Superintendent/Principal Wanny Hersey Assistant Superintendent Marie Stuart 6th Grade Teacher Maureen Schapira § Lisa Stone 5th Grade Teachers Rebecca Young § Rollin Salazar 4th Grade Teachers Dan Gross § Lauren Saunders 3rd Grade Teachers Jennifer Anderson-Rosse § Lauren Fraser 2nd Grade Teachers Colleen McHenry § Dona Kim § Philip Lee 1st Grade Teachers Jessica Lura § Laura Damsgaard § Sandy Lu Kindergarten Teachers Nancy Barlow § Margaret Lim § Ashley Button Specialists Lynn Reed § Jeff Clarke § Mary Kalita § David Belles § Margaret Lim § Stacy Gregg § Jo Lansdown § Gillian Thowson § Andrew Lipson § Merry Kuo § Wency Chinn § Qinglin Yang § Dorothy Han § Ram Gangisetty § Catherine O'Sullivan § Hillary Crissinger § Janice Sutphin § Katie Williams Associate Teachers Stephanie Aman § Kiwi Capriles § Dorothy Han § Jessica Morgan § Windy Orviss § Jane Wilson § Office Staff Kitty Chiu § Colleen Buckley § Jeannene Zettler-Rhodes § Joe Williams

Wanny Hersey - Superintendent/Principal Wanny Hersey has been an educator for 25 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 as well as at the middle and high school levels. Mrs. Hersey has taught choir, musical theatre, English as a Second Language, the Gifted and Talented program, English, and Speech across all grades. 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, a National Blue Ribbon Technology School. While in north bay, 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 five 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 2008 API score is 964), a $360,000 State Implementation Grant, and most recently, achieved a full accreditation status for 6 years 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." Last year, Bullis Charter School was also named a 2008 California Distinguished School. 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, oboe and trumpet through college in bands and orchestras. 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 even cameos in her schools’ musicals! She has also choreographed, directed, and produced student productions such as 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' and 'Peter Pan'. For the past four 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 6th year of teaching at BCS! She has spent the summer designing exciting new learning experiences for her 6th graders this year, and she can’t wait to implement them. 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 last 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 another exciting year at Bullis. Top of Page

Rebecca Young - 5th Grade Teacher Rebecca Young’s objectives as a teacher include fostering critical thinking in her students and empowering them to affect positive change in their communities. She fulfills these goals by facilitating interdisciplinary inquiry-based learning and educating the whole child. Rebecca received her Bachelors in Literature from the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), where she was a member of the Merrill College Honors Society and a recipient of merit scholarships. As an undergrad, she led backpacking and whitewater rafting trips and competed in triathlons and marathons in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Her interests in language and cultural studies led her to study at the Baden-Powell Institute in Mexico and the University of the West Indies in Barbados. Rebecca obtained her Masters in Education and Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential from UCSC. Her graduate work in Education was a culmination of many years spent teaching in a variety of capacities. She has taught students in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade as well as worked as an outdoor educator for Life Lab Science Program. She was formerly the Associate Teacher in third and fourth grades at BCS. Rebecca grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. She enjoys traveling, reading, running, cycling, cooking, and spending time with her friends, family, and dog. Top of Page

Rollin Salazar - 5th Grade Teacher Rollin Salazar has been working as a professional educator since 2000. Rollin started as a middle school teacher in Santa Barbara. He then moved to Monterey County. As a middle school teacher in these locations, he taught 7th grade World History, Humanities, and Pre-Algebra. He transitioned to the elementary level because he wanted to help prepare elementary students for their road ahead. Rollin’s elementary teaching experience includes teaching a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade combo classroom at Oasis Public Charter School in Salinas. He taught 5th grade for four years in Soledad that also included a 4th-5th grade combo classroom. He also taught fifth grade for a year in Los Altos at Loyola Elementary School. Rollin has spent four summers teaching migrant students in programs at UCSC and CSUMB through the Monterey County Office of Education. He spent one year teaching adults English night classes in Salinas and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. Rollin received his B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Human Development and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at California State University of Monterey Bay. He spent a summer in Barcelona, Spain to earn his Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. Rollin continues his education by keeping up with current research about child development and how the brain learns. He attends seminars that enable him to take on leadership positions. Rollin has been a mentor teacher, school garden teacher, safe school ambassador leader, grade level leader, manager of playground pupil supervisors, and athletic director. He is very passionate about challenging students with developmentally appropriate standardize-based instruction while making learning fun at the same time. He has aspirations to earn a graduate degree and National Board Certification. Rollin lives in Los Gatos and enjoys the outdoors. He enjoys reading books that provide growth and insight to the world we live in. He is athletic and enjoys physical activities such as mountain biking, hiking, skiing, beach volleyball, basketball, soccer or anything recreational with his students. Rollin loves travelling, having conversations with different people, going to live performances, and spending time with family and friends. 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, as Dan is extremely delighted to be apart of the BCS learning community. Dan’s classroom praises the uniqueness in each student while engaging in purposeful creative expression, and he looks forward to 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. This summer, Dan and Wendy welcomed their baby boy, Noah Matthew, into the world. They can’t wait to watch him grow and already love spending time together as a family. 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 This is Lauren's second year at BCS and will be her fifth year teaching fourth grade. Lauren loves working at Bullis and feels so fortunate to be a part of the BCS team and community. She grew up in San Jose and attended Archbishop Mitty High School and then went on to the University of California, Santa Barbara where she received her B.A. in Sociology. Lauren earned her Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential at San Jose State University. Lauren is a lifelong learner and is always looking for ways to enhance her teaching repertoire. She hopes in the near future to work toward her National Board Certification and go back to school to obtain a reading specialist credential and/or her masters in environmental education. Lauren is passionate about the environment and takes every opportunity to link science to other subjects. This past school year at Bullis, Lauren was instrumental in helping start the school garden with Ms. Lura. She is excited to expand Bullis’ garden program this year with project-based learning where the students choose the plants to plant, develop the planting and harvest schedule, maintain the garden, market, sell, and keep records of their garden business. In addition, Lauren introduced geocaching, a high-tech scavenger hunt that emphasizes using map skills, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork and cooperation, and technology. It caught on like wildfire with students last year as it became an instant favorite co-curricular class. Under Lauren’s advisement, the BCS Student Council had an extremely successful second-semester which included exciting spirit days, hosting a Movie Night, a Book Drive for the BCS Library, and Talent Show and launching their own Student Council website. Lauren’s teaching philosophy is that the classroom should be a stimulating environment where students feel comfortable to be curious and express their ideas with their fellow classmates. Learning should be memorable, meaningful, and help students make connections to the real-world. Learning shouldn’t only be worksheets and textbooks, it should be engaging and project-based where students have a choice to show their learning in a style that is suited to their learning modalities. Most of all, school should be fun where students look forward to coming to school everyday and love to learn! When Lauren isn’t busy in the classroom, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, traveling, ballroom dancing, geocaching, and spending time with her family and friends. Top of Page

