Speyer School
María José Peñaherrera is an experienced educational professional currently serving as the MS Dean of Students and Spanish Specialist for grades 5 through 8 at Speyer School since June 2016. With a solid background in Spanish language instruction and mindfulness coaching, María José has held various roles, including Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, and has been recognized as a .b Mindfulness Certified Coach. Previous positions include founding partner of Easy Español, business partner at several after-school programs, and Spanish teacher at multiple educational institutions. María José’s educational qualifications include a Master’s degree in Advanced Studies in Giftedness and Talent Development from Universidad Nebrija, alongside professional development programs from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Teachers College, Columbia University.
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Speyer School
Speyer School, the only independent school in Manhattan serving the unique needs of gifted learners, is committed to enrolling qualified students without regard to their family’s financial means. We are a non-profit school established in 2009 to serve advanced learners from grades K-8, and currently, roughly 40% of our student population receives some form of financial aid. As noted in a 2010 National Science Foundation Report (the NSF Report), “the U.S. education system too frequently fails to identify and develop our most talented and motivated students who will become the next generation of innovators” and leaders, especially with regard to “highly talented and motivated students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.” Speyer is dedicated to unleashing the potential in our student body and aims to serve as a leader among other schools, both public and private, in this regard. Our innovative educational approach and teacher training set Speyer apart as a model for best practices in gifted education.