Our Staff

Welcome to the High School of World Cultures!

My name is Matthew Perry, and I serve as your Assistant Principal of Instruction, Technology, and Programming. It is a privilege to welcome our students and families to a new school year.

At HSWC, we want you to know that our students are in trusted and highly capable hands. Our faculty members are not only experts in their specific content areas but also hold specialized training in supporting the unique needs of multilingual learners. We are committed to providing an inclusive, rigorous, and supportive environment where every student can thrive.

Communication is key to our success, so please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. I also invite you to explore the section below to read through our talented teachers' bios and learn more about the team dedicated to your child's education.

ELA Department

Mr. Sean Powell has been a member of the HSWC community since 2009 prior to which he taught English in Westchester, Florida, and Turkey. Mr. Powell has a special affinity for newcomers having himself come to the US at age 16. He is teaching 9th grade ELA as well as a Debate course this year. spowell13@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Wald is in his 8th year teaching ELA at HSWC. He teaches the 12th grade and focuses on preparing the students for their ELA Regents and AP English Language exams as well as their college and career pathways. Mr. Wald is also the ELA Department Leader, UFT Chapter Leader, and Girls Varsity Soccer Coach. dwald2@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Charlera joins the HSWC community with three years of teaching experience and a deep commitment to supporting multilingual learners. Passionate about teaching writing, she helps newcomers strengthen their skills and is dedicated to learning about her students’ diverse backgrounds. This year, Ms. Charlera teaches 11th and 12th-grade writing, tutors students for the ELA Regents exams, and mentors’ students in grades 9 through 11. jcharlera@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Nicole Camera has taught English at the High School of World Cultures since 2019. She is also the ELA department leader, UFT delegate, and advisor to the student newspaper (The New Voice), and the GSA (Gender-Sexuality Alliance). She aims to equip students with the tools necessary to advocate effectively for themselves and others. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her cats. ncamera@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Mr. John Talio is a first-year teacher at HSWC community, but he comes with six years of prior teaching experience; he has previously taught in the Bronx and in Harlem. He is passionate about learning about his students and making his lessons engaging. Mr. Talio is teaching 10th grade ELA this year as well as Writing for 12th grade students. jtalio@schools.nyc.gov

ENL Department

Mr. Choi has been teaching at ELA, ENL, and Business (BUILD) at HSWC for the last 8 years. He loves connecting and learning about all the different countries, cultures, and languages that our international population comes with. If you need to find him, you can usually listen for the sound of guitar since he likes to play during his free time - no surprise as he runs the music club after school as well! rchoi3@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Kathryn Gilbert is an ENL teacher at HSWC with over 10 years’ experience.   She loves being the weirdest reading teacher in the Bronx.   Although she is an expert bike rider and has plans to ride her bike from the Bronx to Canada this summer, she is still learning how to embroider.  kgilbert2@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Perlwitz studied Modern languages and Education in college and is very passionate about learning and teaching.  This year she teaches ENL for grades 9-12 and has many students from the 10th grade. She loves teaching at HSWC because we have students from some many different cultures. Eperlwitz@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Morales earned her master’s degree Teaching English as a New Language in 2016. She has worked at the High School of World Cultures for almost 9 years. She truly enjoys working with newcomers and learning about all the different cultures. Ms. Morales also teaches a BUILD class which is part of our business program. She is currently teaching 10th grade ENL, 11th grade Business class and 9th grade ENL during afterschool.  mmorales60@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Senay Mollaoglu is an ENL teacher in High School of World Cultures. She has experience with co-teaching ELA, Algebra 1, Biology and Social Studies. This year, she is teaching Phonics for Reading to 9th graders, English Intensive to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders, and co-teaching ELA to 12th graders. smollaoglu2@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Plesac, originally from Buffalo, NY, is a dedicated educator with experience in both secondary and higher education. Since joining the High School of World Cultures in 2017, he has focused on developing innovative ENL/MLL strategies to help newcomers succeed on the ELA Regents. In addition to his teaching role, Mr. Plesac serves as an advisor for the Music Club and offers guitar lessons after school, sharing his passion for music with students. mplesac@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Alicia Wigger is new to HSWC community but comes with 8 years of prior teaching experience. She is passionate about teaching English to newcomers and learning about other languages and cultures. She is teaching 9th grade Earth Science this year. awigger@schools.nyc.gov

Math Department

Ms. Palomeque is our Algebra I teacher with 5 years of experience. She is passionate about teaching mathematical skills that can be used in school and in our community. apalomeque@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. De Los Santos has been teaching for 10 years. He has been teaching at HSWC for 4 years. What Mr. De Los Santos likes the most is to demystify Algebra & Geometry. With the right approach, practice and patience, anybody can understand and apply algebra and geometry in their lives. ldelossantos8@school.nyc.gov

