Meet the Faculty and Staff

At BIS-NY we are extremely proud of the breadth of talented and passionate educators and administrators who make up our teachers, specialist teachers and assistants, and who all share a common ‘children first’ ethos.

BIS-NY is committed to retaining and recruiting highly qualified and passionate staff to support students throughout these years. We welcome you to explore their profiles via the links below and to get in touch with any questions.

Senior Leadership Team

Welcome Letter

People often ask me what makes a great school.

It isn’t the building, the curriculum or even the results; important though all of those things are. A great school is one where children are excited to walk through the doors each morning, where they are known as individuals, encouraged to be curious, challenged to do their best and supported every step of the way.

Most importantly, it is a place that feels like home.

At BISNY, we are proud to be a boutique international school where relationships come first. We know our students well. We celebrate their individuality. We encourage them to ask questions, take risks, discover new passions and develop confidence to become thoughtful, compassionate young people.

Education is a journey we take together; with our students, our families and our staff. When those partnerships are strong, children flourish.

Whether you’re visiting our website because you’re exploring schools for the first time or considering becoming part of our community, I hope you’ll discover what makes BISNY so special. More than anything, I hope you’ll find a place where your family feels they belong.

I look forward to welcoming you personally.

Janaquin Clark
Head of School

Janaquin Clark

Head Teacher

Departments: Early Years, Lower School , Middle School, Upper School, Senior Leadership Team

Biography

Mr. Goldstein has extensive experience of the British education system, firstly being educated King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys in Birmingham, before moving to the University of Sheffield to gain his honors degree in Music. He then moved back to study for a Post Graduate Certificate in Secondary Music Education at Birmingham City University.

He has held two posts in large English schools, where he has diversified from his passion for music, to also teach Maths, Physical Education and Drama in his eleven teaching so far. He has a passion for education and in particularly providing a wide range of musical opportunities for all his students.

Mr. Goldstein is also a keen sportsman, having played field hockey in the English National League, and hopes to contribute further to the school through sporting activities and trips.

Oliver Goldstein

Head of Academic Operations

Degree(s): B.Music, P.G.C.E

Departments: Middle School, Senior Leadership Team

Biography

Mr Bernard has spent nearly 20 years in education. He began his career teaching English at a selective independent school for boys in London before moving to BISNY in 2014. He has taught English to students from Year 5 through to Year 13 and has held a range of academic and pastoral positions.

At the heart of his educational philosophy is a belief that young people are brilliant and often capable of far more than they are given credit for. He is committed to creating an environment where high expectations are matched by genuine belief in individual potential and no ceiling is placed on what a young person might achieve. He encourages all students to be academically ambitious, believing that scholarship belongs to all.

For Mr Bernard, education should nurture curiosity, creativity and resilience, giving students the confidence to find their individual voice, the courage to stand up and challenge the status quo, and the independence to shape the world around them.

Outside school, Mr Bernard is a keen traveler, a fitness enthusiast, and an aspiring children’s author.

Adam Bernard

Head of Middle School

Degree(s): BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature - The University of Leicester, Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the Institute of Education (UCL)

Biography

Ms Stewart-Pond serves as Head of Lower School at BIS-NY, bringing a wealth of experience in primary education and school leadership. She studied at the University of Roehampton, completing a BA (Hons) in Primary Education with a History Specialism. Before joining BIS-NY, Ms Stewart-Pond taught Year 3 in both state and independent schools in Norwich and held leadership roles as Head of Year 3 and 4 and Teaching and Learning Lead.

Classrooms are where opportunities grow! Ms Stewart-Pond believes that learning environments are a place for children to be curious, grow in confidence and be empowered to take risks. In doing so, the possibilities are endless. She believes that strong relationships are at the heart of successful learning, giving children the self-belief to ask questions, embrace challenges and discover new possibilities. With her wealth of experience teaching across Primary, she is committed to nurturing globally minded learners, through the IB Primary Years Programme, who are open to different perspectives, think critically, and approach the world with curiosity, compassion and confidence. Ms Stewart-Pond values the “cognitive fizz” that comes from classrooms where children are actively engaged, excited by ideas and driven by new understandings. Her aim is to help create a community where every child feels that they belong, that their voice matters, and that they have the confidence to embrace the possibilities ahead.

Outside of school, Alex enjoys running, visiting museums, and exploring new places. She completed her first marathon in New York City in 2024 and continues to enjoy discovering all that the city has to offer.

Alexandra Stewart-Pond

Head of Lower School

Degree(s): BA (Hons) in Primary Education with a History Specialism - University of Roehampton

Biography

Rhiannon has been at BISNY since 2013 and was part of the core team to establish the high school in 2018, before becoming Head of Upper School in 2024. As a previous Head of PE in the UK, Rhiannon’s identity as an educator is to recognise the ‘whole child’ or in this case, the whole teenager! In practice that means considering a student’s emotions, their prior experience, their strengths, their motivations, their loves, their loathes, the source of their laughter. It means taking the time to discover what makes each person tick and strengthening their sense of self.

Being known by those around you, adult or teenager, is to feel validated and valued. When a young person feels seen and, not just accepted, but celebrated for who they are, they thrive in wondrous and sometimes unexpected ways. Rhiannon’s role as Head of Upper is to create the climate for every student to be celebrated for who they are, supported as they navigate the complexities of adolescence, and provided with a purposeful pathway for success. All students feeling championed is where BISNY excels.

Rhiannon’s confidence in the sense of belonging that each student experiences in the Upper School, stems from working with an extraordinary faculty. Each member of our team is with us because they too believe in the potential of young people. There is a pure, intrinsic joy in seeing someone you have played a small part in supporting achieve their dreams.

What a privilege, and responsibility to be a teacher.