The Renaissance School

2008-2009 Faculty

 Pre-primary: 

Kathryn Coates Kim has over 15 years of experience working with young children and is currently going through the AMI Assistants to Infancy training at The Montessori Institute of Denver, Colorado to work with children ages zero to three years old.  She has also studied Geology at San Francisco State University.  Kate enjoys camping, reading, sewing, and exploring California with her family.  She has three children who attend TRS.  This is her fifth year with the school. 

Olga Morataya immigrated to the United States from Guatemala in 1995. Since then she has acquired the Child Development Assistant Permit and the Child Development Assistant Teacher permit and has run her own in-home daycare program. Olga has also taught children’s Christian education for over twelve years in Guatemala and in Oakland. This is her second year at TRS. 

Tina Chang is an AMI Montessori guide from Taiwan certified for Pre-primary (zero – three year olds) and Primary (three to six year olds) teaching. Tina also has a B.S. from Boston University in Human Physiology and Physical Science. She completed her Master of Education in Montessori from Saint Mary’s College in California.  This is Tina’s ninth year at TRS.  

Spanish Primary I: 

Bridget Harcey was born in Minnesota.  While studying for a B. A. in International Development Studies at UCLA, she accepted a fellowship to live and to work at a non-government educational organization in Bihar, India.  The experience, in part, led her to discover Montessori education.  She holds an AMI Primary diploma from the Montessori Institute of North Texas.  Bridget has worked with children for nearly twenty years. She loves cooking, nature, arts, dance and surfing.  Bridget is happy to become a part of the TRS community.

Andrena Davis (Chelle) has a background in Early Childhood Education.  She has ten plus years experience working with two - five year olds.  She has also served six years in the Oklahoma and Louisiana National Guard.  Chelle and her family moved here from Oklahoma.  She is the mother of two children.  This is Chelle’s fifth school year at TRS. She is currently enrolled in a Montessori training program.

 Mina Pang was born in the Philippines, where she received a B.A. in Political Science at the Ateneo De Manila University. After moving to California she received a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from UC Berkeley Extension. She received her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Teacher Training Center of Northern California in Mountain View.  She volunteered for various organizations involving immigrant families in the South Bay. She has six years of experience  teaching preschool age children and several years in school administration. This is Mina’s first year at TRS. 

Sandrine Billaud was born in Paris, France where she completed a master’s degree in International Trade.  She worked and traveled in Europe and South America, and eventually settled in Mexico. Sandrine lived in Mexico for four years, received her AMI Primary Montessori Certification, and worked as a Spanish guide in a Montessori school.  She spends her free time dancing tap, hiking, learning Italian and enjoying art exhibits and photography. This is her second year at TRS.  

French Primary II: 

Laura Harris is from Denver, Colorado and holds a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Colorado.  After graduating, she moved to Massachusetts where she worked as a nanny for a family for four years.  She received her AMI Primary Montessori certification from San Diego and completed her Master of Education from Loyola College in Maryland.  She has 14 years experience working with children.  This is her fifth year at TRS. 

Lisa Williams is originally from New Mexico.  She and her family have lived in northern California all of her adult life.  Lisa has a Culinary Arts Degree specializing in Classical and Modern Food Preparation.  She also has an Early Childhood background and experience in Family Day Care.  She has worked with children for 18 years.  Lisa spends her free time reading, gardening, and camping with her family.  Lisa has four children. This is Lisa’s tenth year at TRS. 

Lucie Durand is an AMI Montessori guide from France. She completed her Primary training in Paris. She also holds a Primary school teacher diploma and has taught teenagers with special needs. She has a degree in French literature and language science from Caen University. She loves music and movies. Her hobbies are photography, hiking and traveling. This is Lucie’s first year at TRS. 

 Spanish Primary III: 

Jessica Liotta is a native of both the Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area, having spent her childhood traveling between them.  She is a Montessori guide for children ages three to six, having completed the Montessori Centre International training in London.  Jessica also holds an AMI primary classroom assisting certification from the Montessori Institute Northwest in Portland, Oregon.  She received her B.A. from Portland State University, where she studied education and history.  When not teaching, Jess loves adventurous foods, gardening and nature exploration, creative photography, and thinking about science and technology.  This is her fifth year in early childhood education and her first year at TRS. 

Lisa WillimasCraig is an AMI Montessori guide from Wisconsin. She completed her Primary training at the Montessori Teacher Training Center of Northern California in Mountain View. She has studied clowning with Patch Adams, MD, and holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Dallas.  This is Lisa’s first year at TRS. 