Jennifer Anderson-Rosse - 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

Lauren Fraser - 3rd Grade Teacher Lauren grew up in Pleasanton, California with her parents and three sisters. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and a minor in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Upon graduation, Lauren decided to continue her education at Cal Poly and received her multiple subject teaching credential. It was during her student teaching at Bellevue Santa Fe Charter School where her enthusiasm for charter schools was sparked and she realized the many benefits they have to offer students as well as teachers. In 2005, Lauren began her teaching career at Livermore Valley Charter School where she remained for four years. During her time with LVCS, Lauren had the opportunity to teach 5th grade for one year and the third and fourth grade loop for three years. As LVCS was a start-up charter school, it gave Lauren many opportunities to be part of curriculum and assessment planning, textbook selections and join many school wide committees to keep the school running successfully. Lauren is looking forward to bringing her enthusiasm and love for teaching to BCS and can not wait to meet all the students and parents. She enjoys planning activities and creative opportunities for her students such as theatre, dance, and art that correlate to the educational standards. Lauren believes in creating a safe classroom environment where students are encouraged to learn at a higher level of thinking while still having the ability to be their own unique and creative person. In her spare time, Lauren is often running, cycling, and swimming. She enjoys competing in triathlons, and has even run two marathons and competed in a half Ironman. She also enjoys being outdoors, watching sports and spending time with her family and friends. Top of Page

Colleen McHenry - 2nd Grade Teacher Colleen grew up in Marin County where she attended St. Hilary’s, Hall Middle School, and Redwood High School. She received both her undergraduate degree in U.S. History and elementary teaching credential at UCSD. She received her Masters in Education from Santa Clara University. Colleen has been a teacher for eight years and has taught first, second, and third grade. The 2009-2010 school year will be her second year at Bullis Charter School. Colleen is proud to teach at BCS for many reasons, including the abundant professional development opportunities afforded to the staff, the way the teachers work together, and our wonderful community of parents and students. She is immensely looking forward to the new school year. In her free time, Colleen enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, attending Giants games, reading, hiking, and attempting to cook. Top of Page

Dona Kim - 2nd Grade Teacher Dona Kim 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 back to southern California and received her MA in Education at Pepperdine University. While she was working on her master’s program, Dona began her teaching career in Los Angeles by teaching 1st and 2nd grade to under-privileged students for the next 3 years. In 2006, Dona moved back to Northern California to teach 2nd grade 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 third year at Bullis Charter School, and she is very excited about the opportunity to partner with fellow teachers and parents in creating a motivating and engaging 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 8 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 traveling and spending time with her family. Dona recently got married and resides in Mountain View with her husband, Paul, and adorable Maltese, Pokey. Her other hobbies include exercising, playing sports, and reading. Top of Page

Philip Lee - 2nd Grade Teacher Mr. Philip Lee is so excited to be a part of the BCS family! Born and raised in southern California, Mr. Lee received his BA at the University of California, San Diego, and completed his MS in Educational Leadership at California State University, Fullerton. Since 2004, Mr. Lee has served as an elementary teacher in Riverside County. In the classroom, Mr. Lee sets high expectations for his students, nurtures each student’s individual needs, actively engages his students by making content meaningful, and works hard to create a non-threatening classroom environment that encourages risk-taking. He desires for students to come out of his classroom feeling confident in their abilities and ready to pursue dreams of their own. Some of the extra duties Mr. Lee has performed while teaching include: GATE facilitator, grade-level team leader, writing team leader, instructional coach, SST team, after-school intervention teacher, grade-level technology leader, spelling bee team, yearbook team, and upper grade choir director. In his free time Mr. Lee enjoys singing, watching a movie or sharing a meal with friends, relaxing at the beach, and traveling to new places. Top of Page

