New Faculty and Staff Profiles
Music Teacher
Amanda Hahn is joining our music staff. Amanda holds a Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory and has been teaching music in public, private and independent schools for the past nine years. She holds her Orff-Schulwerk certification from Mills College in Oakland and has begun training this summer at the Kodaly institute at Holy Names University. She is an accomplished flutist and singer who brings an infectious enthusiasm to the art of teaching music.
Third Grade Teacher
Randall Bowman believes in beginnings, making beginnings and being beginnings. He is not just growing older, each day, but growing new each day. He has been growing new as a classroom teacher for 33 years, specializing in children aged 6-10 years. His beginning at teaching started in New Orleans where he graduated from Tulane University and taught for nine years at The Academy of the Sacred Heart. Randall received his Masters of Arts degree from Notre Dame and worked in various educational institutions before Isidore Newman School lured him back to "The Big Easy." He served there as Curriculum Coordinator of the Lower School and teacher of writing and literature to 10 year olds for the past 12 years.
Hurricane Katrina had a profound impact on Randall's life, as the flood waters claimed the entire contents of his home. One day before the storm struck, he escaped with his hound Zack, one suitcase of clothes, some family treasures, and all the art off the walls he could manage to stuff into his car. After a year and a half of working on rebuilding his school and church communities, he saw the chance for a new beginning back in the Bay Area. Randall accepted San Francisco Day School's offer to become a part of their community and is ecstatic about this opportunity to become new in San Francisco.
On-Site Substitute
Al McHugh is entering his sixth year of teaching and his second stint at the Day School. He is a graduate of the University of the Pacific and holds a Multiple Subject Credential from Dominican University. Al has taught in San Francisco at Stevenson Elementary, Gloria R. Davis Middle School and recently at St. Anthony's School. He brings broad experience to the Day School, including teaching k-5 technology, middle school math, social studies and science and fifth grade general studies. Al is very happy to be back at the San Francisco Day School.
Receptionist
Ann Pattison comes to us as a recent graduate at San Francisco State with a BS in Health Education. Her previous experience includes providing one-on-one nutritional counseling to youth at Balboa High School and serving as the President of SF State's Health Education Student Association where she promoted health education both on and off campus. She is excited to be in an educational community and has a friendly and enthusiastic demeanor, just the right combination for our first impression of SFDS. She has some interest in teaching some day, so who knows where being at SFDS may lead her? Please take some time to drop by, welcome her and introduce yourself.
Director of Admission
Linda Talton received a B.S. in Human Development at Howard University. Her coursework in child development and work with the Howard University Laboratory School sparked her interest in school administration. Upon graduation, she was awarded an academic fellowship from Howard University’s School of Education and received a M.Ed. During graduate school, Linda interned with the Head of School at St. Anselm’s Abbey, an all boys independent school in Washington, D.C., before going on to teach first grade at a charter school. After having such a great experience as an intern, Linda was eager to return to independent schools, and began her tenure as a kindergarten teacher and Director of the Afterschool Program at Cathedral School in New York City. After moving to San Francisco, Linda served as Director of Admission and Placement at Live Oak School prior to coming to the Day School, where she is now the Director of Admission.
Admission Associate
Antonia Blyth is new to both San Francisco and to the Day School. She recently relocated from Cambridge, MA, where she spent the last three years working as the Marketing/Administrative Coordinator at the Lesley Ellis School. In her position there, she served as in-house graphic designer, school events coordinator, crisis response planner, and facilities manager. Previous to her administrative experience, Antonia was a third and fifth grade French immersion classroom teacher. She completed her undergraduate degree at Skidmore College, where she studied Anthropology and French, before obtaining her graduate degree in Elementary Education at Simmons College in Boston.
Assistant Director, After School Enrichment Program (AEP)
Karen Tuttle moved to San Francisco from New York in 1992. After her first taste of teaching as a swimming instructor at the Jewish Community Center, she decided to get her teaching credential at San Francisco State University. She spent eight years teaching kindergarten and first grade in both public and private schools, then went on to become a teacher at a virtual academy. She currently lives in the Alamo Square neighborhood with her husband Will and her little Yorkie, Bowie. On any given weekend they can be found jogging through the Panhandle or cycling (Bowie rides in a basket) around in Golden Gate Park. Karen's role here will be to help Sheri run the after-school program. She has many ideas to help enrich the program and looks forward to getting to know the SFDS families and staff better.
Associate Director of Summerbridge
Christine Ranney holds a BA in English and Philosophy from St. Lawrence University and a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which she earned while serving as a corps member in the TeachForAmerica program, an educational nonprofit that places recent college graduates into underserved communities to teach for a minimum of two years. Her passion for equity began with Summerbridge at the age of eleven as a graduate of the program and continued as she went on to teach for six summers, both in Manchester, NH, and New Orleans, LA. She is now the Associate Director of Summerbridge at the Day School and is extremely excited to part of this community/
Summerbridge Program Associate
Heidi Erbe has a BA in Conservation Biology and Education from Middlebury College. She spent time studying and working with children in Botswana, Africa. She taught for Day School Summerbridge in 2006 and has returned to the Day School as the Summerbrige Program Associate. She is extremely excited to be back at Summerbridge, and is also looking forward to substitute teaching at the Day School one day a week.
Librarian
Melissa Mendiola has a BA in Liberal Studies from Mount St. Mary's College and an MA in Multicultural Literature for Children and Adolescents from the University of San Francisco. She has worked as a librarian at Claire Lilienthal Elementary School and substitute teacher at San Francisco Friends School. Melissa was born and raised in San Francisco.
