Staff Gift Ideas
Our generous families often ask what our teachers would like to have as a gift so that they may best tailor presents for them. In order to make it easier on you, below is a list of teacher and staff personal preferences and dislikes. In no way do we want you to feel obligated to give a gift! But for those of you who would like some gift ideas for easier shopping, please see below! We will do our best to keep this list updated. Thank you!
Ms. Sanchez (K) - Loves all foods: brownies, chocolate chip cookies, Doritos, popcorn, sugar cookies, and Z-bars, but dislikes all mint things! Also enjoys the scents of cinnamon, coconut, pumpkin, and vanilla. She collects hats, and enjoys dancing, Hip-Hop, drawing, going to the movies, hiking, ice skating, and writing. Favorite music genres are Bachata, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Merengue, Rap, Rock, R&B, Salsa, and Soul. Prefers Amazon gift cards and Disney, Gap, Nike, and Target stores. Loves coffee, tea, water, books, massages, and plants!
Mrs. Powers (K Assistant Teacher) - Loves pasta, seafood, steak, chocolates, Starbucks, popcorn, and ice cream, but dislikes soft-centered chocolates. Dislikes strong smelling scents, but likes the light smells of Peony flowers. Enjoys gardening and collects orchids, inside/outside plants, flowers, and things for a garden or patio. Enjoys music, books, and movies involving any kind of love/romantic story, real life, Disney, and animals. Likes massages, mani-pedis, and VISA gift cards.
Ms. Choi (K After School Teacher) - Likes all fruits, dark chocolate, spicy food, tea, and nuts, but nothing too salty or too sweet. Likes the scents of floral, fruit, mint, and lavender, but not the scents of Tiger Lily or anything too intense or too strong. Collects succulent plants, jewelry, candles, essential oils, and hobbies are working with resin, succulent gardening, beading, paper craft, and polymer clay. Loves soft music, scary movies, but not violent and bloody, and prefers Amazon gift cards. Drinks coffee, tea, diet Coke, and likes plants, and other practical items. Favorite colors are pastels, such as mint, blue, and pink.
Ms. Lee (1st) - Likes tea, white/red wine, Girl Scout Cookies (Thin Mint), peanut M&M's, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and spicy hot Cheetos.
Does not like raisins. Likes the smell of lavender and peppermint.
Does not like the smell of licorice or vinegar. She enjoys books and movies (Disney) as well as massages, mani-pedis, traveling, badminton, and trying out new restaurants. She collects memories.
Ms. Pereira (2nd) - Likes sushi, burgers, jalapeno chips, chocolate covered nuts or pretzels! Likes the scents of the ocean and fresh laundry, but not anything too strongly scented. She collects stationary items, and her hobbies are traveling, being outside (hiking, the beach, kayaking), trying new restaurants. She likes to watch comedies, drama, and documentaries. She likes to drink tea, red and white wines, but not caffeinated drinks, and enjoys books, plants, and mani/pedis. She prefers Target gift cards.
Ms. Suitos (2nd Assistant Teacher) - Loves chocolate, Japanese foods and snacks, but doesn't like peanuts or peanut flavors. She likes calming, fruity scents, but not sandalwood, cinnamon, or vanilla. She collects plants, books, crystals, and fun earrings, socks, and tote bags. Her hobbies are gardening, reading, painting, and yoga. She enjoys R&B, hip hop, Harry Potter, Disney, Marvel, and Studio Ghibli. She prefers gift cards from Target, Trader Joe’s, Amazon, Fandango, and Visa. She drinks coffee, tea, white wine, Coke, and boba drinks, and likes movies, books, massages, and mani/pedis.
Ms. Quan (3rd-A) - Loves bubble/Boba tea, coffee (Philz #1), fresh fruit, apple-filled pastries, and Japanese Kit-Kats. Dislikes assorted chocolate truffles, anything with peanut butter, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, or pecans because she is allergic to nuts- specifically walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and pecans, also nickel and cats! Enjoys plants, massages, Cafe-style Jazz or Bossa Nova, digital drawing, video games, and arts & crafts. Favorite scents: fruity/citrus (especially grapefruit, blood orange, and berry), fresh (ocean), warm and spicy. Least favorite scents: tobacco, and overly sweet florals. Collects fancy tea cups, and hidden mickey Disney enamel pins. She appreciates anything and everything!
Mrs. Burleson (3rd-B) - Likes to work out, go to the beach, read, hike, and crochet! Likes to drink coffee and white/red wine. Likes plants. Likes massages. Does not like pork products or the smell of vanilla, but does like lemongrass. Prefers gift cards from Amazon and Target.
Ms. Carr (3rd After School Teacher) - Loves sandwiches, mac & cheese, and Annie's Chocolate Chip Bunny Grahams! Also enjoys broccoli, chicken, French fries, pasta, peach ring candies, pickles, and salami. She likes the color blue, the scent after it rains, the scent of bubble gum, the smell of Fall, and any music, except Country and Rap. Favorite books are classic literature and murder mysteries, favorite movie is Spider-Man: Homecoming, and favorite TV shows are Law & Order: SVU, Reign, and the Ghost Whisperer. She collects pens, loves penguins, loves Disney, and her hobbies are cross stitching and embroidery. Allergic to all types of NUTS. Likes Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ikea, Old Navy, and Target. She drinks coffee/tea and enjoys mani-pedis.
