Superintendent/Principal Wanny Hersey Assistant Superintendent Marie Stuart 6th Grade Teacher Maureen Schapira § Lisa Stone 5th Grade Teachers Anna Hannan § Ayala Younger 4th Grade Teachers Dan Gross § Lauren Saunders 3rd Grade Teachers Jennifer Anderson § Adrienne Van Gorden 2nd Grade Teachers Stephanie Cobin § Dona Suh 1st Grade Teachers Jessica Lura § Laura Damsgaard § Sandy Tran Kindergarten Teachers Jane Feldman § Gabriela Guerrero § Joanna Monfort-Torres Specialists Jeron Carr § Katia McHaney § Charlotte Hill § Quincy Jones § Victor Moreno § Andrew Lipson Merry Kuo § Wency Chinn § Christine Williams § Linda Ma § Lisa Walton Associate Teachers Stephanie Aman § Kristy Hong § Samantha Lyons § Jane Wilson Office Staff Kitty Chiu § Colleen Buckley § Joe Williams

Wanny Hersey - Superintendent/Principal Wanny Hersey has been an educator for 24 years.  Starting as a classroom teacher in Vancouver, Canada, her career in education includes teaching and administrative experience spanning elementary, middle and high school levels. Recruited for her bilingual abilities to California over 20 years ago, she has worked as a self-contained elementary classroom teacher, and at the middle and high school levels, has taught choir, musical theatre, English as a Second Language, the Gifted and Talented program, English, and Speech.  As a coordinator, Mrs. Hersey has headed programs such as DATE (Drug, Alcohol, Tobacco Education), GATE, Literacy, Title I, BTSA, and Disaster Preparedness.  As an administrator, she has been a high school dean of students, an assistant principal at both the elementary and middle school levels, a summer school principal K-8, and prior to coming to BCS, the principal of Bel Aire Elementary School in Tiburon for seven and a half years.  During her tenure at Bel Aire, it was named a California Distinguished School in 2000, a National Blue Ribbon School in 2001, and as only 1 of 12 schools in the U.S. that same year to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon Technology School. During her tenure in Marin, Mrs. Hersey also served as the district BTSA representative to the Marin County BTSA collaborative, the administrative representative for CTAP, Region IV, an integral member of the district's Strategic Planning Committee, and was invited to present at the National School Reform Conference in Florida. Mrs. Hersey is a dynamic leader who has not only been responsible for reforming Bel Aire School but also mentoring teachers and establishing innovative programs for students.  Under her leadership, five Bel Aire teachers have been chosen to be the district's 'teacher of the year', her technology teacher has won the CTAP (California Technology Assistance Program) Outstanding Educator award, her GATE teacher was honored as the CAG (California Association for the Gifted) Teacher of the Year in 2002, and it was a Bel Aire teacher who was the first in the district to receive National Board Certification.  Programs such as Character Development, Cyber Squad, Web Page Design, Invention Convention, Science Fair, Odyssey of the Mind, and Pals of the Planet Earth have garnered local, county, and state recognitions for Bel Aire students and in 2003, a group was invited to present in Sacramento at the California Department of Education's Technology Showcase, a program that highlights unique and innovative technology projects. Bullis Charter School has also benefited from Mrs. Hersey's leadership. Since opening its doors four years ago, BCS is already recognized as one of the leading public schools in the state and has garnered many accomplishments including: an API score of 973 in its first year (BCS's 2007 API score is 972), a $360,000 State Implementation Grant, and most recently, achieved full accreditation status by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. BCS was also granted its first five-year charter renewal in February 2007. In 2006, Mrs. Hersey was named California "Educator of the Month" by the California Charter Schools Association in recognition of "excellence in improving student achievement and furthering the goals of the charter school movement in providing high-quality education options for the students of California." This year, BCS was named a 2008 California Distinguished School. Mrs. Hersey and her staff traveled to Disneyland in May to represent the school when it was recognzed at an awards ceremony with other outstanding California schools. Mrs. Hersey is an educator with a significant creative and musical background.  As a nationally certified piano and music theory teacher (with the Toronto Conservatory of Music), she started her first piano school at the age of 16.  She played the violin and trumpet through college and the oboe with the Vancouver Youth Orchestra.  Mrs. Hersey has studied ballet, completing Royal Academy of Dance examinations and performed in a variety of musical productions including Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, Mame, and most recently, a cameo in her school's spring musical, 'Mary Poppins'!  She has also choreographed, directed and produced student productions such as 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' and 'Peter Pan'. For the past three years, Mrs. Hersey has been the BCS Choir Director. Top of Page

Marie Stuart - Assistant Superintendent Marie Stuart has dedicated 31 years to education – ten years as a school and district level administrator, and 21 years as a teacher. Originally from upstate New York, Ms. Stuart has lived in Texas, Germany, and Spain before settling in Southern California. She began her career as a teacher in San Antonio, Texas where she taught Drama, English, and Reading to middle and junior high students. She left public education for a few years to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) at the Defense Language Institute at Lackland Air Force base, teaching English to foreign military personnel from 37 countries. This experience led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in English as a Second Language/Bilingual-Bicultural Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. After completing her Master’s, Ms. Stuart took a teaching position with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) in Madrid, Spain, teaching ESL to students in Kindergarten to eighth grade. She created the first ESL program as well as developed and designed the curriculum for the region. While in Spain, Ms. Stuart was a presenter at the TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Spain Conference. This led to many other opportunities to give workshops and be a presenter for the DoDDS Mediterranean region. Never giving up her love of theatre, Ms. Stuart also directed student plays there. Ms. Stuart moved to Southern California in 1982 where she taught a variety of subjects and grades: Drama, English, Reading, ESL, and Social Studies at the middle and high school levels. Her commitment to students, helping them learn and experience life, led her to be class advisor, drama coach/director, Friday Night Live Advisor, and mentor to many students. Ms Stuart has also received several awards for “Teacher of the Month” and “Excellence in Education.” Ms. Stuart’s experience as an administrator include: middle school assistant principal; summer school principal; and Coordinator for English Language Development, Assessment and Evaluation. Most currently, as Director of Special Projects and Assessments, she was in charge of state and federal programs (NCLB), the state Standardized Testing and Reporting program (STAR), the Gifted and Talented (GATE) program, and English Learner programs for the San Gabriel Union School District. Additionally, Ms. Stuart has been a trainer and presenter for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. She has conducted workshops and staff development sessions for schools and districts and has been a presenter for TESOL California. These experiences have provided her with the depth and breadth of knowledge that she brings to Bullis Charter School. Ms. Stuart is committed to excellence in education and is excited to be working with such a talented, creative and dedicated staff. She is delighted to be a member of the Bullis family. Top of Page

