Ms. Sasha Clayton is the Principal and Director of Hilldale School. She has a B.F.A. in Theatre from Drake University and a M.A. in Teaching from Concordia University. She holds her teaching credential for secondary English, Speech, and Theatre. Before coming to Hilldale in July 2007, she was the director of the Metropolis School of the Performing Arts in Arlington Heights, Illinois for four years and prior to that a Kindergarten teacher for the Bernard Weinger JCC Early Learning Center. Throughout her experiences, she has taught students of all ages. Ms. Clayton believes in challenging students in both product and process and in developing the whole child through access to both high-level academics and the arts. She believes in high expectations and in passionate teaching.

Ms. Megan McClintic-Gilbert is our office manager. She was our former Fourth-Fifth Grade teacher. She has a B.A. from Reed College in Portland, Oregon and a multiple subjects teaching credential from Mills College in Oakland, CA. While at Reed she studied developmental psychology and motivational strategies. Prior to Hilldale, she was a third grade teacher at the Reach Academy in Oakland. In an effort to establish a culture of learning in her classroom, Ms. McClintic-Gilbert is excited to broaden her experiences in administrative education, and we are delighted to have her as our office manager. In her free time, Ms. McClintic-Gilbert enjoys reading, singing, knitting, and exploring San Francisco.

Ms. Clotile House is our is our lead Pre-Kindergarten teacher and Site-Director. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University with a specialization in Family Relations and Child Development. Additionally, she has earned the California Commission on teacher Credentialing Supervisor Permit and Certificate of Clearance. During her career, she has served as a head Pre-School teacher, a teacher supervisor, and and early interventionist in the field of Early Childhood Education. Ms. Clotile believes strongly in the roles that academics, discovery, creative expression, and child development play in Early Childhood Education. She believes that challenging children's minds and nourishing their spirits will give them the tools they need to succeed. She is passionate about providing the utmost for young children and her joy in working with them is evident in her every interaction with her students.

 

Ms. Nadera Abuita is our Pre-Kindergarten co-teacher. She came to Hilldale in August 2008. She has 31 ECE credits from the City College of San Francisco and is working on her AA in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Abuita has taught preschool for eight years. She has a commitment to excellence and believes in an academic education for our youngest students.

 

 

Ms. Jaime Speregen teaches Kindergarten. She has a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a multiple subject teaching credential in Elementary Education with an emphasis in mathematics from San Diego State University. Not only did the program give her the tools to be a powerful teacher, it encouraged critical thinking, promoted an ethic of caring and understanding, and facilitated the acquisition of lifelong learning skills--all values which she hopes to instill in her students. She also believes that problem solving and high expectations will guide children to independence. For the past two summers, Ms. Speregen has been the Lead Kindergarten Science instructor for Camp Galileo. In her free time, Ms. Speregen enjoys reading, traveling, and eating sushi.

Ms. Julie Burgess teaches First Grade. She holds a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. She also received her Bachelors of Arts in Creative Arts, Preparation for Teaching from San Jose State. She has taught Third Grade, student taught Second and Fifth grades, and teaches at Destination Science Camp during the summers to bring Science to life for Kindergarten through Sixth graders. Julie is an avid dancer and appreciator of all arts, integrating this passion into her classroom. Additionally, she believes in promoting critical thinking, developing child-centered curriculum, and setting high academic expectations for her students. Finally, Ms. Burgess works to promote social justice in her classroom by providing opportunities for her students to practice service learning and student mediation, as well as develop a respectful community and an understanding of how our actions affect the lives of others.

Ms. Jennifer Yamanoha teaches our Second Grade. She holds a Masters of Art in Teaching and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from University of California, Irvine. Ms. Yamanoha has taught Sixth Grade and also has experience as an education researcher. Her student teaching experience is in Second and Fifth Grades. Ms. Yamanoha enjoys an interactive classroom where students can build their own knowledge. She believes that students should practice cognitive strategies to develop and complement their unique learning styles, thereby becoming independent, lifelong learners. Furthermore, Ms. Yamanoha believes in nourishing the whole child: physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally. She finds that modeling respect for children helps them to respect themselves and others in turn, so that they may feel free to try, fail, succeed, and finally excel.

Ms. Nicole Dobrovolsky teaches our Third Graders. She has a B.A. from University of California at Davis and a Masters in Education and Curriculum Design from San Jose State University. Prior to coming to Hilldale, she taught at Sacred Heart School in San Francisco and has been an AmeriCorps volunteer in the Bridging Borders Program. Ms. Dobrovolsky is an enthusiastic, creative teacher who teaches problem solving strategies and technology skills as part of her curriculum, and who loves to get the kids excited by bringing relevancy to all study areas. She has a strong theoretical background and a passion for teaching through integrated and thematic units. Her goal as a teacher is to create a respectful, responsible, and engaging classroom environment, where children are encouraged to experiment and interact with the world around them.

