upper village team bios and pics 2013 2014
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Dan Pasker: Physics and Geometry Daniel received a B.S. in ceramic engineering at Iowa State University. After working ten years in glass manufacturing, he undertook a career change to become a teacher. He has taught math and science in San Francisco and lives in Alameda with his wife, Maren, and two-‐year old son, Keric. Daniel is inspired by the Do-‐It-‐Yourself movement and strives to create a student-‐centered learning environment of “Makers.” He is excited to join the Nea team. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys spending time with his family and hiking in the beautiful parks that the Bay Area has to offer. Favorite Quote: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -‐ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jessie Korich: Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Jessie is a third generation Alameda native and a graduate of our sister school, Alameda Community Learning Center. After High School she enrolled in the UC System, studying at both UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz. During college, Jessie travelled up and down the West Coast with her Ultimate Frisbee team and spent a summer abroad. After graduating in 2009 with a degree in History from UCSC, Jessie came to work at Nea as our first Paraprofessional. She begins her fourth year at Nea this fall, and her third year as the UV Office Manager. When she is not answering phones and handing out Band-‐Aids at school, Jessie can be found wandering Europe, or at home cheering for the SF Giants and baking tasty treats.
Kara Nossardi: School Counselor Kara was raised in the vineyards of Northern California, where she developed a love of animals, nature, and wide-‐open spaces. And, while she believes the Bay Area to be an amazing place to live, she holds fond memories of my rural childhood. In terms of her professional development, she holds a BA in Spanish; graduate degrees in Spanish Linguistics, Communication Studies, and Psychology; and is licensed as an MFTI in the state of California. She has lived and studied in Spain and Latin America, and continues to enjoy both domestic and international travel as a means of personal growth and exploration. In her spare time, she enjoys trail running in the hills, practicing yoga, dancing both fast and slow, reading in the sunshine, cooking (and eating!) with friends & family, and spending time with her 8-‐year-‐old daughter, Maya.
Bethany Miguel: Paraprofessional (Lower Village) Bethany is originally from a small town in Humboldt County, CA and grew up with a love for the redwoods. She moved to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley and graduated with a BA in Sociology and a minor in education. She enjoys exploring with her dog Indie, hiking and cooking. It is inspiring for her to watch learners progress throughout the year as they encounter and overcome challenges. This process inspires her to be creative and support them in a manner that utilizes their abilities and strengths in a meaningful way. Bethany is looking forward to her third year at Nea as a Special Education paraprofessional!
Heather Dutton: Lead Paraprofessional and Math Coach (Upper Village) Ms. Heather began her educational journey on a ranch near Cleo, Texas learning to saddle horses and round-‐up cows. She got her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in Liberal Arts Honors and also did graduate coursework in Art Education there. She moved to California to work as a college textbook editor. After the birth of her daughter, she left publishing to work from home as a math tutor. She tutored at Nea for its first two years, and has happily been on staff since the third. She is working on her teaching credential in Math, and loves seeing learners’ confidence grow as they develop their math skills. She lives in Alameda with her partner, their daughter, one dog, two cats, and six fish. She has the best walking commute ever! Besides math, she loves reading, camping, hiking, and playing piano. She is excited to be co-‐teaching Course 2 with Mr. Pete, to collaborate with the math facilitators as the UV Math Coach, and to continue her work with the fabulous Special Education Team of Room 23!
Nora Juhasz: Introductory Algebra, Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 Nora is the child of immigrant parents. Both of her parents emigrated from Hungary, separately, met in Germany, and came to live in the US. Nora was born and raised in Sacramento, where she went to public schools, including Sacramento High School. Nora traveled before college and after wards and taught abroad in the former Czech Republic. After graduate school she moved to Sonora for a while, then to the Bay Area. She went to Sac City College, where she was equally interested in both Math and English, then transferred to UC Davis and earned a B.A in English. Later, Nora attended McGeorge and earned a law degree. Always a learner, Nora went on to earn a teaching credential in English, Math, and Home Economics. Nora is really into a game called Kingdoms of War, which is all about math. What Nora loves about working with young people is that every day at least one makes her smile or laugh. Nora loves the energy of young people and knowing that she has helped them learn. Nora looks forward to sharing the joy of math discovery.