Lisa Stone - 6th Grade Teacher and Teacher Leader Ms. Stone is excited to return for her 5th year of teaching at BCS! She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations and obtained her teaching credential from San Diego State University. She began her teaching career at Horace Mann Elementary School in Anaheim City Schools where she taught for five years. Then she taught at Bel Aire School in Tiburon for five years before coming to BCS. Besides being a classroom teacher, Ms. Stone has taken on several additional responsibilities and has been recognized for her efforts: Student Council Advisor Conflict Manager Advisor - annually trains students to serve as student leaders in peer conflict mediation Site Technology Committee Member - responsible for setting and implementing site technology goals Technology Vanguard Trainer - specially trained to develop and implement innovative technology programs and to train staff. Grade Level Coordinator/Leadership Team - works at the grade and site levels to provide leadership in areas such as goal setting, teacher training, team building, curriculum development and implementation, and assisting the administration, as necessary. Served at the district level on the Education Committee. Strategic Planning Committee Action Team Member - responsible for developing goals and programs that actualize the district’s strategic plan objectives BTSA Mentor - worked as a trained mentor for 1st and 2nd year teachers to the profession CTAP-TLA District Representative & Trainer - represented the district and county on the California Technology Assistance Program Region IV Committee which encompasses 7 counties and trained teachers from 7 counties in the area of technology integration County NBPTS Support Provider - supported teachers who were pursuing National Board Certification Site Teacher of the Year, 1999 PTA Honorary Service Award, 1997 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award Nominee, 2001, 2003 District Technology Teacher, 2004 CTAP Nominee for Reed Union School District, 2004 Ms. Stone also belongs to an elite corps of educators who are Nationally Board certified (NBPTS). This prestigious status has only been achieved by 5% of teachers nationally and less than 1% in California. Top of Page

Maureen Schapira - 6th Grade Teacher Maureen comes to Bullis Charter School from Wisconsin, where she was born and raised. She attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education. Her first teaching experience was in Dallas, Texas teaching seventh and eighth grade science. In addition to Texas, Maureen and her husband have lived in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois before returning to Wisconsin. Most recently, Maureen taught sixth grade at Millburn West School, in Lindenhurst, Illinois. Millburn West is a sought after K-8 school in far northern Illinois, with exemplary test scores and model programs. Maureen was the faculty advisor for the school’s Cougar Yearbook and served on the School Improvement Committee as well as a variety of curriculum and textbook adoption committees. She has served as Middle School TEAM leader and has been a mentor for several newly hired teachers. Maureen began a Support the Soldier program for her class in 2002, and continues to correspond with men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2001 and again in 2007, Maureen was awarded Millburn’s Red Apple Award for teaching excellence. Maureen reluctantly left the snowdrifts of Wisconsin for sunny California this year when her husband accepted a job transfer to Abbott - Santa Clara. She has quickly adjusted to the warm weather and loves walking her dog, Echo, each morning. She is looking forward to an exciting year at Bullis. Top of Page

Anna Hannan - 5th Grade Teacher Anna Hannan taught her first lesson at age four, teaching math to her stuffed animals listening intently atop her childhood desk. Anna’s enthusiasm for teaching flourished at Bucknell University. She majored in elementary education and earned a B.S. in Education. When she began her teaching career in a sixth-grade classroom, her zest for the upper-elementary classroom was confirmed. Anna is returning to full-time teaching after teaching part-time while raising her children. Most recently, she taught preschool and parent education for eight years at Parents Nursery School, a cooperative associated with the Palo Alto Adult School. She also served as Co-Director of the nursery school. This experience prompted independent study in the areas of temperament, discipline, and motivation. She enjoys pondering questions like, “If children are born curious, how do we preserve and encourage this innate love of learning?” Her years at PNS solidified in her mind the importance of community in a family’s life, a value shared here at Bullis Charter School. Playing with fabric, paper, and fibers is Anna’s creative outlet. She quilts, collages, knits, and needlepoints. She has eclectic taste in music, ranging from funk to bluegrass, and loves to read fiction at the end of the day. Some of her favorite destinations include Baylands baseball park, Flax art store, Sea Ranch, and the Cantor Museum. Anna lives in Palo Alto with her husband, James, and their two teenagers. Mary Kathryn is a freshman at Georgetown University, and Jack is a freshman at Gunn High School. Anna’s blue desk from those early teaching days remains in her garage. Top of Page

Ayala Younger - 5th Grade Teacher Ayala Younger is excited to enter her second year with Bullis Charter School this year. Originally a native of Chicago, Illinois she grew up in Southern California. Ayala received her BA from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude, where she dual majored in Multicultural Studies and Elementary Education. Ayala also studied in Seville, Spain for one year. In 2003, she earned her MA in Social Sciences in Education from Stanford University, focusing her graduate research on peer conflict resolution. Ayala looks forward to being part of the Bullis community as she brings her broad educational experience to the school. Previously, Ayala has worked in public, charter and private schools, and has taught 3rd, 4th and 6th grades. Ayala is looking forward to teaching 5th graders again this year. In addition to her California teaching credential, Ayala has also co-authored a book on cooperative learning strategies, and is fluent in Spanish. Outside of her work, Ayala enjoys playing volleyball, cycling, hiking, horseback riding, and dancing. She also enjoys traveling, and has been to Europe, the Middle East, Canada and Latin America. Ayala, her husband, and their Labrador live in Santa Cruz. Top of Page

Daniel Gross - 4th Grade Teacher Dan was born in Plantation, Florida, and was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. After relocating to Atlanta to earn his Bachelor’s degree at Emory University, Dan pursued his goal of becoming a published author. While his artist endeavors resulted in two finished novels and twelve short stories, Dan eventually decided that sharing his love of learning and literature in the classroom was an ideal path. Before becoming a public school teacher, Dan taught Pre-K at a private school in Roswell, Georgia. Eventually, his path led him to the University of Georgia, where Dan earned a Master’s in Early Childhood Education. He taught third grade in Clarke County, Georgia, prior to his arrival at BCS. Dan and his wife, Wendy, relocated to the Bay Area in the summer of 2007 so Wendy could begin her PhD in Political Science at Stanford University. One amazing opportunity led to another, and Dan is extremely delighted to be a part of the BCS learning community. Dan’s classroom praises the uniqueness in each student while engaging in purposeful creative expression, and he enjoys bringing those values to fourth grade. In his spare time, Dan likes to write, listen to music, play guitar, bike, watch and follow sports (especially his beloved Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves), and enjoy the outdoors with his wife and two beagles, Holden and Lucy. Dan is proud to be a member of the BCS community and is looking forward to another wonderful and exciting year in the fourth grade! Top of Page

