Dr. Michael Mulder used to pretend he was a teacher when he was in middle school. In college, he studied a variety of musical disciplines leading to 4 degrees in music and 1 degree in education. He has been teaching at PRES since 2002. He taught general music until 2012 and then he became a band teacher. He has taught in 4 of 5 elementary schools in Bedford. Mike enjoys seeing former students who have moved to high school and beyond. And he enjoys the enthusiasm 9 and 10 year olds have for music making. Dr. Mulder is also the choir director and organist at St. James Episcopal Church in North Salem.
Welcome to music at PRES! My name is Lynn Donnavan and I am the general music teacher and the Fourth & Fifth Grade Chorus director. I’ve been teaching elementary music for the past 27 years and I love my job!
I graduated from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. My principal instrument was piano and I minored in voice. After graduation, I began my teaching career at Fostertown Elementary School, a magnet school for the visual & performing arts in Newburgh, N.Y. While I was teaching in Newburgh, I received my Masters in pedagogy from the Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT. I also had the amazing opportunity to work in the William Floyd School District on Long Island, nationally recognized for their music program, where I taught in an all sixth grade building.
In 1998, I moved to Westchester from Long Island when I got engaged to my husband, another Bedford music teacher!! I taught at Bedford Village for ten years before I had my daughter, Chloe. When I returned from my leave, Pound Ridge was in need of a music teacher, thus, PRES has been my home ever since! This year, I am currently sharing my time between PRES and Bedford Hills Elementary.
Fun fact: In the year 2000, My Fourth & Fifth Grade Chorus from Bedford Village sang at my wedding! This chorus also received a “Gold with Distinction” rating from the NYSSMA Adjudication Festival.
I am so excited to begin the chorus again after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Choral conducting is my passion so I am thrilled to be working with our ensemble of young singers again! There is nothing like the beautiful sound of children’s voices!
Hello! I am Eleana Sipowicz; a mother, artist and teacher. I am a passionate art educator with over 25 years' experience working with children. I hold a BS and MA from SUNY New Paltz and an EdM in Art and Art Education from Teachers College. Since 2013 I have been the art and enrichment teacher for West Patent Elementary, and prior to Bedford, I taught for The School @ Columbia University for 10 years in both the classroom and the art room. As an educator I strive to foster an environment where each of my students feels safe and inspired. Where they can grow at their own pace, problem solve through their ideas and learn how to express themselves creatively both as individuals and collaboratively. Outside of school I love spending time with my family, making things, listening to music, gardening and being outdoors!