Jessica Lura - 1st Grade Teacher/Team Leader Jessica is excited about the upcoming year, her 5th, at BCS. She feels fortunate to be part of a community that values and promotes critical thinking, risk-taking, and global citizenship for everyone—students, teachers, and parents. In her personal and professional life, Jessica has attempted to follow these values through the opportunities she has pursued. She grew up in central New York State. Believing in life-long learning, 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 has a Masters in Elementary Education with a focus on Critical Research from San Jose State and is a Nationally Board Certified teacher. She also has environmental education certificate. After graduation, Jessica joined Teach for America and moved to the Bay Area. She taught for six years in East Palo Alto, teaching 1st grade for three years and 2nd grade for three years. She was a 1st grade lead teacher, a literacy coordinator, literacy team leader, a Ravenswood City School District summer institute trainer, and worked with the Youth Community Service (YSI) organization to design a three-day service-learning workshop for teachers. Since joining BCS, Jessica has had many professional development opportunities. She has participated in numerous workshops, including the EWYL and EWYL fellows program at KCI; Adobe workshops on Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, and InDesign; and weeklong workshops on new curricula and teaching techniques. She has also taken advantage of opportunities to expand her own knowledge of the world by traveling. Believing that travel is important in understanding oneself and others, she spent her junior year of high school abroad in Denmark and one semester in college abroad, studying in Kenya. In addition, she traveled to Costa Rica to study butterflies, to Trinidad to study leatherback sea turtles, and to Ecuador to participate in an archeological dig of Incan and pre-Incan structures. 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 2009-2010 school year marks her 6th 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. Some recent workshops she’s proud to have completed include Schools Attuned with All Kinds of Minds, Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD), and Technology Rich Project Based Learning with the Buck Institute. 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. Currently, Laura is working towards National Board Certification and is finding the process to be challenging and rewarding. 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 Lu - 1st Grade Teacher Sandy Lu 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 reading good books, playing board and card games, baking sweets, and traveling with her new husband. She is ecstatic to return for her third year at BCS! Sandy looks forward to meeting students, working with current and new staff members, and being a part of the BCS community! Top of Page

Nancy Barlow - Kindergarten Teacher Nancy recently moved to the Bay Area. She arrived in September of 2007 from Vancouver, Canada. While living in Vancouver, Nancy was a teacher in the Langley school district. In this diverse district, Nancy worked with students from Kindergarten to Seventh grade. Upon receiving her California credential, Nancy began working as a substitute teacher for the Palo Alto school district before joining the BCS team. Nancy joined the BCS staff as an Associate Teacher in 2008. Last year, Nancy taught third grade at Bullis. Nancy is looking forward to teaching Kindergarten in the coming year. Nancy graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree and went on to complete a Bachelor of Education the following year, at which time she received her Professional Development Certification, credentialing her to teach throughout Canada. Nancy’s area of focus in her program was Early Childhood Education, and Curriculum and Instruction. Both of her degrees are from Simon Fraser University. Nancy enjoys working with young students and plans on completing a Master's degree focusing on early childhood education. In her spare time Nancy loves spending time with her husband, Robert and cat, Maggie. She enjoys reading, traveling, and photography, not to mention the beautiful California sun! Top of Page

Margaret Lim - Kindergarten Teacher Despite having lived in California for more than ten years, Margaret Lim is a Midwesterner at heart. Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, she attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied Electrical Engineering. After spending 7 years in the business consulting and high tech industries, she decided to do a career change into elementary education. Margaret received her teaching credential and MA in Elementary Education from UC Berkeley. As part of the two year Developmental Teacher Education program at UC Berkeley, she student taught in a variety of grades, including two semesters of kindergarten. She was also an active part of UC Berkeley’s Academic Talent and Development Program, where she taught science for several summers. Upon finishing graduate school, she stayed in the Berkeley area and taught third and fourth grade for two years in the Albany Unified School District. Consistent with the human development focus of her training at UC Berkeley, her teaching emphasizes the holistic development of the whole child, including academic, emotional, and social growth. She recognizes that children have individual learning styles and enjoys teaching through hands-on projects that integrate the personal interests, family backgrounds, and cultural values of her students. Her goal as an educator is to help children develop a lifelong love of learning. Most recently, Margaret spent a year working for the Digital Media Academy (DMA) as the Director of Youth Programs. In this role, she developed digital media curriculum in areas like filmmaking and digital art for students ages 7-13. She has also spent many summers directing summer creative art and technology programs at several of DMA’s locations, including Stanford University, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC San Diego. In her free time, Margaret enjoys playing board games, trying new restaurants, skiing in Lake Tahoe, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. As a first generation Chinese American, every year she vows to improve her Mandarin Chinese skills and become fluent! Margaret is thrilled to be returning to the Kindergarten classroom this fall and to be part of the staff at Bullis Charter School. She has a passion for technology integration, for helping students develop critical thinking skills, and for project-based learning. She is looking forward to getting to know the staff and parent community at Bullis! Top of Page