Paula Ruiz was born in Colombia. She studied Bacteriology and Clinical Laboratory and has a degree in Occupational Health. She gained experience working with children in health care settings. She is very interested in learning more about the Montessori philosophy, and enjoys teaching children in her native language, Spanish. This is Paula’s first year at TRS.

 Sara Sangco is an AMI Montessori guide from the Philippines.  She completed her AMI Primary training in San Diego.  She holds a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a major in English Literature and Communications, from The Ateneo de Manila University.  Sara was an Early Childhood assistant teacher in Manila prior to coming to the United States.  She is in the process of obtaining a Master of Education degree.  This is Sara’s second year at TRS.  

Primary IV: 

Elina Zimmerman was born in southern Connecticut, where she attended the Whitby Montessori School for her primary education.  In 2000, she moved to Portland, Oregon to attend Reed College.  The bulk of her undergraduate work was in the field of history.  Her senior thesis explored the institutional life of the Russian Orthodox Church in the years leading up to the Russian revolution.  After completing her B.A. in 2004, Elina entered the field of Montessori education as a classroom assistant.  Her curiosity was sparked by this experience and she was inspired to pursue teacher training at the Montessori Institute Northwest, where she earned an AMI diploma.  She is currently in the process of completing a master’s degree in Education.  Elina has traveled to many parts of the world and speaks both Finnish and (a little of) Russian.  She loves to cook delicious foods, fashion unusual creations on her sewing machine, and listen to music of many varieties. This is Elina’s second year at TRS. 

Nora Jimenez has a B. A. in Spanish Language from the Universidad de Guadalajara. She was in charge of the reading program in a K-12 private school in Mexico. Nora also worked as a Spanish instructor at a private school in San Leandro before joining the TRS team this year. 

Silvia Rodriguez is a Primary Montessori guide from Mexico. She received her AMI certificate in 1994 from Centro de Estudios de Educación Asociación Montessori Internacional. She has been working at preschools in her native country. She is especially interested in how language works and how it can be taught to young children through rhythm, games and songs. This is Silvia’s first year at TRS. She also has a son in the Primary program.  

Pre-Primary and Primary Coordinator 

Susan Wondrasek is an AMI Montessori guide certified for teaching children two through seven years of age.  She is a specialist in geography and art.  Susan has been with The Renaissance School for fourteen years teaching in Pre-Primary, Primary and Lower Elementary levels.  For the past four years she has been working as the Pre-Primary and Primary Program Coordinator and Consultant.  She is an enthusiastic student of the Redirecting Children’s Behavior Program and has attended several courses.    

Lower Elementary I: 

Nancy Wentworth grew up in San Francisco.  She taught six years as a primary guide before moving to Maryland to become an Elementary Guide.  Nancy taught in Oregon for three years before moving back to the Bay Area. She has a B.S. from the University of San Francisco in organizational behavior.  This is Nancy’s second year at TRS. 

Ramiro Ruiz was born in Colombia. He received a B. A. in Philosophy and Literature from the University Pontificates Bolivariana.  He is also a specialist in Educational Planning and Personalized Education. He has taught at the university and high school level. He also worked as a school superintendent and assistant principal. This is Ramiro’s first year at TRS. 

Vanessa Paulovitz is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California. She has a B. A. in Liberal Studies and a minor in Spanish. She has been a teacher for the past 12 years teaching special education, and grades K-3. She currently holds a BCLAD credential. During her free time she enjoys bike riding, hiking, gardening, spending time with her husband and boys who also attend TRS. This is Vanessa’s first year at TRS.  

Lower Elementary II: 

Ruth Castaneda is a credentialed Elementary School and Special Education teacher from Mexico. She is a Speech Therapist for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and is an Interpreter in Mexican Sign Language.  She has a master’s degree in Educational Research from the Center for Pedagogical and Social Investigations in Jalisco, Mexico. Ruth has 23 years experience as a teacher in Mexico.  This is Ruth’s sixth year at TRS. 

Wellington Franklin Pontes Filho is from Fortaleza, Brazil. Wellington received a degree in Business Administration and a degree in Education with emphasis on Math from the Universidade Estadual do Ceara. He also has a degree in Special Education specializing in the hearing impaired from the Universidade Estadual Vale do Acarau in Brazil. Wellington taught elementary through high school students for five years before coming to the U.S.  Since arriving Wellington has completed the AMI Montessori training in Mountain View and is currently enrolled in an AMI elementary summer training program.  This is Wellington’s fourth year at TRS.  

