Our Lions Teachers
Building confidence, creativity, and friendship
Elizabeth Canino
Co-Lead Teacher
Elizabeth Canino is an early childhood educator who is passionate about creating joyful, engaging learning environments where young children can grow socially, emotionally, and academically. She studied at the School of Education at Florida SouthWestern State College.
Elizabeth has experience teaching in a variety of educational settings, including Collier County Public Schools and Montessori classrooms, where she supported individualized learning through hands-on exploration and creative lesson planning. She believes that curiosity, kindness, and creativity are the foundations of early learning and strives to make every child feel confident, capable, and excited to come to school each day.
In addition to her work in education, Elizabeth is a professional musician and lead vocalist of a jazz and blues trio. She loves incorporating music, rhythm, and movement into the classroom to support language development, self-expression, and community building.
Elizabeth feels honored to be part of the Temple Shalom Preschool community and looks forward to partnering with families to nurture a love of learning during these important early years.
Samira Mujollari
Co-Lead Teacher
Ms. Samira is excited to be part of the Temple Shalom Preschool family! She brings two years of experience working in education and is passionate about helping young learners grow and thrive. In addition to her early childhood experience, she has taught high school geography, history, psychology, and philosophy in Albania.
Ms. Samira attended a four-year university in Albania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Geography. She is also certified in CPR and First Aid.
When she is not in the classroom, Ms. Samira enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. Her favorite activities include fishing, playing tennis, and hiking.
Ms. Samira loves working with children and strives to make her classroom feel like a second home. Her goal is to ensure that every child feels safe, happy, and excited to explore, discover, and learn each day. She is honored to be part of your child’s educational journey and looks forward to a wonderful school year filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences.
Claudia Avila
Lead Teacher
Ms. Claudia is excited to be part of the Temple Shalom Preschool family! She brings 18 years of experience in education, including serving as a VPK teacher. Throughout her career, she has taught a variety of age groups, from preschool students to middle and high school learners.
Ms. Claudia attended Kean University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Spanish. She also earned her CDA from Union County College and is certified in CPR and First Aid.
When she's not in the classroom, Ms. Claudia enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, visiting New York City, grabbing a good cup of coffee, and shopping. She is passionate about working with children and believes in teaching important values such as kindness, respect, and caring for one another as part of their school family.
Ms. Claudia is dedicated to creating a warm, nurturing environment where children feel supported, valued, and excited to learn each day.
Vanessa Tovar
Assistant Teacher
Bio coming soon :)
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Magaly Arias
Lead Teacher
Bio coming soon :)
Lana Gjonji
Assistant Teacher
Bio coming soon :)
