Teaching Staff
Andreas Bieniek
I have joined GLSW in 2024, teaching various levels between 6 and 10. I'm also a certified DSD1 teacher and examiner. I grew up in Trier, in Southwest Germany and moved to the US in 2018. Keeping German culture alive while abroad is a matter close to my heart. From my own (in-law) family, I know how important it is to constantly practice and speak German, especially when living in a non-German-speaking country.
Katharina Akdemir
I was born and raised in Waldhessen, Germany, and attended college in Frankfurt am Main before moving to the United States in 2014. I am the mother of three boys, all of whom have attended GLSW since they were two years old. German culture and language are an integral part of our home life, where we speak German daily, and I am passionate about keeping these traditions alive for the next generation.
Anita Altinbas
I was born and raised in beautiful Switzerland. I am so excited to be part of the GLSW family! My journey at GLSW began in 2017 as a teacher’s aide, and I quickly fell in love with our wonderful school community. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work with students across different grade levels, gaining valuable experience and growing into the teacher I am today. I am now delighted to be teaching 2nd grade! GLSW is especially close to my heart, as my son attended the school from Kindergarten through graduation. Watching him grow and learn as part of the GLSW community has made my connection to the German Language school even stronger. I believe that learning should be joyful, playful, and filled with curiosity! I love incorporating fun, creative, and hands-on activities into my teaching to help students feel excited about learning and confident in themselves. Creating a warm, safe, and welcoming classroom is very important to me, where every child feels valued, supported, and encouraged to be themselves while building meaningful friendships. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of the GLSW community and look forward to getting to know my students and their families. I can’t wait for all the learning, laughter, and adventures we’ll share together in 2nd grade
Antje Ballin
Since 2014 I have enjoyed teaching the intermediate and advanced adult level at GLSW. I grew up in Germany and completed my “Abitur” in Essen. When I moved to the United States, I completed my Bachelor’s in English and Master’s Degree at the University of Akron, Ohio. During the week I work as Operations Manager in a German/English speaking office, namely Terra Nova Asset Management LLC in New York City. My Saturday Zoom classes include lively discussions on current events, student presentations on various topics, German literature and of course, German Grammar. I also teach Business German recreating “real life situations.” I love helping my students and sharing the wonderful German language and its rich culture
Corinna Burgess
I am a warm, dedicated, and creative person who truly enjoys working with children and helping them learn German in a fun, engaging, and age-appropriate way. It is especially important to me to create a friendly and respectful environment where all children feel comfortable, supported, and excited to learn. My own two children have been attending GLSW for several years. Since the beginning of this school year, I have had the pleasure of teaching the first grade, and I am excited to support the children as they discover and develop their German language skills.
Amy Kaeuper
I have been part of the GLSW community since 2019, first as a teaching assistant and now as a teacher, and I have had the pleasure of teaching the Pre-K class since 2022. During the week, I work as an Executive Administrative professional in a busy corporate environment, but on Saturday mornings, I get to do something I truly love—introduce young children to the German language and culture. As both a parent and an educator, I understand how important it is for children to feel comfortable, supported, and excited to learn. I love creating a fun and nurturing classroom through songs, games, stories, movement, and hands-on activities that make German approachable and engaging for preschoolers. I believe that learning a second language at an early age is about much more than learning words. It encourages curiosity, builds confidence, and opens children’s eyes to other cultures and the world around them. My goal is for every child to feel successful, have fun, and develop a genuine love for learning German.
Anita Kostadinov
I have been a valued teacher at our German school for nine years. I currently teach the "Mommy & Me" class, where I introduce children and their parents to the German language in a playful way. My main job is Chief Client Officer at a digital marketing agency, where I contribute my creativity and leadership skills. Previously, I successfully taught our adult classes and offered private German lessons. I grew up in Austria, where I discovered my passion for teaching early on and tutored students. With my many years of experience and my warm personality, I enrich our school community and foster a love for learning German.
