Pavel Lieb, science department chair who innovated and led Advisory, leaves for Yavneh after six years

Mr. Pavel Lieb, Science Department chair and head of both the Advisory program and the Surf Club, is leaving at the end of this year to become General Studies principal at Yavneh Hebrew Academy, one of Shalhevet’s feeder schools.

Known to students as Pavel, Mr. Lieb started at Shalhevet in the fall of 2017 and has taught Chemistry, Advanced and SAS Biology, Pharmacology, AP Chemistry, Environmental Science, Engineering and a three-week summer Biotechnology course.

He launched the Pharmacology and Bioethics classes, as well as an Engineering class for 9th and 10th graders and a Biochemistry class together with Dr. Basheer.

General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow said Mr. Lieb had greatly increased the variety of courses, and that he personally had appreciated his commitment and connection to the school.

“Under his leadership he transformed our science department into something special that embodied rigor, innovation and interdisciplinary opportunities for our student body,” Mr. Weslow said.

“He was the founding faculty advisor for the M Society, the Surf Club, and even though it never happened he really wanted to get a Shalhevet hockey club together,” Mr. Weslow said. “I think he is a really smart and talented educator, and I think he is going to be a terrific administrator and principal.”

Tomomi Shaw, Shalhevet junior and three-year student of Mr. Lieb, said she feels a close connection with him as a teacher and friend. She has taken his Engineering and SAS Biology classes.

“He’s one of those teachers you can kind of just approach with anything, and I’ll miss having that outlet, having that friend,” said Tomomi.

“He combines interesting topics with whatever we are learning,” she added.“As a teacher, he is chill, but yet he makes sure that we know and understand what we do, and he cares for everyone in my class, and he answers everyone’s questions.”

Zion Schlussel, also a junior, has taken SAS Biology with Mr. Lieb and said they’ve shared a love of hockey and bonded over the movie Tropic Thunder.

“He’s awesome,” said Zion. “He’s super understanding of all his students… I’ve learned more science this year than all of my middle school and probably high school too.”

In an interview, Mr. Lieb said he was happy to have advanced the science department. He said Dr. Elizabeth Basheer would succeed him as department chair.

“I’m really proud of reimagining the Science Department,” said Mr. Lieb. “When I came in we didn’t have that many courses we were offering, and they were relatively standard. But over my six years we have courses that other schools don’t have, and they’re interesting… And hopefully this momentum will continue.”

He said Advisory was not at the point he wished, and hoped it would continue to grow.

“I really believe that advisory is really important for teenagers, if it’s done right,” he said, “and as far as Shalhevet’s Advisory is concerned we still have a lot to do. What I tried to do is just keeping a hand on the pulse of the community and just coming up with Advisory curriculum and lesson plans that would be relevant for that grade.”

At Yavneh, Mr. Lieb will manage the General Studies curriculum for grades K through 8, and hopes to foster a strong community amongst students and faculty.

“Honestly, I would be perfectly fine not having to leave Shalhevet,” he said. “But in life you have to keep moving, you have to keep pushing the boundaries, and an opportunity came along to take a leadership position, and I think it’s really important that we take these opportunities because they’re not always going to be there.”

He said he liked the idea of leading a school and “creating systems and teams.” However, he’d miss the Shalhevet community.

“Mostly of course the kiddos – the students – with whom I became really close,” Mr. Lieb said. “There’s so many that just come and hang out in my classroom all the time. And there’s also a lot of my colleagues who are my friends. And in short, you know, the community. It really just feels like a family.”

Zion said the feeling would be mutual.

“I’m going to miss him, and everyone’s going to miss him, and he’s a great teacher and he’s had a big impact on me in my time at Shalhevet,” he added.

Asked to share a parting thought with his students at Shalhevet, he replied, “The only advice I have is stay real.

“Be grounded and focus on what’s important,” Mr. Lieb said. “Stay in the moment and don’t stress out about stuff that’s not really important.”