Senior Director of Student Support Services
I have a BA from UCSD in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies. I did my Master’s at USD in Teaching and History, along with my credentials.
I have two single subject credentials, social studies, and math, and then later, I earned my administrative services credential. I started my teaching career in alternative education, teaching independent study. I’ve worked in charter schools my entire career and helped start a few charter school programs, including a 6-12th grade STEAM 4-day a week program that served students mostly from Middle Eastern and East African countries, many refugees, and ELs. I also helped start and was the founding principal for a TK-8th grade Waldorf charter in La Mesa, so I am definitely a big advocate for the benefits of personalized and progressive educational models!
I love to hike, camp, and play soccer (usually not at the same time!) My favorite camping and hiking places are Big Sur and Kings Canyon, but Yosemite is a close second. Yellowstone is my next big goal! I also play soccer in a women’s league in the older division (can’t keep up with those 20 and 30-year-old anymore!)
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Usually, you can find me reading something in the self-help/spiritual growth/personal transformation genre- the latest book I read was on the 15 commitments of conscious leaders, and it was really inspiring and motivating for me. Some of my favorite authors are Brene Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Anne Lamott. Something fun I read this summer was Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin. I tend to like the humorous and light when I need to unwind.
That’s a hard one for me– I really liked teaching all of the subjects when I was teaching high school independent study. I started in social sciences, but then loved math and science, which is how I went back to get my math credential. Nonetheless, if I had to pick one, it would be the social sciences – especially history and philosophy.
Before I was a teacher, I was an engineer in the Army. I’ve lived in Germany, built roads in Haiti, and traveled all around the US. Another fun fact is that even though I don’t speak Spanish, I did study three other languages in my life-French, Arabic and Hebrew- so I completely appreciate the importance of being multi-lingual and multi-cultural!
2019
Springs Charter Schools are parent choice schools where the community is our classroom. Our mission is to foster the innate curiosity of our students, empower their parents, and promote optimum learning by collaboratively developing a personalized learning program for each student.
Eagle = Choice, Freedom, Initiative
River = Community
Book = Empowering Parents (Knowledge is Power)
Torch = Curiosity, Passion for Learning
Hands = Collaboration
Keys = Personalization, Unlocking the Student’s Potential
Oak Branches = Continuous Lifelong Learning