Lauren Saunders - 4th Grade Teacher Lauren Saunders is excited to be joining the Bullis team! This will be her fourth year teaching fourth grade, and she is thrilled, as she loves the developmental age of the students and enjoys teaching the fourth grade curriculum. She is from San Jose and attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she received her B.A. in Sociology. She then went to San Jose State to obtain her Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential. Lauren hopes in the near future to work toward her National Board Certification. Lauren is a lifelong learner and is always looking for ways to enhance her teaching repertoire. She has attended the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) National Semiconductor/Intel Science Institute, SCCOE GATE workshop, KAGAN Cooperative Learning workshop, the Teacher's College Writer's Workshop, and has attended the Journey through the Arts workshop. Lauren is passionate about the environment and takes every opportunity to link science to other subjects. At her last school, she helped start an organic school garden. Her students made a difference by starting a compost bin and creating "Eco-Friendly Fridays". They were even successful in getting the district to stop using styrofoam lunch trays! Lauren is delighted that Bullis places an emphasis on environmental education and stresses the importance of making a difference in this world! When Lauren isn’t busy in the classroom, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, traveling, ballroom dancing, and spending time with her family and friends. Top of Page

Jennifer Anderson - 3rd Grade Teacher Jennifer was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. She attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for her undergraduate studies where she graduated, cum laude, with a B.S. majoring in Human Development and a minor in Psychology. During her time at Cal Poly, Jennifer had the opportunity to intern with the Economic Opportunity Commission Teen Academic Parenting Program working alongside a social worker and directly with teen mothers and their children. She was also able to intern in a multi-age grades K-2 classroom at Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School. Through these internships, Jennifer was able to serve the community and find her passion for teaching. Following Cal Poly, Jennifer went to Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena to pursue her teaching credential and a Masters degree in Human Development. She was honored to have professors such as Louis Derman-Sparks who created the Anti-Bias Curriculum. Her education at Pacific Oaks gave her a strong understanding of social justice, diversity in the classroom, and a progressive understanding of education. Jennifer began her teaching career at Franklin Elementary School in Altadena, in the Pasadena Unified School District where she taught first grade for two years. During her time at Franklin Elementary, she completed BTSA, was a member of the School Site Council, and wrote grants for her classroom. Following her move to the Bay Area, she taught at Yew Chung International School, a progressive Chinese/English bilingual school, in Mountain View for four years. While at Yew Chung, Jennifer successfully taught classes in grades one to four and also had the opportunity to help build the school from the ground up. She created the Yew Chung-Silicon Valley standards in collaboration with other teachers as well as held the positions of Lead Teacher and Head of Curriculum during which time she had the opportunity to visit the school’s headquarters in Hong Kong to learn more about the philosophy and implementation of their education. In her free time, Jennifer loves to travel and spend time with her new husband. She has had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe, Egypt, Israel, Hong Kong and China, Costa Rica, Brazil as well as many parts of North America. She enjoys camping, hiking, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends. She is very happy to be returning to Bullis this school year. She is looking forward to a year filled with fun and learning. Top of Page

Adrienne Van Gorden - 3rd Grade Teacher Adrienne Van Gorden has been a classroom teacher for thirteen years. She received her B.A. in Comparative Literature from UC Santa Cruz, and her Masters of Education from UC Los Angeles. She has taught all of the grade levels in grades K-6 in the SF and Monterey Bay areas, and she’s spent the last three years at Bullis, where her understanding of all that public education can be is increasing exponentially. She is thrilled to be a part of the Bullis community, where she enjoys the climate of intellectual discourse and educational innovation that she has always sought. Adrienne became a National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Adolescence English Language Arts in November 2004, which she considers to be her greatest professional accomplishment to date. She is very interested in changing the culture of the teaching profession by creating new traditions and new ways of thinking about public education and the professionals who serve in the field, and she recently acquired her Administrative Credential so that she may continue her work in education at the administrative level. Most recently, Adrienne completed her third IISME Fellowship, where she worked for eight weeks during the summer for Lockheed Martin in their Offer and Proposal Operations Department. This experience piqued her interest in how organizations manage workflows and resources and make and communicate decisions. It also made available to her a variety of resources for expanding her science and math instruction. Adrienne lives with her husband, a local psychotherapist, and their toddler son in Palo Alto. In addition to teaching, she loves being a mother, a poet, and an avid hiker and mountaineer. Top of Page

Stephanie Cobin - 2nd Grade Teacher Stephanie is returning for her second year at Bullis Charter School. She grew up in Los Altos and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley where Stephanie graduated with honors. She did graduate work in Elementary Education and Literacy Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno and at Sierra Nevada College. Stephanie also has a business background having worked in electronics and as a manager at Macy’s. Stephanie has taught in Kindergarten through Third Grade in Tokyo, Japan, Reno and San Jose. She brings a background of meeting the diverse needs of students from various cultures, languages, socio-economic groups and academic talents. Her experience in teaching at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo included the opportunity to teach an American curriculum to students from over eighteen nationalities. Stephanie has also worked as a Kindergarten through Third Grade Literacy Mentor through the Nevada Early Literacy Mentor Program. As a Mentor, she provided coaching and staff development for school-wide literacy implementations. Stephanie also spent several years working on the Washoe County School District Early Success Screening Committee, developing materials, assessments and aligning educational standards to classroom practice. In her spare time, Stephanie loves to travel, spend time with her husband and daughters, read, walk and get involved in a variety of art and outdoor projects. Top of Page