Ashley Button - Kindergarten Teacher Ashley Button is thrilled to be returning to her hometown of Los Altos and joining the amazing team at BCS. Ashley’s passion for teaching was bred from a love of learning fostered during her undergraduate studies at Princeton University where she focused on English with concentrations in both American Studies and Creative Writing. Upon graduation, Ashley took a detour into the business world and worked as a strategic consultant in New York City. Volunteering as a tutor at a homeless shelter while living in NYC led Ashley back to her passion of education and into a career of teaching. Ashley earned her MA in Elementary Education while working in a variety of teaching roles, including time in special education departments, to ensure she received a thorough and complete introduction to teaching. Her varied experiences in the classroom helped solidify her desire to work with Kindergartners which she has done for three years. Ashley loves the enthusiasm young students have for learning and appreciates the opportunity this presents to create a strong educational foundation through positive learning experiences. After living and working in Germany for the past few years, Ashley is thrilled to join a school committed to creating global citizens. She establishes a student-centered classroom where students feel safe to experiment and learn. Her teaching style and classroom management approach help instill the importance of community in her students while developing each individual child to the fullest. She uses integrated lessons to ensure all her students reach their highest potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Ashley is looking forward to sharing her enthusiasm for learning and teaching with the faculty, parents, and students at BCS. Ashley’s hobbies and interests are diverse, but she is always happy spending time with her husband. They especially love traveling to interesting places, sampling delicious foods, and skiing fresh powder. Ashley also enjoys playing volleyball, golf, and tennis. Top of Page

Lynn Reed - Science Specialist Lynn is very excited to join the BCS faculty and is looking forward to creating a new strong and innovative science program. Lynn is a Bay Area native. She attended Awalt High School (now Mountain View) and Foothill College. She received her BS in Earth Science Education from Northern Arizona University. An experienced educator, Lynn holds duel credentials in Physical Science (with authorization to teach Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Astronomy, and general science in grades preK-12) and Social Science. Lynn taught science for 12 years at James Logan High School, which is the largest high school in Northern California and a winner of both the national Blue Ribbon School and California Distinguished School honors. Lynn served as a key member of Logan’s Curriculum Development team. She helped develop innovative science courses, including a course in geology, which was approved as an elective by the University of California. The geology course featured field trips to study coastal processes, the Hayward Fault, volcanoes of the Eastern Sierra and the national parks of the southwest. She has also taught courses in chemistry, biology and introductory physical science. Lynn has been a pioneer in bringing technology into the classroom. While at Logan she worked with UC Berkeley on a project to develop an on-line physics learning environment for students. Lynn is an active community volunteer. In 2007 she co-chaired the California Barons Ball for the American Cancer Society, which took “top gala” honors in California and was in among their top twenty fund raising events nationally. As a BCS parent, she has volunteered in the classroom and in school activities. Lynn enjoys spending time outdoors, especially skiing and hiking. Her favorite way to spend her spare is time is with her husband Dave and her son Justin. Top of Page

Jeff Clarke - Drama Specialist Jeff is thrilled to return for his first full year at Bullis! A graduate of U.C. Santa Cruz’s Drama program, Jeff worked for 10 years as a professional actor, director, dramaturg, fight choreographer, and dialect coach. His acting experiences have taken him from Los Angeles to Nashville, and finally back to the Bay Area in 2005. He maintains close ties with the local theatre community, working with City Lights of San Jose, Pear Avenue Theatre, West Valley Civic Light Opera, and Bus Barn Stage Company here in Los Altos. In 2008, Jeff received his teaching credential from San Jose State. University, and joined the Bullis team in January 2009. Jeff lives with his wonderful wife Einat,, and their beautiful baby boy Max. Top of Page

Mary Kalita - Dance Specialist & Choreographer Mary Kalita is a professional dancer and actor with over a decade of experience. A recent Bay Area transplant, she grew up in the Chicago area, where she trained with The School of DanceWest Ballet in the pre-professional program. Mary went on to apprentice with DanceWest Ballet Company prior to redirecting her passion and focus from classical ballet to musical theatre. Mary attended Millikin University and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Her professional performance credits include roles in Crazy for You, 42nd Street, The Producers, Cats, Showboat, Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mack and Mabel, Pardon My English, No No Nanette, James and the Giant Peach, Proof, and A Christmas Carol. Mary has taught ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance to children and adults, beginning through advanced levels for the past 10 years. She has taught for private studios including Novi Performing Arts Acadmey, Geneva Park District and Lynn Kalita Dance Center. Mary has been a Teaching Artist with Starting Arts since 2007, teaching kindergarten through 5th grade dance in public schools around the South Bay. Mary has also served as a choreographer for Starting Arts' productions of Into the Woods, Seussical, Pirates of Penzance, Aladdin, Mulan, and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Top of Page