Ms. Bertrand (4th) - Likes Sushi, boba, salty chocolate, cinnamon gum, and fruits and veggies! Likes natural scents like lavender and leds. Collects comic books, D&D dice, and sketch books, and hobbies are art, music, hiking, dancing, and kayaking. Drinks coffee and tea.
Ms. Gori (5th) - Prefers gift cards from Visa/Amazon or for concert tickets, massages/mani pedi, and plants. Enjoys acai bowls from Palmettos, seaweed (any flavor). Collects coffee table books/accessories.
Mrs. Valladares (6th HR) - Loves chocolate covered gummy bears, plain Skinny Pop, Dried Sweet mango, and chocolate covered fruit. Likes coffee and tea. Dislikes anything with corn, soy, melon, or nuts, because she is allergic to soy, melon, nuts, and peanuts. Likes the smell of lavender, soft scents and citrus. Dislikes vanilla or heavy scents. Collects cool copies of Pride and Prejudice (favorite book) and cooking/baking tools because she likes to read, cook, and bake. Her favorite movie is Stranger Than Fiction, and she likes any music other than country. Likes massages and mani-pedis. Likes gift cards to Starbucks, Amazon, Old Navy, and Target.
Mrs. Bacolod (7th HR) - She likes most foods, but doesn't eat foods with pork, shrimp, crab, lobster, octopus, or oyster. She drinks tea, sparkling wines or non-alcoholic, water, and juice, and likes movies and massages.
Mr. Dyson (8th HR) - Mr. Dyson likes books, music, and Philz Coffee, niche apple varieties, dried fruit, and beef jerky. He’s not a fan of sweets (except for pecan pie). He loves local bookstores like Bird and Becket or Dog Eared Books. He enjoys going to movies when there is something good out. He loves surfing and supporting shops like Aqua Surf Shop. He is also a sucker for shoes, clothes, and accessories.
Mr. Espina (Middle School Math) - His favorite food is Jollibee pansit palabok and burger, and his favorite scent is Acqua di Gio. His hobbies are travelling, reading books, and cooking. He drinks Coffee, Tea, White Wine, Red Wine, Coke, and Diet Coke, and enjoys movies, books, massages, and Coldplay. He prefers Amazon gift cards.
Ms. Reid (Middle School After School) - Likes pasta, salad, popcorn, kettle corn, fruit, pretzels, candy, vegan snacks and baked goods, and the scents of Lavender and Vanilla, but not cinnamon. She collects earrings, and her hobbies are Dance (Ballet, Jazz), Arts and Crafts, and enjoys listening to R&B. She drinks fruit juices, is a vegetarian and prefer dairy-free foods. She also enjoys movies, books, massages, and prefers Amazon gift cards.
Mrs. Kleytman (Art - K-8th) - Likes banana bread and carrot cake, but not tofu! Enjoys the scent of jasmine and lychee, but not skunks. She collects art books and prefers gift cards from Amazon, Peet's, and Target. She also enjoys coffee, tea, books, and plants.
Mrs. Castro (Music - K-8th) - Likes Pretze crisps and cream cheese, salami, hummus, chocolate covered raisins, jalapeño chips. Her favorite scents are tropical. She collects books, scarves, pens, markers, and journals, and her hobbies are reading, writing, movies, plants, and travel. She likes all music and loves watching mysteries and rom-coms. She drinks coffee, loves Dragon Drinks from Starbucks, and prefers gift cards for Movies, Amazon, Trader Joe’s, and Visa.
Mr. Dela Cruz (PE - K-8th & Extended Care Manager) - Likes Auntie Anne's almond pretzels, movies, traveling, H&M, coffee, tea, and other drinks, along with the color black.
Sr. Alvarado (Spanish) - All foods and snacks are welcome; Senior Alvarado has no food allergies. He collects panoramic puzzles, and his hobbies are hiking and running. He likes all genres of books, music and movies, and drinks coffee and red wine.
Mr. O'Connell - (Technology Teacher) - Likes books and plants, drinks coffee, and prefers gift cards from Adafruit and Amazon.
Mr. Lee (Office Manager) - Likes spicy foods, coffee, tea, juice, movies, books, and going out to eat. Does not like ginger or parsley. Collects Sci-Fi and enjoys working on models. Enjoys gift cards to Amazon and Target.
Mr. Willson (Admissions Director) - Likes sweet and salty things like butter-toffee peanuts, salty chocolate, and caramel & cheese popcorn. Loves dark chocolate, but can't have too much sugar. Enjoys playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons, and likes gift cards for restaurants, Nintendo, and Steam. Does not eat spicy food or drink coffee.
Ms. Galvin (Vice Principal) - Likes French Fries, Chicken Nuggets, Cheese Pizza, crunchy, salty, plain flavored snacks. Enjoys theatre, dance, SF Giants, Candy Crush, Broadway, and 90s music. No scents please, but prefers iTunes, Target, Amazon, and Olive Garden gift cards. Drinks coffee, white wine, diet Coke, and enjoys massages.
Ms. Clayton (Principal) - Likes coffee (vanilla lattes), books (fantasy, sci fi, memoirs, true crime(!), pedagogy), movies, music, musicals, yogurt pretzels, the scents: vanilla and cinnamon, the color blue. Does not like scents that are too fruity, strong floral, patchouli, cigarette smoke! Enjoys gift cards to Starbucks, Target, and Amazon. Allergic to chocolate.
Mr. Marquez (Head of Information Technology) - Likes Starbucks cards, massages, movies, baklava, and Mediterranean food.
Leonidas Najera (Head of Maintenance) - coming soon!