Dona Suh - 2nd Grade Teacher Dona Suh was raised in Campbell, California. She attended Westmont High School and went on to receive her undergraduate degree from UCLA in Sociology. She returned to the Bay Area to obtain her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at San Jose State University. She returned to Southern California and received her MA in Education at Pepperdine University. While she was in her master’s program, Dona began her teaching career in Los Angeles by teaching 1st and 2nd grade at a school for the next 3 years. In L.A., Dona primarily worked with under-privileged students and realized the importance of external factors that may affect a child’s behavior inside a classroom. In 2006, Dona moved back home to the Bay Area and taught 2nd grade teacher at a school in East Palo Alto. In EPA, Dona was a grade level representative of the SIOP Committee and the Student Site Council Committee. This will be Dona’s second year at Bullis Charter School and she is very excited about the opportunity to partner with fellow teachers and parents in creating a motivating, engaging, and exciting classroom environment for her students. Besides her time in the classroom, Dona’s passion for children and education can also be seen in her continual involvement with private tutoring for kids ranging from age 7-14 for the past 7 years. She has also taught Vacation Bible School and played an integral part in planning innovative lessons for Team Kids, the children’s ministry at her previous church. Outside of teaching, Dona enjoys spending her time with her family, which include her parents and older brother, Paul and traveling. She also loves staying active by going to the gym, playing tennis and participating in a volleyball league. She recently started playing golf and really enjoys it. Top of Page

Jessica Lura - 1st Grade Teacher/Team Leader Jessica Lura grew up in central New York State. She spent her junior year of high school abroad in Denmark. She attended college in Maine at Colby College, graduating cum laude with a BA in Anthropology and Classical Studies, with a minor in Human Development. She was forunate enough to spend one semester abroad, studying in Kenya. After graduation, Jessica moved the Bay Area and taught for 6 years in East Palo Alto. Her experience includes: First Grade lead teacher: supported the six first grade teachers through weekly meetings, observations, and trainings Literacy coordinator: oversaw the implementation of the school’s reading and writing curricula and provided trainings and workshops. Literacy team leader: organized literacy events for students and parents; the team won the San Mateo County Excellence in Literacy Award in 2004. Ravenswood City School District summer institute trainer Participated in Youth Community Service (YCS) leadership training workshops and designed a three-day service learning workshop for teachers. Awarded Environmental Volunteers Fellowship Chosen to participate in the EWYL program at the Krause Center For Innovation, a three-week program where Jessica developed a technology project to implement in her classroom and learned how to use various technology software and hardware. Jessica has had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and Trinidad through Earthwatch. In Costa Rica she worked on a projct that involved catching and raising caterpillars in the rainforest. In Trinidad, she participated in a project to help leatherback sea turtles. She helped a local environmental organization patrol their beaches for poachers and tagged and recorded adult female leatherback turtles while they were nesting. Jessica recently completed an Environmental Education Certificate and has been utilizing her passion and skills in this area to develop curriculum to enhance the BCS Science program for all students, K-6. She is excited to be back at BCS! Top of Page

Laura Damsgaard - 1st Grade Teacher Laura is thrilled to be returning to Bullis Charter School for another exciting year in the classroom. This 2008-2009 school year marks her 5th year teaching 1st grade and she’s looking forward to meeting yet another unique and bright group of students. Laura strongly believes every student inherently maintains the ability to positively impact the community and world in which they live. She strives to create a classroom environment that both encourages and supports student self-expression. Laura believes a student well taught is one who thinks critically, welcomes doubt and challenges pre-conceived notions, even those presented by the teacher. She holds high expectations and consistently reflects on the efficacy of her lessons in the quest to accommodate each student’s individual needs. Not only is Laura a passionate teacher, she is also a dedicated, life-long learner. She volunteers for various professional development opportunities during the school year and summer months. Most recently she completed School’s Attuned training and accumulated 42 hours of training in Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD). Writing is one of Laura’s passions and in the past she performed as an exemplar teacher for Every Child a Reader and Writer (ECRW). She welcomed groups of educators into the classroom to observe her writing lessons and teaching methodologies. As a 4th generation Bay Area native, Laura is a rooted Californian. She grew up in Sunnyvale, graduated from Homestead High School and ultimately Santa Clara University where she received a B.A. in Liberal Studies and Art History. Laura continued her education at Notre Dame de Namur University where she obtained her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and CLAD certificate. Top of Page

Sandy Tran - 1st Grade Teacher Sandy Tran grew up in Palo Alto, CA and received her Master of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds teaching credentials in Pennsylvania and California. Prior to Penn, Sandy received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). At UCLA, she had the opportunity to work with various levels of students in different roles, ranging from being an academic mentor to Kindergarteners in Venice, CA to conducting college admission workshops to high school sophomores. Sandy has also taught reading comprehension programs to pre-K students to high school seniors. As an educator, Sandy strongly believes in educating the whole child. In her classrooms, she creates collaborative, engaging, energetic, and respectful environments where students are encouraged to think critically and allowed to thrive in project-based learning. She believes that all children have strengths and weaknesses—it is the role of educators, along with support from home, to bolster those strengths and strengthen the weaknesses. Every child also possesses his or her distinct learning style and by recognizing and tapping into that learning style, we can help all students develop a love for learning and become independent, life-long learners. In her free time, Sandy enjoys hiking, playing board and card games, playing tennis, baking sweets, and reading good books. She is excited to return for her second year at Bullis Charter School! Sandy looks forward to meeting more students, getting to know the community more deeply, and working with current and new staff members. Top of Page

Jane Feldman - Kindergarten Teacher Jane H. Feldman brings a variety of classroom experiences to BCS having taught in both public and private schools over the past eight years. For the last three years, she has taught kindergarten, last year at Bullis and for two years in Mountain View, CA. Prior to relocating to the area, she worked as a Title 1 reading and math specialist providing instruction for kindergarten through fifth grade students in San Diego. Her first assignment was in Atlantic City, NJ where she taught 2nd grade. Having studied geography and political science at Syracuse University and been enrolled in programs studying cultural impacts on the Hawaiian Islands and Humpback Whale migration, Jane strives to create an atmosphere of compassion and understanding for the natural environment in her classrooms. Jane has implemented a “Reading Dog” program both at Bullis and at her previous school to stimulate students' reading comprehension and compassion for animals. She continually seeks new and challenging ways to meet the students' needs and support them both emotionally and academically. Jane was raised in New York City, lived in Hawai'i and has been in California for the past five years. She spends much of her off duty time hiking with her dog Kea and exploring new vistas. She has traveled to Costa Rica and enjoyed learning about its unique preservation of natural resources. Jane will be completing a Masters in Educational Administration at San Francisco State University this semester and is very much looking forward to another exciting year at Bullis and being continually involved in our wonderful community. Top of Page