Vinicio Merlino: Math 6, Science 7 Vinicio Merlino was born in El Salvador and grew up in Ohio. He has been in California since 2001 and has travel to many different countries in the world. Traveling is one of his passions and he enjoys immersing himself in different cultures. Vinicio attended Wittenberg University in Ohio where he earned his teaching credential, a minor in education and majored in biological sciences. Vinicio knows how fun science and math can be when presented in a project-‐based learning environment where critical thinking skills and hands-‐on experiences our valued. Vinicio also has a deep love for soccer and kayaking and on the weekends can be found in nature or on the soccer field. Vinicio enjoys working with learners by empowering them through education and being passionate about the subject he is teaching. This year he hopes to continue exciting learners around math and science as well and continue to maintain the garden as well as beautify the campus. Vinicio looks forward to meeting all the new learners and facilitators and having another great school year.
Oladipo Wadley: Education Specialist in special Education Oladipo grew up in Los Angeles, went to CSU Long Beach and went to graduate school at Holy Names University in Oakland. As a facilitator, Oladipo looks forward to helping learners develop a personal vision of success and happiness, hoping to contribute to learner’s sense of limitless possibilities.
Cristina Filippe: English 9, Current Life, Humanities 11 CP/HP Although born in Los Angeles, Cristina Elisa Filippe has spent most of her life on the island of Kaua'i. Encouraged by her parents to merge her love of history and literature with her talent for communicating, she attended the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in O'ahu to earn a B.Ed in Secondary Education. Cristina was drawn to the Bay Area by its stunning culture and diversity in 2007. Since then she has taught History and English in the San Mateo Unified High School District and received a Masters in History at San Francisco State University. She is inspired by her students to make life-‐long learning a constant goal and a passion for living a priority. This year at Nea, she looks forward to working with an amazing staff and faculty to create a community of critical thinkers, communicators and learners. Aside from education her interests and hobbies include: running, oceanography, film, music, literature, and attempting to cook meals outside her comfort zone.
Ryan Welch: Humanities 7 and Humanities 10 CP/HP Ryan was born and raised in the central valley of California, in a small farming town named Tulare. He has been living in the Bay Area for a little over a year now and loves all that it has to offer. Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in History from California State University, Fresno, where he spent time as a representative on a student run senate. He has also earned a master’s degree in educational media and technology from Boston University, as well as a teaching credential from San Francisco State University. In Ryan’s free time, he enjoys playing and watching sports, reading, watching live music, and spending time with friends and family. Ryan also enjoys exploring the Bay Area and finding new, exciting activities and events to keep entertained. Ryan has been working with young people in middle and high schools for about four years now, in positions such as a tutor, teacher, and advisor. He loves helping students realize and then reach their potential while creating meaningful relationships. At Nea, Ryan looks forward to connecting with learners and engaging them in authentic, accessible curriculum in a fun learning environment.
Susie McKee: English Language Development and Art Susie has 14 years of teaching experience, and this will be her third year teaching fulltime at Nea in what she considers her dream job; a combination of her passion and training: her love for Art and working with English Language Learners! Susie holds a BA and Multiple Subject teaching credential from UOP (Go Tigers!) as well as a supplemental ESL credential and CLAD certificate. Susie received her MA in curriculum development with an emphasis in ESL from SSU. Susie loves the opportunities ELD class offers to her and our learners to gain knowledge from each other and share their cultures. Susie studied various art techniques and is so excited to begin learning how to make outdoor mosaics this fall thanks to a grant from Target. I look forward to facilitating the creation of a whole community mosaic art piece this year! (More on this later.) In addition to Art, Susie loves to get out into nature, backpack, run, garden, bake, and hang out with her own two Nea learners and her husband!
Matthew Eichhorn: Chemistry and Science 8 Matthew grew up in the suburbs outside of Miami, and studied environmental geography at Florida Atlantic University. While attending graduate school at Florida State University, he worked for the U.S. Geological Survey helping scientists use satellite imagery to study water quality and biology in the region. Upon receiving his masters degree, Matthew left the USGS to spend 18 months in China learning Mandarin, and then spent more than a decade working in the field of marketing research in Los Angeles and New York. Growing up with access to both the wilderness of the Everglades and the warm waters of the Caribbean, Matthew loved to explore nature. He spent most of his free time in the outdoors; sailing, snorkeling and fishing. Later, his work at the USGS often
focused on using science to help protect the very environment that he had come to love. Several years ago, Matthew rekindled his fervor for science, becoming a science teacher, and even going back to college to learn how to conduct chemical and biological laboratory experiments. Skills that he wishes to pass on to his learners at Nea. Matthew, along with his wife Alex and 8 year old son Aidan, moved to San Francisco two years ago. Since arriving, he has gotten back into sailing, and hopes to get back into practicing martial arts.