David Belles - Music Specialist David Belles has always loved music. Brought up on American musical theater and Gilbert and Sullivan, his musical tastes have branched out to include all fields of music, from classical to jazz, from rock-and-roll to world music. David entered college as a piano performance major, but early on became involved in vocal music. He sang in choir for almost his entire college experience, and it is here that he developed his passion for group music. During college, he was involved in such music performance activities as opera workshop, musical theater ensemble, jazz band, string orchestra (on harpsichord), piano ensemble, and piano accompaniment, along with the annual non-serious PDQ Bach concerts at CSUEB. He graduated summa cum laude in 2008 with a Bachelors Degree in Piano Performance, and received his teaching credential in music the following year. David's professional experience has been also quite varied; he has accompanied for multiple vocal studios in the area as well as for local high, middle, and elementary schools. In 2008-2009, he was the choral assistant for Ken Rawdon's choral music program at Mount Eden High School. He directs the choir for the Jenny Lin Summer Youth Music Program, and is a musical director for Kids Take The Stage, a not-for-profit organization based in Southern California. Over this past spring, David also played in the pit orchestra for KTTS's production of Bye Bye Birdie. Despite just graduating from college, David has been teaching groups of students for a long time, having taught group piano lessons at the Colton Music Center in Hayward for seven years; during his teaching here, he worked with groups of students ranging in age from four year olds to adults. Throughout his musical career, David has received numerous awards and distinctions; he was given the Dr. David Stein Award for Choral Excellence in 2008, the year that he was appointed the assistant conductor for the East Bay Singers under the direction of Dr. Buddy James. Additionally, he has received multiple music scholarships from both Chabot College and CSUEB. David is thrilled to be participating in such a strong music program at BCS, and is looking forward to the coming school year and the challenges and excitement that await. Top of Page

Margaret Lim - Technology Specialist Despite having lived in California for more than ten years, Margaret Lim is a Midwesterner at heart. Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, she attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied Electrical Engineering. After spending 7 years in the business consulting and high tech industries, she decided to do a career change into elementary education. Margaret received her teaching credential and MA in Elementary Education from UC Berkeley. As part of the two year Developmental Teacher Education program at UC Berkeley, she student taught in a variety of grades, including two semesters of kindergarten. She was also an active part of UC Berkeley’s Academic Talent and Development Program, where she taught science for several summers. Upon finishing graduate school, she stayed in the Berkeley area and taught third and fourth grade for two years in the Albany Unified School District. Most recently, Margaret spent a year working for the Digital Media Academy (DMA) as the Director of Youth Programs. In this role, she developed digital media curriculum in areas like filmmaking and digital art for students ages 7-13. She has also spent many summers directing summer creative art and technology programs at several of DMA’s locations, including Stanford University, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC San Diego. In her free time, Margaret enjoys playing board games, trying new restaurants, skiing in Lake Tahoe, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. As a second generation Chinese American, every year she vows to improve her Mandarin Chinese skills and become fluent! Margaret is thrilled to be returning to classroom teaching this fall and to be part of the staff at Bullis Charter School. She has a passion for technology integration, for helping students develop critical thinking skills, and for project-based learning. She is looking forward to getting to know the staff and parent community at Bullis! Top of Page

Stacy Gregg - Math Specialist Stacy is returning to Bullis after a two-year absence. She spent a wonderful year teaching third grade and leading an action team before leaving. Prior to working at BCS, Stacy spent five years teaching third grade elsewhere where she functioned as lead teacher, mentored colleagues, led student-teachers, provided instruction to coworkers, and earned a second Master’s degree in curriculum design and instruction for elementary school. When Stacy worked at BCS in the 2006-2007 school year, she valued the community of well-educated staff, supportive parents, diverse programs that met individual student needs and talent, and the expectation for everyone to work to and beyond his potential. So it was tough toward the end of that period when she became pregnant with her first child and decided to stay at home for a year. Unexpectedly, Stacy had a second child only 13 months later and chose to remain with her babies another year. While Stacy missed teaching and the Bullis community, she became equally passionate about raising her children and realized it would be hard to commit to a full-time position at this point in their development. Luckily, BCS needed a part-time math specialist this year, a job perfect for her life situation and education. Since Stacy earned her Bachelor’s degree in math and computer science, she brings not only teaching skills, but subject matter knowledge as well. She is very excited to combine her talents toward helping Bullis augment its current math program. Besides Stacy’s love for her family and profession, many other interests occupy her free time. She enjoys cooking, working on word puzzles, exercising in the great outdoors, traveling, reading, and writing. Most recently, Stacy has been learning about California native plants and organic gardening and using her knowledge to landscape her yard using better environmental practices. She also spends a lot of time with her pet, Monkey (a wild canine from the jungles of San Francisco)! Top of Page

Jo Lansdown - Physical Education Specialist Jo Lansdown is joining the Bullis team after nine years of teaching elementary physical education. Jo was born and raised in Birmingham, England and attended Brighton University. She graduated in 2000 with an honors degree in kinesiology and an education focus. Since moving to the U.S., she has earned her California teaching credential and masters in educational best practices. From 2005-2007, Jo wrote curriculum for Rhythm and Moves, an organization that provides PE teachers to schools, that is now taught in public & private schools throughout the Bay Area. Last year, she supervised a team of 15 elementary physical education teachers in the San Jose school district. Jo is passionate about developing and supporting a love of lifelong learning. She has shared her growing body of knowledge within the profession through presenting at conferences and teaching an undergraduate physical education teaching methods class at San Jose State University. She believes that a teacher’s central mission is to inspire and then support learning, and recently gave a presentation on this theme entitled ‘Inspiring Commitment to Lifelong Fitness’ at the state conference for physical education. Entering her tenth year of teaching, Jo continues to develop strategies to teach content while scaffolding a learner who is passionate and excited to continue a life of active engagement. Jo is a presenter for the state standards facilitator team and feels strongly about continuing her own professional development. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues and attends multiple trainings and conferences each year to promote her growth as a teacher. As a member of the Bullis team, Jo hopes to create a learning environment that is enticing to students at all levels. The goal of her classes is for every student to succeed, while also acquiring the passion and knowledge of movement needed to enjoy a healthy life. She is excited to contribute to the holistic educational environment at Bullis and looks forward to collaborating with all of those connected to this unique learning community. When not teaching, Jo enjoys hiking and geocaching with her dog, all water sports, learning the guitar, travelling and spending time with family and friends. Top of Page