Ms. Christina Hua is our Fourth Grade teacher. She holds a Masters of Art in Education and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from University of California, Davis. Ms. Hua worked as an English Language Art Intervention Teacher for grades Three through Six. She has taught Ninth through Twelveth Grade English in Poland, volunteered with Fifth and Sixth Grades in Literacy and Math development, and student taught in Second and Fourth Grades. She is also fluent in Cambodian and Chinese. Ms. Hua believes in engaging students through differentiated curriculum and meeting the needs of her individual learners. She is a lover of technology and integrates it into her lessons. Finally, she feels that teaching quality is the most dominant factor in determining student success. She believes in setting rigorous expectations for academic performance and modeling this for her students. Her students "rise to the challenge!"

Mr. John Trapasso teaches our middle school Literature, Language Arts, and Social Studies classes. He has a B.A. from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York and a Masters in Education with a concentration in Social Studies from Tufts University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As part of this program, he worked as an apprentice at the Shady Hill School, gaining hands-on training in a progressive approach to education. He has taught English and Social Studies for 18 years, including 14 years at the San Francisco Day School. In addition to teaching, he worked as chairperson of a school committee researching current ideas for improving teaching and learning and worked to bring critical thinking to the top of the school's agenda for self-improvement. In 1995, Mr. Trapasso began studying with Dr. Richard Paul, the nation's leading expert on critical thinking, and started reshaping his teaching and curriculum to create a thinking-centered classroom. From 1998-2002, Mr. Trapasso joined  Dr. Paul's team of experts at the Center for Critical Thinking in Dillon Beach, California, and worked part-time as a professional development trainer for educators, leading workshops that taught educators how to infuse critical thinking skills into the classroom. With a love of both English and Social Studies, as well as a passion for infusing critical thinking skills into teaching, Mr. Trapasso brings an innovative and challenging edge to Hilldale's curriculum. He believes that excellent teaching is active, engaging, and focused on developing understanding and the core skills of learning: close reading skills, complete analysis, and proper essay writing. Mr. Trapasso is an avid outdoorsman. He also loves to travel and experience other cultures and has spent many years of study in India.

Mr. Jasen Barrett has a BS in Biological Sciences from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Before coming to Hilldale he served as a science instructor for academic programs and schools such as Walden West Outdoor School, the Web of Life Field School, and the City of Ventura’s Interpretive Outreach Program. Mr. Barrett also has worked as a swim coach, a camp director, a professional theater technical director, an adventure tour leader, a science assembly presenter, a farm educator, an in-character living history and culture programs instructor, and a ropes course and rock climbing instructor. He believes in hands-on learning utilizing practical demonstrations of science concepts and integrating math and science through functional applications, interactive lab projects, and experimentation.

Mr. Dan Cohen teaches Spanish to all of our students, grades K-8. He received a B.A. in Spanish from Kent State University in Ohio and has also studied French, Hebrew, Japanese, and Italian. Sr. Cohen first participated in a Spanish student exchange program in high school, but his love for languages has brought him to many places around the globe. Sr. Cohen loves to work with the younger students because of their enthusiasm and their ability to grasp new languages. He believes that learning Spanish should be an interactive and enjoyable experience for students of all ages. He inspires all of our students to not only learn the Spanish language but also to use it and enjoy it.

Ms. Kindra Scharich teaches Music to grades K-8. She holds a Masters of Music from the University of Michigan and a Post Graduate degree in Vocal Performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has taught general elementary school music classes; music seminars; classes in music theory and music appreciation; private and group piano; and private voice lessons for over ten years. She has served as the Music Director at Kids Take the Stage. She continues to work as a professional vocalist in the San Francisco community. Ms. Scharich engages our students in learning about music theory, music history, performance techniques, and musical styles all while practicing their own vocal instruments. Her warmth and enthusiasm are infectious and are inspiring many budding musicians!

Ms. Peri Pfenninger teaches Art to our entire student body. She has a B.F.A. from the New York Institute of Technology in New York City and a teaching certificate and credential in New York and California. She has been a professional artist and art teacher for many years in New York and California. Ms. Pfenninger enjoys teaching children effective artistic techniques and strives to bring out the artist in each child. She teaches art history along with art theory and techniques, and she enjoys connecting art with other core subjects to bring them to life.