Ms. Wolski has worked in the North Arlington school district for four years. Not only does she teach dance at the high school, but she also teaches at the middle school! Ms. Wolski attended Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance while graduating Summa Cum Laude. She furthered her education at Rutgers School of Education, where she received her Master in Dance Education. In college, she received her Vinyasa Yoga certification and Animal Flow certification. She also studied abroad in Lucca, Italy, for a summer semester and simultaneously indulged in the captivating culture! Ms. Wolski began teaching dance in her teenage years. She attended a private dance studio and assisted her teachers with their classes. Her first job in high school was teaching recreational dance classes.
Ms. Wolski has always had a passion for dance. She began dancing at seven years old, and ballet was the first style she learned. After learning ballet, she was only more encouraged to pursue dancing. She recalls asking her mom to enroll her in dance to spend time with her friends after school, but as she attended more classes, she fell in love with the art form. The most appealing aspect of it is the physical demand on the body. She exclaimed, “I loved the overflow of emotions I would get when stepping on stage and the countless hours of hard work while collaborating with my peers to create something bigger than oneself.” While Ms. Wolski appreciates all dance styles, her favorites include contemporary and modern dance.
Ms. Wolski has always had a passion to teach dance. In high school, she was accepted into a vocational school where she participated in a performing arts program. Her high school experience was significantly impacted by her teacher and, therefore, she was motivated to teach other students. Despite her focus on dance and most of her days spent in the dance studio, her favorite academic subject is science.
As she is a teacher at a high school now, Ms. Wolski has various goals for her students. Her primary goals are “for students to leave my class having an overall appreciation for dance, while learning how to collaborate with others to create something bigger than themselves. I hope for students to express themselves through dance and to make connections with the content and their personal life. I hope students leave my class feeling confident in who they are and how they can be a positive member of society.” Her favorite aspect of working at the high school is establishing a bond with her students. Ms. Wolski values all her students and greatly appreciates the opportunity to teach them the value of dance and the privilege to witness them grow academically and personally since middle school. She shares her passion with her students, which she values dearly. A personal goal Ms. Wolski has for herself this year is to take one day at a time and to make an impact on her students’ lives.
A crazy classroom story Ms. Wolski shared was about a time when she and a class were in the middle of a lesson and a bird flew through the window! An interesting fact that her students would not know about her just by having her as a teacher is that she has danced in numerous well-known arenas, most notably Madison Square Garden.
In her leisure time, she practices Yoga, spends time with friends and family, watching movies, and cooking. She also notes that if she is not on the couch “watching a movie with homemade pizza, you can find me out to dinner, shopping, or stopping by local coffee shops.” Further, her favorite sports team is the Yankees, her favorite television series is “Friends,” and her favorite movies include Disney movies. Additionally, her favorite book is Maid in Manhattan.
Ms. Wolski is an amazing teacher and addition to the NAHS staff. NAHS would not be the same without her, as she continues to inspire the creative and artistic abilities of every student in her classes!