Gabriela Guerrero - Kindergarten Teacher Gabriela Guerrero was born and raised in Los Angeles. She attended Pasadena City College and transferred to Cal Poly Pomona where she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration emphasizing technology. After graduating, she moved to the Bay Area and began working with Hewlett-Packard. After seven years in the tech industry she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. Gabriela received her teaching credential from San Jose State and has been at Bullis since the first year. She has been a teacher’s assistant in 1st and 2nd grade as well as a substitute in all grades. Gabriela loves finding ways to help students reach their potential and is thrilled to teach Kindergarten for a second year while continuing to be part of the Bullis Community! Gabriela is working towards a Professional Teaching Technology certificate. During her spare time she enjoys cooking, making cards, traveling, yoga and running! Top of Page

Joanna Monfort-Torres - Kindergarten Teacher Joanna Monfort-Torres was born in the Philippines and raised in the East Bay. After living in Brooklyn, NY for 4 years. She is thrilled to be back in her home state. Joanna earned her BA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Schiller International University in Madrid, Spain. She then moved to New York City and worked at the International Peace Academy, a United Nations NGO that organized outreach to build public awareness on issues related to peace and security and multi-lateralism within the UN system. It was during this time that a call to teach was presented to her. She was selected to be a New York City Teaching Fellow-a program created for career changers to serve in New York City's most underserved communities while earning a Masters degree funded by the program. She has taught both 1st and 2nd grades and holds MS in Teaching from Pace University. She absolutely loves teaching Kindergarten and feels it to be a privilege rather than a job! Joanna is excited about the opportunity to integrate project-based learning, technology and foreign language into the Kindergarten curriculum- three things she is very passionate about. Joanna enjoys the primary grades because of the quantum leaps that are witnessed in each child. She is very proud to have been a part of the BCS's extraordinary growth since it first opened its doors. Joanna's many interests include traveling abroad, learning foreign languages (she is fluent in Castilian Spanish, Tagalog, and conversational Finnish), experimenting in the kitchen, gardening, yoga, listening to world music, and going on digital photography adventures. Top of Page

Jeron Carr - Science and Mathematics Teacher; Technology Specialist Jeron Carr grew up in Monterey Park, California. In high school, he was involved in a variety of activities including: scouting, debate, band, swim team, drama, and math tutoring. Jeron attended Cornell University graduating with a BA in Physics and MAT in Science Education. He worked as an Earth Science teacher at Ithaca High School and later assisted in database management and web design for a start-up Dot.com before joining the Peace Corps as an English/Science/Mathematics teacher. While in the Philippines for 2 1/2 years, Jeron taught students and teachers at the Elementary and Secondary levels at several local public schools. His work included developing student-directed science labs, creating science and math workbooks, technology training, grant writing, and swim coaching. Before joining Bullis, he worked for Kaplan, Inc. as an instructor for its SAT, GRE, LSAT and DAT prep programs. During his first four years at Bullis, Jeron has worn a variety of hats. This year, he is excited about continuing to improve and refine the Environmental Science curriculum at Bullis including further strengthening Bullis’s relationships with Hidden Villa, the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association and the Leatherback Fund. In addition, he will continue to work on other science, technology, and mathematics projects and classes. Jeron also looks forward to another year of student construction projects, juggling, and yearbook-making as part of the extra-curricular program. Top of Page

Katia McHaney - Drama Specialist Katia McHaney grew up in Kentfield, CA. She began taking dance lessons at age four. Starting with ballet and tap, she explored every kind of dance offered in Marin County. She attended Redwood High School where she participated in drama and dance, and College of Marin where she got certified in stage combat. Her directing experience began in 1994 when her family founded the Nazarian Academy of Dramatic Arts. There she took on the roles of director, choreographer, coach, and playwright, eventually producing complete productions. She has taught drama and dance for Larkspur Recreation, Del Mar Middle School, Terra Linda High School and the Marin Theater Company. She has choreographed and directed over 40 full-scale musicals and has written and directed eight original plays. Katia continues to dance and is working toward her teaching credential. She has an un-ending interest in all forms of dance and theater, and also enjoys bowling, sewing, reading and writing. Top of Page

Charlotte Hill - Music Specialist Charlotte has a passion for music in its many forms. Studying the violin since age 4, she mastered many instruments by high school. Step into her classroom and you can try many of the native instruments she has collected from around the world. Charlotte has performed in many orchestras, regional youth symphonies, choirs, bell choirs, flute choirs, jazz ensembles, and marching bands in Connecticut, New York and Florida (including 9 performances at Carnegie Hall and 1 performance at Lincoln Center). With a Bachelors of Music degree from the Frost School of Music Honors Program at University of Miami, Charlotte shares her excitement for music with Bullis students and performs with the Savoyards at Stanford University. Travel has enhanced Charlotte's appreciation for world music. During a Spanish immersion program in Barcelona, she intensely studied the violin with the Russian Concertmaster of the Barcelona Symphony. While teaching sectionals in Spanish in a Guatemalan youth symphony, she learned how to integrate the marimba into a classical orchestra. On a mission trip in Cuba, she soaked in Latin rhythmn. Most recently she was able to use the Arabic she learned in college to meet musicians in the United Arab Emirates and is trying to master the erhu that was brought back from Shanghai. During her summers Charlotte works diligently on her Masters of Music degree at Northwestern University's Beinen School of Music in Evanston, IL. She looks forward to sharing exciting new songs and activities with her students this year. Top of Page

Quincy Jones - Physical Education Specialist Quincy Jones was born, raised, and educated in Los Altos. Quincy has chosen a career in teaching because she believes that quality education is one of the most important components of a child’s life and of healthy communities. She is very excited to be teaching P.E. this year! Her goal as a P.E. teacher is to promote the physical, psychological, emotional and social well being of all BCS students. Through participation in such a holistic physical education program, students will learn how to make healthy choices and value physical fitness as a way of life. She received her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from San Francisco State University (SFSU) in 1993 where she graduated cum laude. At SFSU, she worked for the Community Involvement Center and was instrumental in developing a service-learning program for the CSU campuses. She received her teaching credential from San Jose State University and her M.A. in Education from Antioch University in Seattle with an emphasis in Diversity and Equity. Prior to teaching, Quincy worked for nearly 5 years in Seattle at Fannie Mae as a Community Development Advocate and Event Planner, providing her with valuable experience meshing business and community goals through education and collaboration. Quincy helped to fulfill Fannie Mae’s mission to increase homeownership opportunities for underserved markets by planning congressional media events, and by providing software training and education to lenders, realtors, and non-profit agencies throughout Washington State. In addition, she volunteered for Children’s Home Society in Seattle and Home Away for Homelessness in San Francisco. Quincy enjoys traveling when she can. So far, she has visited China, Thailand, Brazil, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, and England. In addition to traveling, she enjoys playing volleyball, kickboxing, watching sports, spending time with her friends and family, reading, and all types of outdoor activities. Quincy looks forward to getting to know the new BCS staff, students, and parent community, so please feel welcome to stop by and introduce yourself at any anytime. Top of Page

