5-8 Specials
Nica Rabinowitz
K-8th Art Teacher
She / her
Nica has been teaching art and helping people of all ages access their inherent creativity for more than 10 years. After receiving a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2023, Nica joined the Odyssey community ready to develop an integrated art curriculum for elementary and middle school learners to connect, cultivate, and create in kinship with the natural world.
A native-New Yorker, Nica graduated with a degree in Fashion Design with a focus on community-supported textiles from Parsons School of Design, and quickly discovered a love for art education. Nica brings with her many years of experience creating liberating learning environments and teaching children art in classrooms, museums, community gardens, farms, makerspaces, galleries, parks, and anywhere else creativity can flow.
When she is not teaching, you can find Nica in the weeds, collaborating with plants, mushrooms, microbes, and fiber animals at the Fiberhouse Collective in Marshall, NC.
Claire Roboski
5th & 6th Math Teacher, She / her
Claire Roboski is a part-time instructor with a multidisciplinary background in education, psychology, holistic coaching, Ayurveda, and yoga. Claire has over 12 years’ experience facilitating nonviolent conflict resolution, tutoring, and teaching (both children and and adults), in both classroom and studio settings alike. She is also a certified yoga instructor, with a focus on alleviating trauma and anxiety. She joined Odyssey’s middle school faculty in the winter of 2023 to teach 5th and 6th grade.
Karina Byers
HS Spanish & College Readiness, She / Her
Karina is a native Spanish speaker from Santiago, Chile. She has been living in North Carolina since 2009 and became a US citizen in 2016. She studied at Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello in Chile and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Karina taught elementary and middle school for 8 years in Santiago before moving to the United States. In addition to teaching, Karina also was a private tutor for students with academic support needs and was also involved with many social and community outreach programs in her native Chile.
Since coming to the United States, Karina has continued her passion for Education by teaching the Spanish language and culture to students from ages 3 to 65 years old. She teaches private lessons and also taught in a middle school preparing students for advanced High School credits. Karina was also responsible for leading student trips each year to a bilingual school in Heredia, Costa Rica, sharing information and ideas with educational professionals from there.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, two daughters, and dogs. Biking, hiking, exploring nature, dancing, cooking, and traveling are her favorite hobbies.
“Fue el tiempo que pasaste con tu rosa lo que la hizo tan importante” El Principito.
Karina Byers
She/ her
High School Spanish & College Readiness Teacher
Karina is a native Spanish speaker from Santiago, Chile. She has been living in North Carolina since 2009 and became a US citizen in 2016. She studied at Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello in Chile and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Karina taught elementary and middle school for 8 years in Santiago before moving to the United States. In addition to teaching, Karina also was a private tutor for students with academic support needs and was also involved with many social and community outreach programs in her native Chile.
Since coming to the United States, Karina has continued her passion for education by teaching the Spanish language and culture to students from ages 3 to 65 years old. She teaches private lessons and also taught in a middle school preparing students for advanced high school credits. Karina was responsible for leading student trips each year to a bilingual school in Heredia, Costa Rica, sharing information and ideas with local educational professionals.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, two daughters, and dogs. Biking, hiking, exploring nature, dancing, cooking, and traveling are her favorite hobbies.
“Fue el tiempo que pasaste con tu rosa lo que la hizo tan importante” El Principito.
Haviva Dror
Pre-k Director
she/her
Haviva Dror holds an AAS degree in Early Childhood Education and a certificate in Special Education. She has been an Early Childhood educator since 2003. As a teacher, Haviva believes in creating a nurturing, loving, and caring environment where each child is treated as an individual with respect and compassion.
Haviva truly believes that strong social/emotional skills are THE most important indicator for success, not only in school, but also in life. Mindfulness and meditation are two of the tools Haviva uses in her classrooms to help children with self-regulation, focus, and body awareness. She teaches children to listen to their bodies’ needs, and recognize the feelings they are experiencing.
