Dr. Charlotte K. Frank, an accomplished educator, a life-long advocate for students, teachers and administrators, and a staunch supporter of Israel, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on May 26, 2022.
“Charlotte was not only a pioneering and courageous educator with great passion for young people to be the very best that they could be,” said Eitan Moran, Executive Director of the Society for Advancement of Education, “but also a bright, witty, enthusiastic soul, with great love for her family and for Israel. We will miss her greatly.”
Charlotte led a full and active professional life encompassing two significant careers. She worked 25 years at the New York City Board of Education serving it’s more than one million students — culminating with nine years as Executive Director of the Division of Curriculum and Instruction. She followed this extraordinary experience by working over 25 years as Senior Advisor, Research and Development for McGraw Hill Education, a global provider of educational and teaching content.
For her commitment to education and Israel, Charlotte received awards from more than schools and organizations, including the American Friends of Kidum. AFK proudly presented the AFK Leadership Award to Charlotte at a special event at the Jewish Museum in New York City in October, 2017. Her husband, Marvin Leffler, and three children, Harley, Anne and Michael, joined her at the gala celebration, which featured a special musical performance by Charlotte’s close friend, Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary.
Charlotte met with SAE students and staff over the years to provide guidance and offer support for a variety of SAE educational initiatives, including Hidden Sparks, a training program for teachers to gain a better understanding of the unique learning styles of each student, and Inbar, the first secular leadership school for girls in Israel.
In addition, the Dr. Charlotte K. Frank Science Lab at SAE’s Mae Boyar High School in Jerusalem, used by hundreds of a students each day, will stand for generations to come as just one of many examples of the work Charlotte did to foster education in New York, the U.S. and Israel, and the lasting legacy she has left as an example to us all.
May her memory be a blessing.