Victor Moreno - Physical Education Specialist Vic grew up in the central valley here in California. He obtained his B.S. in kinesiology and teaching credential at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Two years ago he relocated to the Peninsula to pursue an Olympic dream in the sport of Freestyle Wrestling. His pursuit of the Olympics came to an end this past June when he finished 5th in the Olympic Trials. Nonetheless he is a very accomplished athlete who has dedicated himself to athletics most of his life. If you’d like to learn more about Vic and his wrestling accomplishments visit www.cardinalwrestlingclub.com. For the past two years Vic has served as a coach for the Cardinal Wrestling Club, an organization dedicated to developing bay area youth wrestling talent. Now at 26, Vic is ready to begin the next phase of his life in Education. The values and work ethic that have made him a world class athlete will now be focused on making him the best teacher he can be. He is passionate about physical fitness and is excited to bring his passion and energy to his Physical Education classes here at Bullis. Aside from wrestling and teaching, Vic also enjoys other activities such as running, hiking, bicycling, gardening, cooking and painting houses. Vic lives in Palo Alto with his wife Faron, who is a clinical dietitian at Stanford Hospital. Top of Page

Andrew Lipson - Art Specialist Andrew Lipson grew up in New York City where he was immersed in New York's culture, diversity, and community of art at a very early age. In the fifth grade Andrew studied art at a New York University. As a teenager Andrew came to Los Altos, California and attended Los Altos High School. During high school, Andrew was a part of a self-directed learning program called Learning Community with whom he traveled to Kenya, Africa where they lived and did service work. After high school, he went on to UC Berkeley and graduated in 1997 with a BA in Fine Arts. In the years following college, Andrew accumulated field experience as a web designer for Net Ease and Media Web in Silicon Valley. Following that he worked at a Sculpture Supply Store and as a mold maker and sculptor for a design and architectural firm in San Francisco. He has also worked as a freelance sculptor and mold maker in his spare time. It was through spending time with his nieces and nephew's in his rapidly growing family that he discovered his gift with children. He decided to pursue a teaching credential and received his multiple subject teaching credential from University of San Francisco in June of 2005 where he completed his student teaching at two of San Francisco's top elementary schools, Alvarado Elementary and Claire Lilienthal Elementary. He is presently working towards his Master's Degree in Education. In the summers of 2004 and 2005, Andrew taught a series of Art Camps at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito to children ages 4 - 12. In addition to these, he worked as an assistant teacher for a robotics camp and an animation camp. The past three summers Andrew has taught art at Camp Galileo in Menlo Park where he tied art lessons to themes such as the Ancient Egypt, Medieval Art, African Art, and Modern Art Masters. Andrew and his wife are proud parents who are looking forward to celebrating their son Hayden's third birthday this September and their daughter Anita's first birthday. Andrew is very dedicated to being the best art teacher he can be. He looks forward to continuing instructing Bullis students in color theory, perspective, use of line, proportion, lighting, and shading by implementing an exciting range of creative activities. Andrew's goal is to inspire and develop each student's artistic capabilities through his instruction and leadership Top of Page

Merry Kuo - Foreign Language Specialist Merry was born in Taiwan and moved to Vancouver, Canada with her family at the age of twelve. After receiving her B.A. in Spanish and Human Geography from the University of British Columbia, she continued in UBC to work on her teaching credential with a focus in elementary school. In 1999, Merry moved to the Bay Area to attend Stanford’s School of Education for her Master’s degree in Language, Learning and Policy where she studied second language acquisition and bilingual education and did research on how technology can enhance the teaching and learning of foreign languages in high schools. Following graduate school, Merry worked briefly in the industry, helping a semiconductor company design and develop its online training curriculum. However, she soon realized how much she missed being with children and decided to go back to the classroom. For the next two years, she taught third grade in East Palo Alto where she worked with mostly English Language Learners and provided instruction in Spanish in addition to English to support these students’ learning. After teaching in East Palo Alto, Merry was hired to teach in the Cupertino Language Immersion Program for her language skills and experience and knowledge in second language acquisition. She spent the next three years in Cupertino, teaching first graders all the core subjects in Mandarin and English, participating actively in the Curriculum Development Committee where she worked with cross-grade level teachers to develop Mandarin curriculum aligned with state standards, serving on the Technology Committee to support other teachers’ technology integration, planning collaboratively with parents and teachers on the Curriculum Advisory Committee and finally, presenting at the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) conference in San Jose, 2006. Language is Merry’s passion. She studied, in addition to Spanish, some Japanese and French in college and is currently learning Italian. One day, she hopes to live overseas where she will be immersed in the language environment and learn more about its culture and people. When Merry’s not working, she enjoys hiking, mountain biking, traveling, tango dancing, watching musicals and operas, and experimenting in the kitchen. She is very excited to return to Bullis and looks forward to a wonderful year with the BCS community! Top of Page

Wency Chinn - Foreign Language Specialist Ms. Wency Chinn was born in Palo Alto, California and raised in Taiwan by her grandparents. When she was three years old, Ms. Chinn returned to San Jose, California to start formal schooling. She attended elementary and junior high schools in the Cupertino Union School District and graduated from Lynbrook High School. She moved to Southern California to attend University of California, Irvine. Ms. Chinn graduated with a B.A. in Social Sciences and obtained her teaching credentials from National University. She is fluent in Mandarin and is informally learning Japanese. Prior to coming to Bullis Charter School, Ms. Chinn has worked as a Special Education Specialist with three elementary schools in Manhattan Beach. She has taught students from Kindergarten through fifth grade. Ms. Chinn was the case manager for fully included students with disabilities. Her experience working with students outside of a school setting includes: privately tutoring students with learning disabilities, teaching English to students who recently immigrated to the United States, and teaching Mathematics to gifted students at an after-school tutorial center. In Ms. Chinn’s spare time, she likes to go scuba diving, do Bikram yoga, learn to cook, spend time with family and friends, hiking, running, reading, wine tasting, and travel. One place where she looks forward to travel to and scuba dive is: the Great Blue Hole in Belize. Ms. Chinn is delighted to be living in the Bay Area and is thrilled to become a part of the lifelong learning community at Bullis Charter School. Top of Page