Gillian Boal-Thowson - Physical Education Specialist Gillian Thowson comes to BCS from the Los Lomitas School District. She has spent the last 2 years teaching physical education in Menlo Park while completing her teaching credential at the University of San Francisco (USF). Gillian received her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Jose State University before transferring to USF to work on her credential and master’s degree in teaching (MAT). Gillian was born and raised in a coastal city in New Zealand. In high school, she was a competitive track athlete and soccer player. Gillian traveled extensively before marrying a Californian and settling down in the bay area in 1997. During her journey, Gillian ultimately decided she wanted to teach others to value what is closest to her heart - building and maintaining a physically fit body and healthy attitude. Gillian believes that fitness should be fun and therefore, uses a variety of teaching styles to connect with her students to create a learning environment that is engaging and relevant to the individual. Gillian also believes in creating a safe class climate through open and respectful communication. Gillian delivers an enjoyable and stimulating curriculum that is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to be successful, and promotes an appreciation for physical activity and a desire to maintain a healthy active lifestyle beyond the classroom. Gillian is absolutely thrilled to be joining the rich learning community at BCS. She looks forward to working with the BCS staff, students and parents, and is excited about developing an enriching program within the physical education department. In Gillian’s spare time she enjoys running, biking, horseback riding, skiing, golfing, yoga, cooking and playing at the park with her toddler. 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. 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 four summers Andrew has taught art at Camp Galileo in Menlo Park and Woodside where he tied art lessons to themes such as the Ancient Egypt, Medieval Art, African Art, Modern Art Masters and Mythology. Andrew is the proud father of two children, Hayden who will be four this September and Anita who will be turning two. 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

Qinglin Yang - Foreign Language Specialist Qinglin Yang was born in Anhui Province of China. She received her Bachelor degree in education from Anhui Normal University and a Master degree in educational psychology from Guangzhou Teachers' University. In China, she taught English as a second language. Qinglin came to the United States with her husband in 2000 and began to strengthen her skills and credentials for an American career in education. In 2005, she received her Multiple Teaching Credential and in 2007, joined the California Chinese Teacher Association. In 2008, Qinglin received her BCLAD certificate from San Jose State University and obtained her Single Subject (Mandarin) Teaching Credential. Since 2000, Mrs. Yang has been teaching Mandarin to different levels in both private schools and after-school programs in the Bay area. She has also worked as a special tutor and judge in Mandarin speech contests in local schools. Qinglin is passionate about teaching Mandarin. She enjoys telling stories and teaching Chinese songs and rhymes. Nothing pleases her more than seeing her students improve their Mandarin reading, writing, and speaking skills. Outside teaching, Qinglin enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and watching movies. Qinglin is excited to join Bullis, and is looking forward to a new chapter in her life, full of fun and learning. Top of Page

Dorothy Han - Foreign Language Specialist Dorothy Han grew up in Sacramento, California. She went to John F. Kennedy High School and then moved down to southern California where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), double majoring in Chinese language and East Asian Studies. It was there that she discovered her love for teaching while taking several education classes and interning at the UCLA Lab School where she worked in a K-1 class and a 3-4 class. Upon graduating, she went on to Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and received her M.A./credential in Elementary Education with a specialization in Literacy and Language Arts. She loves reading and really has a desire to foster that love in her students as well. During her first year of graduate school, she worked as a Resource Teaching Assistant in a classroom of 10 students with special needs, where she created and taught curriculum that would support each students’ individualized plan. While she was finishing up her master’s program at LMU, she began teaching 2nd grade in an urban community. After she graduated, she taught kindergarten at the same school, working with English Language Learners and supporting her students by introducing new and exciting curriculum. In her free time, Dorothy loves to run, hike, bake, read, watch movies, hang out with friends, travel, and go on adventures! She is excited to be at Bullis Charter School and is looking forward to being a part of the Chinese language program and having the opportunity to combine her love for teaching with her love for the Chinese language. Top of Page

Ram Gangisetty - Speech and Language Pathologist Ram Gangisetty is from India, and completed his Masters Degree at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) in Mysore, India. After graduating from AIISH, he held the position of Research Officer at AIISH working on developing and testing speech exercises to improve voice projection skills. After one year at AIISH, he worked at Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Southern Regional Center as a guest lecturer teaching Neurology for speech and language undergraduate students, before coming to the United States in September 2007. Ram is a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist in California, and is currently working with elementary, middle and post secondary school students for the Santa Clara County Office of Education in the Special Education Department. Mr. Gangisetty has wide range of experience in administering various speech and language tests and implementing evidence based therapy approaches. His speech therapy sessions are client centered rather than therapist centered. He believes in functional learning rather than rote learning, and most of his activities and exercises incorporate day-to-day life activities to make learning fun and useful for his students. He believes in a team approach, and involves teachers, parents and all other required professionals in setting and meeting goals for his students. In his spare time, Mr. Gangisetty likes to play tennis, chess, badminton, and swim. Recently, he started learning to play the guitar. He also loves spending time with family and following current affairs. Mr. Gangisetty is part of the Special Education team from the Santa Clara County Office of Education and is pleased to be joining the Bullis staff. Top of Page