Ms. Bandara is a new teacher for the DOE, but not new for teaching math. Prior to coming to HSWC she was a lecturer at Queensborough college. Teaching math to high school students has been by far the most rewarding thing she has ever done. She is dedicated to serving our students and community.  ndingiribandam@schools.nyc.gov

Social Studies Department

Ms. Moyer has been teaching at HSWC for 10+ years.  This year she is teaching Regents US History and AP US History. Her goal is to teach students how to think critically about the world they live in and to be actively engaged in their communities. kjoslyn@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Albright is in his second year in the HSWC community.  After many years in the technology corporate world, he made a career change to become a History Teacher, focused on Global History (a Regents course).  He is also passionate about many other topics, including art and literature, which he incorporates in his lessons. talbright2@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Mascaro has been one of the brightest additions to the History Department at HSWC. His ambition and energy guides ninth graders as they begin their transition into high school. Teaching the English language and speaking about history are his biggest passions and he loves to share them with everyone! Besides history, he also loves coffee and chocolate. gmascaro@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Joshua De Michele is in his second-year teaching at HSWC however, comes to the school with 2 years of teaching experience prior. This year, he is teaching Economics and Government in conjunction with Regent U.S. History. He enjoys teaching about fiscal and civic responsibility with the hope to facilitate student success post-graduation.  jdemichele@schools.nyc.gov

Art Department

Ms. Jee Eun Esther Jang is an artist, third culture kid, and a visual arts teacher. Having grown up in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, and the States, she is passionate about teaching newcomer students the joy of creativity, self-expression, and celebrating their heritage! jjang6@schools.nyc.gov

Spanish Department

Ms. Mercedes has been in HSWC community for 15 yrs.  She is passionate about teaching Spanish for native and non-native students.  She is teaching levels 1-3 in Spanish. lmercedes6@schools.nyc.gov

Mrs. Escoto is a Spanish teacher going through her eighth year at HSWC but comes with 20 years of prior teaching experience.  She is passionate about teaching Spanish and Hispanic American literature.  She enjoys seeing the transformation of students when they acquire knowledge. This school year, she is teaching 9th and 10th graders. iescoto@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Pimentel is a veteran teacher at HSWC with 20+ years of experience. Since she started working for the DOE, she's been working with ELLs/Multilingual students in Dual Language and Bilingual programs. She is very dedicated and passionate about teaching her AP students. She is teaching 11th and 12th grade AP Spanish Language and Literature. Cpimentel@schools.nyc.gov

Physical Education Department

Mr. Dungey is a 22-year veteran teacher to the HSWC community but comes with many talents and experiences.  He is passionate about teaching physical education to newcomers and learning about all the different backgrounds of his students. He is coaching the varsity swimming team this year and drawing as an elective.sdungeyjr@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Jason Murnan serves as a physical education teacher at the High School of World Cultures. Since joining the school in 2004, he has dedicated 22 years to fostering physical education in a dynamic and inclusive setting. Mr. Murnan is passionate about creating an engaging, active and positive learning environment for his multicultural student body. Jmurnan22@schools.nyc.gov

Mr. Berlin is in his 8th year at HSWC where he began as a Physical Education and Health teacher. In addition to those roles, he now serves as the Dean of Students, ensuring a positive, supportive, and safe school learning environment.  In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and playing/watching sports. mberlin3@schools.nyc.gov

CTE Culinary Department

Mr. Jaquan Whidbee has been teaching Culinary Arts at the High school of World Cultures for 9 years now. With years of experience, he has been able to help students realize their passions and learn to be open minded towards food. With in his class student obtain the chance to understand what marketability is and what is needed to be their professional careers. He is at this present time teaching 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Jwhidbee@schools.nyc.gov

Ms. Solorzano is a first-year high school culinary teacher with a background in professional kitchens and a passion for teaching the art of cooking. She brings real-world experience to the classroom, aiming to equip students with both practical skills and a love for culinary creativity. Her goal is to inspire future chefs and help students build confidence in and out of the kitchen. Asolorzano6@schools.nyc.gov

Special Education Department

Mr. Kilada is beginning his second year at HSWC.  He is part of the special education team and is teaching in Math and Science classrooms this year.  He is passionate about meeting students' needs to help them succeed academically and achieve their goals.  Mr. Kilada is also part of the Music Club after school.  Jkilada2@schools.nyc.gov

 

Ms. Jessica Ramos is joining HSWC as a Special Education teacher. She will be teaching ICT and SETSS classes in 9th and 10th-grade ELA and Social Studies. She is passionate about empowering students to become confident, independent learners while fostering a supportive and inclusive classroom community! jramos78@schools.nyc.gov