Christine Williams - Speech and Language Pathologist Christine M. Williams is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has worked predominantly with children, extending from the preschool to high school grade levels. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Hearing at U.C. Santa Barbara, and Master of Arts in Speech Pathology at San Diego State University. During her twenty-year career, she has focused on working exclusively with children in a variety of clinical and private school settings. Her experience includes; conducting speech-language evaluations and therapy, supervising graduate students, training parents and educators to implement therapy techniques and conducting workshops for teachers and parents. Christine is a member of numerous county and state professional speech-language-hearing organizations. In addition, she has maintained a long-term membership in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which issued her Certificate of Clinical Competence. She has received advanced training from a number of specialized programs, such as the Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes and regularly participates in continuing-education opportunities. Her treatment approach is research-driven and she takes on the role analogous to a coach, providing her clients with confidence-boosting, effective strategies. Top of Page

Linda Ma - Occupational Therapist Linda is a native of Ottawa, Canada who moved to the Bay Area in 2000. She graduated cum laude in 1998 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Ottawa. Her background experience includes working in private clinic, public school and after-school settings. She has helped children ranging from the preschool to junior high level develop the functional skills needed for greater independence in their self-help, play, and school activities. Linda maintains an active license with the California Board of Occupational Therapy and National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association. In her free time, she enjoys reading fiction, taking long walks, and playing online games Top of Page

Lisa Walton - School Psychologist and Special Education Site Manager Lisa Walton began as a Pennsylvania native, but always knew she was a displaced Californian. She started her lifelong career as a "professional student" going through engineering school at Carnegie-Mellon University. After receiving her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, she worked in Washington D.C., at the U.S. Patent Office which she recalls as being "very boring". Her segue way to education began when she saw a job in the local paper for a high school physics teacher at a private school. While taking the required 16 education credits, she took a class in psychology for the first time, and then knew what she really wanted to do. After studying for her GREs in psychology with little /no background in the field, she applied and was accepted to the joint doctoral program at Stanford/U.C. Berkeley, and received her Ph.D. in 1991. She has continued to work in the school system for 15 years, as a school psychologist and site-based administrator. She has been president of local professional organizations such as the School Psychologist Association of San Mateo County. She became privately licensed in 1996. As much as Lisa enjoys her work, her real satisfaction has come from being the mother of three wonderful children. She has participated as a parent in cooperative preschools, and was a parent involved at the first Charter school in the state, the San Carlos Charter Learning Center (which two of her daughters still affectionately refer to as "THE Charter"). She has taught parenting classes in Parent Effectiveness Training and the STEP program. She has been a Girl Scout assistant leader, soccer coach, stage "mom", and even continues to be an AYSO referee (even after her kids no longer play!) When Lisa is not busy writing reports, or helping someone learn to ride a bicycle or solve an algebraic equation, she can usually be found in the hills of Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. Living steps from the park’s entrance, running among the trees and wildlife is her favorite pastime. She also enjoys music (not only the Grateful Dead), participating in triathlons, yoga classes, knitting, writing, and most recently doing Sudoku puzzles too late into the night! She is very excited to come to Bullis and looks forward to getting to know many new faces. Top of Page

Stephanie Aman - Associate Teacher Stephanie has spent most of her life in the Central Valley town of Lodi. There she began her college education at San Joaquin Delta College. During these initial college years, she worked for an after-school program, teaching theater and music in elementary schools. She also spent a portion of that time bringing the arts to children at Mary Graham Children’s Shelter in Stockton. In 2004, Stephanie continued her education at CSU, Sacramento, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development. When she wasn’t in class, Stephanie spent her time substituting at a private elementary and middle school in Lodi and tutoring. This past year, Stephanie was pursuing her Master’s Degree in Education and her Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential at UC Santa Cruz. During this time, Stephanie student taught in the 2nd and 3rd grades. She successfully completed the UC Santa Cruz program this past July and is excited to start her teaching career at Bullis Charter School. In addition, Stephanie has been deeply involved in programs for adults with mental and physical disabilities. In 2003, Stephanie took over as Director of The Good Shepherd Family Annual Retreat. Based in Stockton, this retreat provides the opportunity for adults with disabilities to spend an activity filled week in Lake Tahoe. She has also been extremely involved with high school youth activities and missionary trips. This included volunteering for a relief program in New Orleans the summer after Hurricane Katrina. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys traveling to new exciting places, as well as revisiting the comfortable familiar streets of the Bay Area and Disneyland (she has a season pass). During the winter, Stephanie attempts to be a skilled snowboarder and delights in the family traditions of the Christmas season. She spends her evenings reading the classics, watching new movies, and attempting new recipes. As she settles into the Los Altos area, she hopes to resume her interest in Community Theater, discovering new opportunities to act and sing. Top of Page

Kristy Hong - Associate Teacher Kristy received her B.A. from California State University of Los Angeles where she majored in Human Development and minored in Computer Information Systems. For her undergraduate fieldwork, she had the privilege of working with Cal Tech Children’s Center in Pasadena. There she found her niche in the academic world. She went on to complete a Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential program during which she was an intern for LAUSD where she taught 1st and 5th grades side-by-side with an exceptional veteran elementary school teacher of 22 years. Aside from working with elementary school children, Kristy taught Computer Applications/Science for the Upward Bound Program at El Camino College and the University of California, Irvine. The program prepares and motivates high school students to pursue a college education. Kristy passionately believes in the concept of project-based learning because it not only meets the needs of students with divergent styles of learning, but it places the learner at center-stage. She’s excited to be able to work at a school that incorporates this style of teaching. Kristy is determined to be an effective, nurturing, and encouraging teacher. She is thrilled to join Bullis Charter School and looks forward to an exciting year. Top of Page