Upper Elementary: 

Juan Antonio Valdez is an Elementary Montessori guide from Mexico. He received his AMI certificate in 1999 from Centro de Estudios de Educación Asociación Montessori Internacional. He also has a degree in computer programming. He worked at Vasco de Gama Montessori Elementary School in Acapulco and other schools for nine years before moving to the Bay Area. This is Juan Antonio’s first year at TRS. He also has a son in the Primary program. 

Nathalie Hites returned to the Bay Area after living in Belgium and Brazil for ten years, and joined the Elementary team at TRS.  She brought with her a background in science, including a master’s in Biology, five years of research toward a doctorate, and a love of the arts.  She has spent the past two summers in Minneapolis, Minnesota working on attaining her AMI Elementary Guide certificate.  Nathalie also enjoys any activity which takes her into nature and spending time with her two sons.

Salvador Ramos has been teaching children for 12 years in a number of subjects, from physical education to dramatic arts. He is pleased to return home to the Bay Area after venturing out east to earn a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Acting from Emerson College. This is Salvador's first year at TRS.

In-House Substitute  

Hannah Veruschka Miller’s career as a Montessori guide began in 1998 at A Child’s World Montessori School (now TRS) as an assistant at the primary and elementary levels. Since then, Hannah has completed the Assistants to Infancy, Primary, and Elementary AMI trainings. She has six years teaching experience, directing a primary and a lower elementary environment for three years each. With a Bachelor of Art in Music, Hannah has run the HV Music Program for seven years, offering private piano lessons from her home to children of all ages. She also taught music and English as a second language when living in Koblenz, Germany many years ago. During personal time, Hannah enjoys playing tennis, practicing the flute, and caring for her menagerie of animals (two cats and two rabbits), as well as cooking and practicing her Spanish and German.  

French Speaking Teachers at the Elementary Level: 

Nathalie Colin, holding the AMI French primary guide diploma, joined The Renaissance School three years ago.  Nathalie comes from Paris, France where she worked for seven years in a bilingual school as a “traditional” teacher. Last summer she began the AMI Elementary Training course in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  A graduate of Sorbonne University in English literature, she likes reading, knitting, cross stitch and singing.  This is Nathalie’s third year at TRS. 

Kerstin Goldsmith is a French language Montessori Assistant.  She grew up bilingually in French and English in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.  Kerstin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theoretical Linguistics from UCSC, as well as a Certificate in Mandarin Studies from the Yale-in-China Language Center of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and has taught in Chinese-English language immersion programs in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Kerstin home-schooled her own children in the Montessori Method until they were in 3rd and 4th grades. She is currently seeking her Montessori Certification in Elementary I and II at the Montessori Teacher’s Education Center in San Leandro, CA, with plans to transition into an AMI certification program beginning in the summer of 2009.  This is Kerstin’s first year at TRS.

 Art:  

Aliza Cohen is filling in for Brigid McCabe who is on maternity leave. Aliza received her Masters degree in Fine Arts from Boston University and her B. A. in Art with a focus in drawing and painting from U.C. Santa Cruz. She has taught art at a variety of levels and age groups and her paintings have been shown throughout the U.S. She is excited to be joining the TRS community! 

Brigid McCabe continues to enjoy teaching art and has for the last several years.  She has experience teaching a variety of different age groups and academic levels.  She received her B.A. from University of California, Santa Cruz in studio arts with an emphasis on painting, drawing and printmaking and her M.F.A. from Boston University. Her art has been shown across the country from the local Bay Area to the East Coast. This is her second year at TRS. 

Natalia LaRoche studied Russian Language and Literature at the Teacher Training Institute, and Art Theory and Art Instruction at the Mari State University.  Natalia worked for ten years teaching art to elementary aged children in Russia before coming to the United States. Natalia also has an Early Childhood Education background and seventeen years of art teaching experience. Over the years she has developed her own, unique teaching method and has developed the current art programs at TRS for the Primary aged students.  This is Natalia’s seventh year teaching at the Pre-primary and Primary levels.  She has a daughter at TRS. 

Ken Kálmán received a Masters in Fine arts in sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute. He also holds a B. A. in both History and Fine Art from the University of New Mexico. Ken has taught art to adults and children for 10 years. He has exhibited his art work locally and nationally, and is included in numerous public and private collections. This is Ken’s first year at TRS. 