Catherine O'Sullivan - Occupational Therapist M.S., MPH, OTR/L Catherine O’Sullivan is a pediatric occupational therapist for the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), a public education agency dedicated to serving as an exemplary regional resource to students, parents, and school districts. She has been an employee of the SCCOE since 2001. Catherine graduated from the University of Sydney with a BS degree in 1995. She is a firm believer in life long learning and has recently completed two Masters degree; one in Science (MS) and the other in Public Health (MPH). Catherine is certified to administer the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test. She consults regularly with parents and teachers of children with special needs as well as provides direct services to assist children develop to their greatest potential. Prior to her current position, she managed a private pediatric clinic occupational therapy department on the east coast and has been a pediatric occupational therapist working in the educational setting for ten years. She continues to learn from and enjoy the children she works with every day. Raised in a small coastal town in northern NSW, Australia, Catherine now enjoys her active lifestyle in sunny Silicon Valley, California. Running, mountain biking and travel are among her endless list of interests. She has worked in developing countries, including Nepal and Tajikistan, for Save the Children, an international development organization committed to creating lasting change in the lives of children in the US and around the world. Top of Page

Hillary Crissinger- Resource Specialist Hillary Crissinger has been a teacher and a school administrator for over 22 years. Hillary has worked as a special day class teacher and resource specialist in a variety of settings. After working as a mentor teacher in both regular and special education in San Francisco Unified School District, she was awarded a Behring Fellowship to attend University of California – Berkeley and participate in the second cohort of the Principal Leadership Institute. This fellowship recognized her work as a leader in special education and alternative education. Over the last six years she has worked in leadership roles in Student Services, Principal of a charter high school at Treasure Island Job Corps and Assistant Director of Tamalpais Adult School in Larkspur, California. Over the past 10 years she has served on visiting committees for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (W.A.S.C.) and has evaluated charter schools, comprehensive high schools, alternative schools, nonpublic schools and adult schools. She now serves as a chair on visiting committees. Hillary is a certified personal trainer. She received her certification from the National Association of Sports Medicine (N.A.S.M.) Hillary has been physically active her entire life. She studied classical ballet as a child and teen. The years following included bicycling, kickboxing, cardio workouts, modern ballet and weight lifting. She is a graduate of The Blake Schools – a college preparatory school in Minneapolis, Minnesota She received her B. A. in Political Studies from Pitzer College, Claremont, California. Her M.A. in Education and Administrative Credential are from U. C. - Berkeley, Berkeley, California. She received her special education credentials from Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California and regular education credentials from Dominican University of California, San Rafael, California. Hillary has lived in Marin County for the last 24 years and is married with one adult child and one cat. Hillary is enthusiastic about working in Student Services for Santa Clara County Office of Education as the Resource Specialist serving the charter schools. Top of Page

Janice Sutphin - School Psychologist Janice Sutphin, Ph.D. has joined the Bullis Charter School team as the School Psychologist from the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Dr. Sutphin has been a Board Licensed Psychologist as well as a credentialed School Psychologist for over twenty years. Dr. Sutphin received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin where she conducted research in the Department of Behavioral Disorders. Dr. Sutphin’s experiences include working with children and adults with all types of learning difficulties, behavioral difficulties, mental health concerns, and developmental problems. Special areas of interest are emotional disturbances in children, autism spectrum disorders, and positive intensive behavioral intervention. Top of Page

Katie Williams - Counselor Katie Williams has been a teacher in the Palo Alto School District for five years and is currently working part time as a Kindergarten teacher. She obtained her teaching credential at Notre Dame de Namur and her undergraduate studies were done at Chico State in child development. Katie has been working on her masters in Psychology and Counseling for the past four years and will be working at Bullis as a part time counselor. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their Chocolate Labrador Retriever “Bear.” Katie also likes to cook, play soccer, run, and spend time with her friends and family. 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

Kiwi Capriles - Associate Teacher Kiwi has eight years experience as a first grade teacher and has also taught students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Most recently, she was a classroom teacher for six years with the Palo Alto Unified School District. She has a passionate desire to make a difference by engaging students in critical and creative thinking while fostering a love of learning. In addition to being a teacher, Kiwi is also enthusiastic about making contributions to the education community. She has taken roles as a District Grade Level Facilitator, Curriculum Developer, Master Teacher, Program Quality Reviewer, Quality Education Liaison and Performance Based Assessment Task Writer. She has also collaborated in school wide cooperative learning and peer coaching programs. Kiwi and her husband, Bob, have been married for nearly twenty years. They are the proud parents of three boys. This native Californian loves the beach, reading, organizing, and is an “irrepressible” Scrabble player. Kiwi Capriles is elated to be joining the BCS community. Top of Page