Angelika Leissl
I was born, raised, and educated in Munich, Germany. In 1991, I moved to Larchmont, NY, and a few years later began teaching German adults and children at The Language Exchange. In addition to teaching an online adult German course at GLSW, I currently teach at the Center for Continuing Education in Larchmont/Mamaroneck, NY, and at Westchester Community College’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education program in Valhalla, NY. In January 2025, I began working at the Goethe-Institut in NYC as a certified exam administrator for German language proficiency examinations at all levels, from A1 through C2.
Throughout my life, I have had a strong interest in languages and have always enjoyed learning about different cultures. In addition to studying English and French in high school, I have also studied Italian and Spanish. Because I have experienced firsthand the challenges of learning a second language as an adult, I am passionate about making language learning both enjoyable and engaging. My goal is to create a welcoming classroom environment where students have plenty of opportunities to practice and develop their language skills. Along the way, they also explore the culture, traditions, and everyday life of German-speaking countries, making the learning experience both practical and meaningful.
Petra Linnehan
My name is Petra Linnehan and I have been teaching at GLSW since 2015 when I enrolled my children after moving to NJ from Austria. I was born and raised in Austria and have been teaching part time for most of my adult life in the USA and Austria. At GLSW I have taught Levels 3-8 and also an adult online class. I enjoy incorporating current and cultural events into my classes and like to expose my students to German TV shows, music and food.
Margarete Lorch-Denicola
My name is Margarete Lorch-Denicola and I have worked for over 20 years at the German School. My parents and family come from Germany & Austria. I attended the University of Konstanz in Germany and received bachelor’s degrees in Economics & German. I currently teach Kindergarten Classes at the GLSW. I enjoy incorporating games, activities, music, crafts and stories in my teaching.
Annette Meister
I recently moved to the United States from Germany with my family. I am a passionate teacher and hold a Master of Education degree. Before moving to the US, I taught at a middle school in Germany for several years. I am very excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue teaching here at GLSW. My goal is to inspire my students to enjoy learning and speaking German while also sharing German culture, traditions, and a little piece of everyday life in Germany with them. Since I recently moved from Germany to the US myself, I am experiencing the differences between German and American culture firsthand. I am looking forward to sharing these experiences with my students. I am very happy to be part of the GLSW community and look forward to a wonderful school year with you and your children!
Gabriele Polacek
My name is Gabriele Polacek and I have been teaching at GLSW since 2014. I am currently a substitute. I grew up in Düsseldorf, Germany, and moved to the US for business. After working for German business companies in NYC for many years, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Education at Montclair State University. In the past I taught the older children beginners and Level 6 at the GLSW. I like to incorporate games that use the German language, German videos like “Das Deutschlandlabor” and traditional German stories into my teaching.
Margret Schneider
I was born and raised in Röthenbach (Allgäu), Landkreis Lindau / Bodensee which is nestled in the beautiful Dreiländereck Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I studied Industrial Engineering and Management in Karlsruhe and work as an environmental and safety engineer. I am also giving lectures at the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences. In 2024, we moved to the US for work and our children joined the GLSW. We all love being part of this wonderful school community. I have always loved languages, traditions and different cultures. I believe that learning a language helps to develop self-confidence and a visionary thinking. It builds bridges, friendships and respect for others. And it‘s pretty useful too.
Sabine Shike
My name is Sabine Shike and I grew up in Eschborn, Germany. I have been living in the US since 1988. Along my career path as an international banker, translator, teacher and tutor I have been working bilingually in Germany and in the US. I started teaching Adults Level 1 at the GLSW in 2025.
Thanks to my job as a translator as well as many business and private trips to Germany and Switzerland, I still have a lot of exposure to the German language in various subject areas reaching from finance, economics, marketing, law, education and life sciences to IT.
Besides English I learned some Latin, French and Japanese and I taught ESL as a Literacy Volunteer of Pascack Valley.
It is a pleasure to share my language skills and cultural knowledge with those who are interested.