Samantha Lyons - Associate Teacher Samantha K. Lyons was born in Seoul, South Korea and adopted by a Japanese-Hawaiian mother and French-Irish father. Along with her 2 stepbrothers she was raised in Kailua, Hawaii alongside her close knit 80+ members Japanese family. Samantha moved to Newbury Park, California at 8 1/2 years of age where she finished elementary, middle, and high school (class of 1999 with a 4.0+ GPA w/AP classes and a full International Baccalaureate Degree). While attending UC Berkeley, she studied in Budapest, Hungary for Study Abroad and worked and volunteered in schools throughout the Bay Area: Malcolm X Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Claremont Middle, Oakland High, and McClymond’s High. In 2003, she earned her BA in Sociology with an Education Minor. College was a busy time for Samantha as she was a UC Berkeley Alumni Leadership Scholar for 4 years, part of the UC Berkeley Sociology Honor Society (active member), a Lunch Poems coordinator, a UC Berkeley Art Museum social planner, and the Unit 1 and Unit 3 Housing social planner co-president. In 2004, Samantha attended and graduated from the UC Santa Barbara Teacher Education Program where she completed her Multiple Subject Credential and later her M. Ed. She received the Dr. Jamgocian Student Teacher Leadership Scholarship and AAUW (American Association of University Women) Scholarship. After graduating, she taught 4th grade at Independent Elementary, moved to Los Angeles and substituted for grades K-12 in over 20+ schools in Glendale and Arcadia, and also taught K and 2nd summer school for Arcadia Unified. In August of 2007, she moved to Japan and taught English in the Japanese Public Schools for grades 1-9. Her work experience other than teaching includes: State Farm Insurance, FAO Schwartz, Club Monaco, Kohl’s, Baskin-Robbins, Crepes from Paris, and the UC Berkeley mail room. Additional volunteer experience includes: United Way in South Central Los Angeles, St. Teresa’s Nursing Home companion, Berkeley Soup Kitchen for the homeless, and Wheels to the Sea. Samantha’s interests and life outside of formal education include traveling. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czech. Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Austria, Korea, and Japan. She enjoys everything from spending time with her husband, teaching and learning, politics, financial planning, visiting historic sites such as Auschwitz and Hiroshima, reading, soccer, hiking, cooking, learning to play the piano, traveling, spending time w/her loved ones, museums, volunteering, learning new languages, concerts, jazz, yoga, hula, ikebana, foreign films, healthy living, and leaving the world a better place. Top of Page

Jane Wilson - Associate Teacher Jane Wilson grew up Des Moines, Iowa. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Iowa and obtained a minor in French. After completing her B.A., Jane returned to the University of Iowa where she was certified in Elementary and English as a Second Language (ESL) Education. Jane has been fortunate to teach in rural and urban districts with students who represent a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Before coming to Bullis Charter School, Jane was a student teacher in Chicago Public Schools in a 4th grade gifted and 7/8th bilingual classroom. This rewarding experience encouraged Jane’s passion for ESL and multicultural education. During her teaching certification program, Jane worked with children with disabilities in therapeutic, community, and home settings through The ARC of Southeast Iowa. As an advocate for disability rights, Jane worked diligently to create and support inclusive and interactive programs for her clients. Her experiences have led her to center her philosophy of education around child-centeredness with an emphasis on fine arts. With a background in art, writing, piano, guitar, and voice she looks forward to integrating fine arts into learning and inspiring young minds. Jane enjoys traveling and has the opportunity to study abroad in Pau, France. She also enjoys cycling, camping, hiking, and canoeing and is thrilled to be in the Bay Area where she can easily partake in all of her favorite activities. Jane is very excited to be part of the Bullis Charter School community and is looking forward to meeting all the students and parents this year. She welcomes everyone to stop by and say hello! Top of Page

Kitty Chiu - Executive Administrative Assistant Kitty Chiu was born in Canton, China. She spent 9 years in Hong Kong before immigrating to the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. She attended McKinley Junior High School and Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California. She graduated from Fresno State College with a B.A. degree in Health Science. Ms. Chiu has over 25 years of office administrative experience ranging from financial analyst to executive assistant and office manager. As a mother of two boys, she has over 10 years of school experience as a volunteer mom. She has one son who attends college and one who attends Mountain View High School. Ms. Chiu enjoys volunteer work, spending time with her family, traveling, reading, running local races (Bay to Breaker, Wharf to Wharf, and Bridge to Bridge), and salsa dancing. She speaks fluent Cantonese. This will be Ms, Chiu's 5th year at Bullis Charter School and she’s looking forward to another exciting year. Top of Page

Colleen Buckley - Executive Administrative Secretary Colleen Buckley was born in Germany; however, she was primarily raised in Louisiana. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Pre-medicine. Upon graduation, Colleen decided not to pursue medical school. Instead, she gained 5 years of administrative experience while working mainly in real estate providing marketing and office support. One of Colleen’s greatest joys is to travel. So far she has visited Argentina, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Colombia. In addition to traveling, she enjoys volunteer work, reading, various outdoor activities, and photography. Colleen lives in Belmont with her husband, Eoin, who works as a Project Engineer at Stanford University. She is excited to be back at BCS for another year and looks forward to getting to know all the new students and families. Top of Page

Joe Williams - Janitor Joe Williams, a Richmond native, graduated from Harry Ells High School and attended Contra Costa College where he played high school and collegiate baseball. Over the last 30 years, Williams has amassed invaluable experience in custodial and maintenance services while employed at Harris Telephone Systems (5y), Bio-Rad laboratories (13y) and the Reed Union School District (5y). In addition to his traditional professional pursuits, Williams spent 5 years working as a professional baseball scout for the Kansas City Royals while continuing to coach local youth athletes throughout the Bay Area. Williams also spends a great deal of his ’spare’ time mentoring and training youth in local Boy’s Club, Police Athletic League (P.A.L.), Little League and PONY baseball organizations in Richmond, Pinole, Hercules, and El Cerrito areas, John Sweat High School, De Anza High School, City College of San Francisco, and Contra Costa College. A strong advocate for quality academics and strong athletics programs, Williams has served as the Athletic Director for Saint Cornelius School (Richmond) since 1997 and actively participates in teaching and guiding athletes into educated, well-rounded citizens. In addition to coaching and mentoring, Williams enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Williams and his wife, Brenda, are parents of four children ( Jeremy, Candi, Joe Jr., and Brandi) and reside in Richmond. Top of Page