Dorothy Han - Associate Teacher Dorothy Han grew up in Sacramento, California. She went to John F. Kennedy High School and then moved down to southern California where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), double majoring in Chinese language and East Asian Studies. It was there that she discovered her love for teaching while taking several education classes and interning at the UCLA Lab School where she worked in a K-1 class and a 3-4 class. Upon graduating, she went on to Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and received her M.A./credential in Elementary Education with a specialization in Literacy and Language Arts. She loves reading and really has a desire to foster that love in her students as well. During her first year of graduate school, she worked as a Resource Teaching Assistant in a classroom of 10 students with special needs, where she created and taught curriculum that would support each students’ individualized plan. While she was finishing up her master’s program at LMU, she began teaching 2nd grade in an urban community. After she graduated, she taught kindergarten at the same school, working with English Language Learners and supporting her students by introducing new and exciting curriculum. In her free time, Dorothy loves to run, hike, bake, read, watch movies, hang out with friends, travel, and go on adventures! She is excited to be at Bullis Charter School and is looking forward to being a part of the Chinese language program and having the opportunity to combine her love for teaching with her love for the Chinese language. Top of Page

Jessica Morgan - Associate Teacher Jessica is thrilled to be joining the wonderful family at BCS! Born in Germany, she spent many years moving across the globe in her military family. She finally ended up in Pleasanton, CA where she finished middle school and high school. Jessica received her BA in Music at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a minor in Business Administration. Upon completion of her undergraduate work, she moved to Boston to pursue her Masters in Music for Opera Performance at New England Conservatory. While in Boston, Jessica began working in the public schools doing performance outreach. These experiences ultimately led her to work in Africa with children in squatter camps. After returning from Africa, Jessica decided that she wanted to pursue teaching further and added a Music-in-Education concentration to her Masters degree. Jessica came back to California after completing her degree and obtained her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Single Subject in Music at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. While working on her Masters degree, Jessica had the privilege of working as the Music Program Director at the Atrium School in Watertown, MA. Her role required her to design and implement a new music program that was fully integrated across subject areas. Not only did she design and deliver instruction, Jessica used it as a research opportunity to improve education. She is an active member of the Music-in-Education National Consortium (MIENC) and consistently collaborates with a team of administrators, educators, researchers and performers at various schools and arts organizations nationwide. Her work at the Atrium School helped classroom teachers use music in their lessons every day and helped the MIENC receive further support through a federal grant. Jessica is looking forward to working in the classroom and helping students reach success in all subjects. She had the privilege of student teaching in a 3rd grade and a Kindergarten class, spending much of her time developing differentiated language arts and mathematics lessons for a diverse student population. She believes that the classroom should be a welcoming and exciting place for students to investigate and seek out a deep understanding while working collaboratively with others. This kind of learning environment is fostered when there are multiple entry points into the curriculum and students have a variety of opportunities to build and represent their understanding. Jessica is excited to bring her music background and enthusiasm for improving education to the classrooms at BCS this year, and she cannot wait to meet all the students and parents. In her free time, she enjoys singing, playing the piano, walking along the ocean, and spending time with her very new husband Charles! Top of Page

Windy Orviss - Associate Teacher Windy grew up in Stockton, California, the oldest of 4 children. She began her college career at San Joaquin Delta College where she obtained her Associates degree in Life Sciences and Liberal Arts. During that time she took a semester off, traveled to Europe to work as an au pair near Nice, France, and met her future husband. When Windy returned state side, she attended UCSB obtaining a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Health Sciences. After college, Windy moved to Orange County, California where she worked in private schools for three years while she earned her teaching credential from CSU Fullerton. Once she had earned her teaching credential, she moved to the Palo Alto where she taught Life Science at JLS middle school for the Palo Alto Unified School District. Windy holds a multiple subject teaching credential as well as a single subject credential in life sciences. Outside of school, Windy loves to travel. She has been to several major cities in the Unites States as well as traveled abroad to countries such as England, France, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Finland. She loves to stay physically fit by swimming and participating in other aerobic activities. Other favorite activities of hers include boating, hiking, learning about nature, and reading. Windy lives in Palo Alto with her husband of one year, Scott. 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. Additionally, Jane has worked as a tutor, childcare provider, and a caretaker in community and home settings with adults and children with disabilities. Jane Wilson moved from Chicago to the Bay Area in July 2008 to be part of the top-notch, dedicated team at Bullis Charter School. The expert teaching community and the commitment to excellence among staff and students continues to inspire Jane as both a teacher and life-long learner. Now in her second year at BCS, Jane has cultivated a style of warmth, rigor, and creativity in her teaching. In her spare time, Jane enjoys hiking, canoeing, yoga, reading, and writing. An avid supporter of the arts, Jane also volunteers for galleries and artists' cooperatives in the Bay Area. 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 6th 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

Jeannene Zettler-Rhodes - Nurse Jenny grew up with her parents and 4 siblings in Virginia near Washington D.C. She attended St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Health Services. Jenny moved to the Bay Area after college and did a year of volunteer service in San Jose for a non-profit law foundation working with adults with mental health disabilities. She received her nursing education at the University of California San Francisco and obtained a Master of Science in Nursing in Community and Cross Cultural Health. Jenny has worked as a nurse for the Diabetic Youth Foundation, for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford as both a hospital and clinic nurse, for UCSF as a clinical instructor for nursing students, and most recently, she worked for the San Francisco Unified School District as a School District Nurse. Jenny enjoys traveling, learning about other cultures, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends. Top of Page

Joe Williams - Custodian 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