While early childhood education is Haviva’s passion and the career path she has chosen, she also teaches Hebrew. Over the years this has given her the opportunity to continue her journey with some of her former preschool students. Haviva is happy to share her Hebrew knowledge with her Odyssey students as well.
In her spare time, Haviva practices yoga and meditation, enjoys spending time with friends and family, and continues to deepen her knowledge in a wide array of subjects. Haviva considers herself a lifelong learner and is excited to continue her journey here at Odyssey!
Sunshine Pugh
Sunshine is a current undergraduate student at Connecticut College in New London, CT, and an Asheville native and graduate of Odyssey. She has been working with kids either in summer camps or as an ultimate frisbee coach since 2016. She is planning to major in art and education with the possibility of a minor in botany. Her favorite mediums are collage, drawing, painting, and jewelry making but is truly happy indulging in and teaching any form of art.
Most of the time, Sunshine is either throwing herself into her course work, spending long hours in the sculpture studio as a tutor, or on the ultimate frisbee field. Hiking, spending time with friends and family, learning, artwork, and social justice are some of her greatest passions.
Neal Harris
Neal Harris is an International Life Master chess player, a ranking few chess players ever achieve, and one of only 10 members of the N.C. Chess hall of fame. He has been teaching chess since the early 1990’s. Mr. Harris has a joyful style of teaching and enjoys sharing the game he loves with his students.
Grayson Morris
Virtual Camp Teacher
Grayson Morris has worked as a teacher, tutor, camp counselor, school bus driver, nanny, teaching artist, and mentor for over 15 years. With a lateral entry teaching license in ESL, an Early Childhood Credential, Masters level education in teaching reading, work experience as a Title I reading assistant in Buncombe county schools and as an Odyssey PreK teacher, Grayson’s experience working with children is varied and deep! She is very excited to be back at Odyssey this summer!
Grayson is also a performing artist and puppeteer and has led workshops for children and adults, toured the US with her one woman show, and currently divides her time between living in Asheville and Los Angeles. She loves to learn and teach, but more than anything, she loves to have fun!
T.K. Young
PreK Team Teacher
T.K. holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and a minor in early-childhood education. She has been a teacher for the past 5 years and feels very fortunate to be able to facilitate so much learning and developing with children. She is looking forward to a great year ahead!
When she’s not working, she enjoys hiking and going on adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She was born and raised in Asheville, but feels like there’s always a new trail or waterfall to explore! She also enjoys doing yoga to add some calmness and peace to her busy days.
News and Events
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Odyssey Community School
Enrolling now! Odyssey School, an independent school, focusing on creativity and critical thinking.
Summer Book Club for 5-7th graders - The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath and Death
birthbreathanddeath.com
This summer, all rising 5th-7th graders are welcome to join Amy Wright Glenn ~ Institute founder & director + Odyssey School Middle School ELA/Social Studies teacher ~ for a 6-week Summer Book Club...
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center presents an evening treat for cinephiles and music aficionados alike. Following Min Xiao-Fen’s acclaimed White Lotus, her score for the 1934 classic Chinese silent film The Goddess, she received a commission from the Smithsonian Institution to compose new original soundtracks for Romance of the Fruit Peddler and Romance of the Western Chamber, two historical Chinese silent films from the 1920s. These new scores will premiere on May 6, 2023. Ms. Min, known for her innovative approach to traditional music and her ability to seamlessly integrate diverse musical styles, will perform with master percussionist River Guerguerian, a renowned multi-percussionist and composer and a leading figure in classical, jazz and world music. Together, they bring a unique cross-cultural expression and artistic vision to the stage. Both films will be shown during the performance.![]()
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Join us Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 8PM at BMCM+AC!![]()
TICKETS are available online – $15 General Admission / $10 for BMCM+AC members + Students w/ID![]()
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Min Xiao-Fen: Chinese plucked instruments, including pipa, ruan, sanxian, guqin, and finger piano, sound effects, and voice.![]()
River Guerguerian: Middle Eastern and Indian frame drums, hand drums, kanjira talking drums, Chinese gongs, hand-pan, marimba, and voice.