*UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2014*
Happy Friday! Meet our returning Lower Middle School team, featured in last year's Friday Faces:
Jennifer Wright
Lower Middle School Team Lead Teacher (Core on both tracks),
Level 5 Math Teacher (both tracks)
Q: What is your degree in?
A: Marine Science from the University of Rhode Island; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Cal Poly
Q: What was your last job before your SLOCA life?
A: Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a field technician. I worked on a Salmon study based along the American River and Sacramento River delta. I enjoyed going fishing every day for a living, but it was strenuous work! Before moving to California, I worked for Save the Bay in Rhode Island. Part of my job was taking school children on a two hour boating adventure where we would catch and discuss a sampling of marine life using an otter trawl and perform various tests to determine the water quality.
Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
A: Wonder if the coffee is ready
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: Yanagi is our favorite family restaurant, but I enjoy going to Novo, Luna Red or The Side Car with my friends or husband.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
A: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. I also loved reading My Side of the Mountain so much that I wrote the author, and she send me a very thoughtful, handwritten postcard back!
Q: What is your favorite piece of literature that we've read at SLOCA?
A: My all time favorites are I, Juan de Pareja and The Golden Goblet. I love both of these books for the characters. I seem to connect with Ranofer and Juan, hoping they will reach their dreams even though they are surrounded by so many negative obstacles that could deflate them. They both persevere through hard times, are humble and have kind, gentle souls.
Nick Stavros
Lower Middle School Core and Level 6 Math Teacher (both tracks),
Friday Foundations Lower Middle School Teacher
Q: What is your degree in?
A: Literatures of the World from UC San Diego; Multiple Subject Credential from Cal Poly SLO
Q: What was your last job before your SLOCA life?
A: Gymnastics Coach
Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
A: Wonder what time it is, look out the window, and leap to my feet.
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: Oasis. They have delicious Turkish coffee and delicious Mediterranean food.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
A: Either Goodnight Moon or Jurassic Park, depending on what part of childhood we're looking at.
Q: What is your favorite piece of literature?
A: Two of the books I love are The Little Prince and The Golden Goblet.
Heidi Frago
Lower Middle School and Upper Middle School Science Teacher (both tracks),
Pre Algebra Teacher (both tracks), and B4 Math Lab Teacher
Q: What is your degree in?
A: Agribusiness; Multiple and Single Subject Credentials
Q: What was your last job before your SLOCA life?
A: Pre Algebra and Algebra at Mesa Middle School
Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
A: I snuggle with my boys and talk about what we are going to do for the day.
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: Jaffa Cafe
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
A: Go, Dog Go! (“Do you like my hat?” Still cracks me up.)
Q: What is your favorite piece of literature that we've read at SLOCA?
A: It's a tie between Carry On Mr. Bowditch and The Shakespeare Stealer.
Paige Bartel
LMS Science Teacher (Track B), Algebra Teacher (Track A),
and A4 Math Lab Teacher
Q: What is your degree in?
A: BS in Cellular & Molecular Biology from Westmont College, MA in Education – Curriculum & Instruction (Science, Math, & Technology) and teaching credential from Cal Poly
Q: What was your last job before your SLOCA life?
A: Before returning to school to get my Masters, I was the Lab Coordinator at Westmont where I set up and designed labs, helped with faculty and staff research, and taught undergrad intro to biology lab courses. I did my student teaching at Paulding Middle School and SLO High School. I also currently do work with 2 local non-profits: I am a co-founder and Vice President of Mindful Mothers (www.mindfulmothers.org) and the Interim President of the Birth & Baby Resource Network.
Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
A: Make coffee! I live for coffee… and my kids (whom I love only slightly more than coffee).
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: Artisan in Paso for a splurge, Kai Lana Sushi for date night, or Urbane Cafe for something quick.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
A: I loved the Nancy Drew novels and Anne of Green Gables.
Q: What is your favorite piece of literature?
A: My all time favorite author is Wendall Berry, especially his agrarian essays. I am currently reading the third book in Margaret Attwood's MaddAdam Trilogy, but recent favorites also include The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allyende, and anything by Michael Pollan. I'm sad to say that I haven't read any literature with SLOCA… my kids are still young, so we have been reading Charlottes Web and The Mouse & The Motorcycle.
Pamela Gerhardt
Lower Middle School Latin Teacher (both tracks),
A4 and B4 Study Lab Teacher
Q: What is your degree in?
A: My credentials are rather unconventional. I have home educated my children the last 30+ years, five of the children k-12. In doing so, it is I that has gained an education. I loved learning along side my children and count it a great blessing and privilege in my life. As for my Latin credentials, I have had the privilege for many years (along with my children) to sit under the tutelage of the very best Latin teacher, a gift to our community, Sarah Weinschenk.
Q: Wh
at was your last job before your SLOCA life?
A: Wife, mother, teacher, farmer…and all that being a homemaker encompasses.
Q: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
A: Pray and make coffee
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: Currently my husband and I like to go to the Wild Donkey Cafe. Great food, lovely presentation, friendly servers and relaxing atmosphere.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?
A: Reading to my children through the years has given each of us great joy and shared memories (authors, characters, stories). One of my personal favorites is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. But who can chose just one when there are so many dear friends on our shelves? Like Heidi, or Men of Iron, Little Men, Laddie, One of a Kind Family, Little Britches, Les Miserables, the Narnia series and The White Company, to name a few. And the authors like Dickens, Twain, Chesterton, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and the list goes on. “There is no frigate like a book…”
Q: What is your favorite piece of literature that we've read at SLOCA?
A: SLOCA's bookshelves share many of the same books as mine at home but I think one of my favorites from last year was the autobiography of Booker T. Washington.
Lower Middle School teachers featured elsewhere:
Lower Middle School, Upper Middle School, and High School Art Teacher
What a great group! Thank you teachers, for letting us learn more about you.
SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned websites or businesses.
