Elyse Ptak, M.Ed.

Mrs. Ptak is the mother of three boys, and her family moved to New Orleans in 2015. She is a flutist, pianist, and vocalist. Growing up in a musical family of performers and composers, she became familiar with the “stage” at a very young age. Mrs. Ptak had the regular opportunity of watching her father run daily rehearsals for the performances that followed each weekend. While still in high school, Mrs. Ptak had the privilege of studying with Peggie Schecter, Julliard trained flutist, and founder of the New Jersey Chamber Music Society.

Mrs. Ptak earned her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. She worked her way through college graduation by teaching private lessons in piano and flute. The experiences with her private students quickly inspired her to make teaching her career. 

She went on to earn her master's degree in education from Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City. Mrs. Ptak worked as the Choral Director at Mamaroneck High School, where she taught Concert Chorus, Swing Choir, and directed the yearly musical theater productions.

She feels blessed to have found the HNJ community and enjoys teaching general music and choir to our inquisitive and creative students. She is particularly interested in developing young children’s social emotional skills through music. She hopes to help inspire, and engage children to participate and enjoy creating, performing, and responding to music, both within the classroom and beyond.