Spanish Intern
Paula Carrizo studied to become an English teacher at the National University of Cuyo in her hometown of Mendoza, Argentina. After graduating, she taught English at the English Institute, a program of the US embassy, and at a high school. She also taught Spanish to foreign students in Argentina. Paula loves to learn about different cultures and languages. She strongly believes that coming to SFDS will enrich not only her career but also her life.
Annual Fund & Database Manager
Michael Meyerson comes from a varied background of educational and professional fundraising experience. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas and a Masters Degree in Social Work/Counseling from Columbia University. His former employment includes the San Francisco LGBT Center, where he helped close the capital campaign and created the membership program for annual contributions; Database Administrator and Event Manager at the Academy of Friends; Event Organizer and Volunteer Coordinator for AIDS Walk San Francisco; and Development Manager at Project Inform. Michael is from a family of life-long educators.
Michael will bring a renewed energy to the annual giving program. The participation rate and total funds raised by SFDS is the envy of our peer schools in San Francisco and above national benchmarks, but a school with ambitious ideas for programs and for ameliorating the tuition burden on parents always needs additional funds.
Communications & Alumni Manager
Sarah Pizer-Bush brings 7+ years of experience in nonprofit marketing to San Francisco Day School. Her former employers include the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, the YMCA and, most recently, Jewish Vocational Service, where she managed all communications projects, including the annual report, print and online newsletters, event videos, and brochures. Sarah also taught video and web design to middle and high school students through Upward Bound and the YMCA. She received her BA in Art from San Francisco State University and has taken coursework at UC Berkeley Extension in marketing.
Sarah brings current training, varied experience and a fresh perspective to communications. Her energy, skill, and ideas, will enable us to broaden our communications throughout our community to strengthen our common commitments to SFDS. Her focus on alumni will bring a new dimension to the Day School, enhancing our connection to our graduates, their ideas, and the human capital that can only enrich our school community.
Fifth Grade Associate
Liam Aiello has a BA in psychology as well as a Vermont Teaching Credential from Middlebury College. He has also spent time studying and working in Denmark. Liam is eager to get started with his teaching career, and has chosen to take advantage of the opportunity to spend a year with an experienced mentor teacher. He will be a great addition to our fifth grade team.
Fifth Grade Associate
Kendall Deay is our Outdoor Education “expert.” She has worked as the Kids Program Coordinator at Evergreen Lodge in Yosemite; as an instructor for Adventures Cross Country, taking 5th and 6th graders on two-week educational trips; and has worked at the Marin County Day School at Walker Creed Ranch in Petaluma. She decided to make the move to a classroom environment so she can work with one group of students for an entire school year. She is enthusiastic, upbeat, and really excited about joining the Day School community.
Kindergarten Associate
Caitlin Gordon is originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has just received her BA in psychology from the University of San Francisco. Although she is a recent college graduate, Caitlin has been pursuing her passion for education for many years through the Breakthrough Collaborative of Santa Fe. She was highly valued in that program that she was given an administrative role as well as teaching responsibilities there for the summer. She is mature, poised, and committed to teaching.
First Grade Associate
Jeanette Osborne has been a familiar face here at the Day School for many years. While working on her Architecture and Interior Design degree at the Academy of Art University, she worked as an art assistant, a recess supervisor, a crossing guard, and served in many other roles. Jeanette is already a well-known and loved member of our community.
Kindergarten Associate
Jennifer Phillips recently finished her second year as a teaching intern at Town School and has worked in kindergarten and second grade. She is currently in her last year of graduate school in order to complete her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the BATTI (Bay Area Teacher Training Institute) program. Jennifer majored in sociology at UC Santa Barbara. Jennifer is warm, upbeat, and experienced. We are thrilled to have her in kindergarten.
Fourth Grade Associate
Katie Quach worked as an Assistant Teacher in kindergarten at Head Royce School in Oakland and is also in her first year of the BATTI program. She has a BA in history from Carleton College, and has studied abroad in Vietnam, India, and Japan. Katie is a thoughtful, committed teacher who will be a great addition to the fourth grade team.
Third Grade Associate
Nicole Sachar graduated from SFDS in 1995. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she played Division 1 soccer. Last year, she was trained in the Slingerland Method and worked as a private learning specialist. She is also the soccer coach for a Day School kindergarten girls' team through the JCC. We are thrilled to welcome Nicole back – this time as a teacher!
Second Grade Associate
Annie Zaidifard holds a BA in anthropology from Occidental College, a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and has one more year of coursework for her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through Cal State. Annie recently worked in a second grade classroom in Hillsborough, CA, so she is quite familiar with that age group. She is thrilled to be starting at our school.
Personnel Changes
Head of School Administrative Assistant
Chery Thomas will return to the position of Assistant to the Head of School. Chery’s personal skills, genuine empathy, and knowledge of the school community are well known to everyone. Obviously, she will be enormously helpful to Dr. Jackson during his first year. Dr. Jackson and Chery have discussed the general tone they wish to present to faculty, staff and parents and both agree that openness, accessibility and a sincere welcoming tone are essential. As the Assistant to the Head, Chery will schedule appointments for Dr. Jackson, and still be parents’ direct contact, responding to parent requests and assisting in little and big ways as she always has done.
Director of Instructional Technology
Jason Stone’s responsibilities will be significantly revised. His major responsibility will be helping teachers and students use computer and information technology as a teaching and learning tool. Working with the library staff, Jason will assist students in exploring their world, learning how to use technology, broadly defined, to support personal inquiry and classroom research projects.
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