerns. Tracy works closely with teachers, parents and students to develop new and innovative curriculum for the Nursery School. She also provides guidance on alternative teaching strategies and approaches to accommodate students’ individual needs and obtain and coordinate all outside therapies for children who require external intervention. Tracy also works regularly with teachers and families from the 92Y Parenting Center.

Previously, Tracy was the Director of Learning Resources at the 92nd Street Y Nursery School. She worked hands-on with hundreds of children over the course of more than 15 years to assess for developmental delays and assist teachers in adjusting classroom and instructional methods to meet the needs of special needs children. She also worked closely with and provided guidance to parents regarding developmental issues and regularly coordinated services with speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and/or play therapists.

Prior to joining the 92nd Street Y, Tracy was a Special Education Itinerant Teacher and Play Therapist for the Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services at the Child Development Center and Theracare. At both organizations, she provided individualized special education services and play therapy for children with developmental disorders in mainstream preschool settings for preschool children.

Tracy is a Certified Social Worker and Certified in Special education in New York State. She holds dual degrees in special education and social work from Bank Street College and Columbia University, respectively. She lives with her husband, Ted, and two children, Benjamin and Sydney, in Irvington, NY.

Director of Operations

Lora DelPonte, Director of Operations at the 92nd Street Y Nursery School, holds a dual Master’s Degree in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University. Joining in 2006, she has spent her entire career at the 92nd Street Y Nursery School. Previously, she was a Head Teacher in the Green Room for six years and an Assistant Teacher in both the Rainbow and Red Rooms. She has also been the Director of 92Y Camp K’Ton Ton and was the Director of 92Y WonderPlay Conference. Lora also presented at the 92Y Wonderplay conference. In 2015, she attended the Reggio-Emilia Study Tour in Reggio-Emilia, Italy. She has her BA in English from the University of Rochester. Originally from Maine, Lora lives in Brooklyn with her husband Josh and son Max.