Ryan Keeshan: Humanities 8 and Economics and Government 12 CP/HP Ryan grew up mostly in Walnut Creek, CA and lived in Bakersfield when he was young. His educational background includes a recording artist program certification from Musician's Institute, a Bachelor's degree in Radio and Television from San Francisco State University, and a Master's degree in Digital Media and Learning from the University of San Francisco. Some of Ryan’s interests include cooking, recording music, sports, and travel. What he love about working with young people is the idea that he can be a part of unlocking the potential within each learner and facilitate the intellectual growth of the next generation. At Nea, Ryan is looking forward to learning more about the community and working at a school that he believes has a great model for learning in the 21st century.
Barry Harris: Biology CP/HP, Robotics, Tinkering Studio Ever since he was a little kid, Barry's been enthusiastically taking apart toys and machines to figure out how they work. (Sometimes he's even been able to put them back together again.) He's looking forward to sharing the excitement of discovery by facilitating Biology, Robotics and Tinkering. Barry earned his teaching credential through Project Pipeline (now called the Fortune School of Education), where he learned all about classroom management from MaMaafi herself. Before coming to Nea, Barry taught science in the San Leandro and Dublin School Districts. Barry has a BA in Anthropology, with minors in Biology and Communications, from UC San Diego, where he spent (too) many hours scuba diving in the canyons and kelp forests offshore. His hobbies include making things that move and bleep with his daughter, Mina, practicing a dancelike Indonesian martial art called Peokoelan, reading, travelling, and eating locally-‐grown food.
Pete Celona II: Science 6 and Math 7 Pete is from the small town Catasauqua (CAT-‐UH-‐SAH-‐KWAH) in eastern Pennsylvania. He enjoys being outdoors. He walked the 2200-‐mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and the 500 miles from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Whitney in California. This summer he visited Yellowstone National Park for the first time and rode 800 miles on his bicycle between Iowa and New York. He keeps two hives of honeybees on his roof and also 6 hens. The working title of his Master´s thesis in Education is Assessment and Decision Making in Bay Area Montessori Classrooms. This is his 5th year as a full-‐time teacher in a public school.
Katie Struszynski: Special Education Coordinator Katie moved to the Bay Area a bout a year ago from Arizona and is enjoying soaking up the cooler weather and California sunshine. While in Arizona she completed five years of teaching in special education as well as a Masters in education. The last five years in a classroom has helped to foster her love for children as well as her love a perpetual acquisition of knowledge. In Katie’s free time she enjoys spending time outside hiking, walking and biking. Her other hobbies include visiting friends and family all across the US.
Katie Reyes: Humanities 6, English 12 CP/HP Ms. Reyes attended and graduated from U.C. Berkeley, earning her B.A in English Literature. During her college career, she volunteered with a non-‐profit organization working with middle school students in South Berkeley. She earned her teaching credential at the Mills College, School of Education and is in the process of continuing her work towards my M.A. in Education. She worked in a variety of environments and contexts helping her develop a resourceful and expansive repertoire of pedagogical practices. Her teaching experiences include work at East Oakland's Roosevelt Middle School, high school English in East Oakland's Media College Preparatory Academy, Humanities at Alameda's Lincoln Middle School, and English at Hayward High School.
Senora Linda Morales: Spanish 1, 2 and 3 Senora began teaching Spanish conversation classes to adults during her undergraduate and graduate studies. In 1996, she designed, developed, and implemented a home-‐based children's language program. This program has expanded and currently offers: elementary and high school based classes, after school programs, private lessons for children and adults, tutoring, and translation services to health & mental health/educational/law enforcement agencies. Senora's goal is to expand awareness and appreciation of the Latin culture through the teaching of the Spanish language. Our Nea learners play an active, creative, and vital role in this process. "QUE VIVA NEA".
Dr. Kelly Middlebrook: School Psychologist
Kelly Middlebrook has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley's School Psychology program. Prior to coming to Nea, Kelly worked in K-‐12 schools in Berkeley, Oakland, and Mt. Diablo Unified School Districts. Kelly has always had an appreciation for the sincerity, honesty, and sense of humor of children. She is thrilled to be part of the enthusiastic and growing Nea community. She is really excited about collaborating with parents, learners and facilitators to meet the unique needs of the whole learner. When not at Nea, you are likely to find Kelly rescuing dogs, turtles, and other furry four legged friends. Other hobbies include eating delicious food, traveling, and hiking with her dog.