Robin Bernstein received her B.A. degree in Studio Art with a minor in Biology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She did her graduate work in drawing and painting at the San Francisco Art Institute and received an MFA.  Her work has been exhibited locally as well as in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Chicago, Minneapolis and other major cities.  She has taught art to children and adults in a variety of settings for over 18 years.  She believes that fine art and folk art have much in common and her classes include educational experiences in both.  She carves wood, plays the violin, raises chickens and spends a lot of time outside with her two children and husband in Canyon.  This is Robin’s fourth year at TRS teaching at the Elementary level.  

Music: 

Cathy DeVos is a native of St. Louis, MO and received a bachelor's in music education from the University of Missouri at St. Louis.  She moved to San Francisco in 1981 to study for her master's in flute performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  She has been an instrumental music teacher in the Piedmont Unified School District for 26 years and is currently the orchestra director for students in 4th-12th grade.  She is a member of the Holy Names Orchestra and last year was invited to teach flute in the Holy Names Preparatory Music Department.

Fran Smith has always loved music and began singing and playing the piano at an early age.  She graduated from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, then went back to school some years later and received a Masters in Music Education with Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names College University.  She has taught music in preschool through 6th grade.  Currently Fran teaches at Holy Names University, Contra Costa College and Mulberry Tree.  She is very happy to be at The Renaissance School. This is Fran’s first year at TRS. 

George Vass is a graduate of two Hungarian music schools, the Zoltán Kodály Conservatory in guitar studies and The Ferenc Liszt Music School in Kodály Method Theory. George comes from Hungary and has performed and taught guitar for over twenty years, eleven of those at TRS.

 Jutka Kádas is a graduate of the Ferenc Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary, her native country. Jutka has a master’s degree in Kodály Method Theory and Choral Conducting. Jutka has taught at TRS for the past 16 years.  Jutka teaches the Kodály program, piano, and conducts the two levels of Chorus. 

Katherine Baird received a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from Holy Names College in 1993. There she studied with Jennifer Culp. Other teachers have included Milly Rosner, Margaret Tait, Peter Shelton, and most recently Peter Wyrick. Katherine earned a certificate in Orff-Schulwerk from Mills College. She has been a private cello instructor and music & movement teacher in the San Francisco and East Bay areas for fifteen years. Katherine is director of the Preparatory Music Department at Holy Names. 

Klári Kádas-Lappe has a master’s degree in Music Education from the Teacher’s Training College in Eger, Hungary.  In addition she has a Director’s Permit for Early Childhood Education from de Anza College in Cupertino, California.  Klári has over 16 years experience teaching children music using the Kodály Method.  She has taught at TRS for a number of years. 

Lisa Pratt is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance.  She also earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University.  She currently plays violin with local groups such as the Oakland Ballet, the Berkeley Symphony and the Santa Rosa Symphony.  She previously played with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and was third Concertmaster with the Baden Baden Philharmonie in Germany.  Her background also includes extensive work with children through Young Audiences and the Village Concert Series.  Lisa has given private violin lessons and coached chamber music in the area for many years.  This is her fifth year teaching violin at TRS. 

Matthew Walsh received the Specialist Certificate in Music Education with Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names University in 2008. He is new to elementary music education having previously served as Music Director at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago from 1994-2006. He currently serves as organist and choir director at St. Monica Church in San Francisco. 

Randall Pratt holds a Master of Music degree in Harp Performance from the University of Arizona.  He is a past winner of the American Harp Society National Competition and has concertized in the United States and Europe.  He has taught on the music faculties of the University of Arizona, California State University Hayward and Mills College, and teaches students of all ages privately.  He has worked extensively with children through Young Audiences, Inc. and the Village Concert Series.  This is his fourth year at TRS.  

Library: 

Nancy Cuffman moved to the Bay Area from The Berkshires in Massachusetts where she was the evening supervisor in the library at Simon’s Rock College of Bard.  While at Simon’s Rock College she also taught a yoga class.  She went on from Simon’s Rock College to the position of assistant librarian at Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA.  While living in the Berkshires, Nancy enjoyed the outdoor summer activities of hiking and kayaking, and she is an avid reader.  This is Nancy’s first year as TRS librarian. 

Capoeira 

Malandro Mandinga has been teaching capoeira for ten years. He has been the Head of the Kids Capoeira program at the Capoeira Mandinga Academy, and currently teaches capoeira at Hawthorne Elementary School.