New school year will see lots of new faces
Published in the August 6 – 19, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Students will be greeted by new faces next week when they return to the classrooms at various campuses in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Four new principals and more than 60 new teachers will be starting off the school year Aug 14.
Mary Alice Callahan
Mary Alice Callahan takes on the role of principal at Barrett Elementary School and describes her leadership style as highly collaborative.
“Barrett is a program-rich school, so my priority is to strengthen and deepen the rigor and academic vocabulary of our entire community,” she said. “Academic fluency allows students to think deeply about subjects and to create new knowledge. From this, passion for learning grows. We are on a path to do amazing things. I welcome the energy and support of the parents, community and district as partners in shaping this healthy learning environment.
Claudia Olaciregul
San Martin/Gwinn Elementary School has transformed into a magnet school focused on environmental sciences. Claudia Olaciregui takes on the role of the principal.
“I see myself as a democratic leader who can and will be able to make the final decisions, but for the majority of the time, I like to include my team of teachers and staff in the decision-making process,” she said. “I like to encourage creativity and foster a culture where people like to engage in projects and design and develop ideas that will benefit our students.”
The school’s students will engage in creative activities where they will be able to design new projects and integrate their leadership skills to “solve” today’s big environmental problems, such as water shortage and global warming, she said.
Teresa Sermersheim
P.A. Walsh Elementary School begins its new transformation as a STEAM academy, which means students will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Long-time teacher Teresa Sermersheim will serve as the new principal.
“I am an approachable person who listens well in both English and Spanish,” she said. “I’ve known our families for 24 years. There’s a vision for P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy and together with dedicated staff, families and students we will make it a reality.”
Ann-Marie Cobarrubias will take on the principal position at Central High School.
Ann-Marie Cobarrubias
“I have a clear vision of the direction I wish our school to move and intend to work with my staff through collaborative efforts to determine the best path for Central,” she said. “I believe in keeping my door open for the staff, students, parents, district and community and welcome any discussion that will move our school in the direction we need to go to improve the educational experience for our students and ensure they have the opportunities they need to become successful adults.”
She praised former Principal Irene Macias-Morris, who retired at the end of the last school year, for her hard work and dedication and said she will work with Central’s teachers and staff to bring hope, success and passion for learning to the students at Central.
Besides the new principals, more than 50 new teachers will start in the district this new school year. The list includes teachers hired as replacements for teachers who retired or resigned as well as teachers to fill new positions created through class size reduction. For the 2014-15, all transitional kindergarten, and first grade classes will be staffed at a ratio of 24 students to 1 teacher. Second to 12th grade classrooms are staffed at 29 students to 1.
New teachers:
At Barrett Elementary School: Ami Downing and Michelle Gottberg; Lindsay Anderson, Samantha Seacrist;at Britton Middle School: Kayla Benton, Jose Perez and Aaron Myers; at Central High School: Robert Roston; at El Toro Elementary School: Megan Arias, Kathryn Messenger, Susan Newton, and Mila Pantovich; at Jackson Academy of Math and Music: Kacey Dalton, Sarah Fisher, Lisa Gonzalez, John Musso and Crystal Smith; at Live Oak High School: Nicole Dietmeier, Sean Geber, Brian Heery, Jiyoon Jeong, Sarah Locarnini, Justin Martin, Adolfo McGovert, Quocanh Nguyen, Rachel Rodd, Arron Thomas (Counselor), Cortney Woodward; at Los Paseos Elementary School: Hilary Brueckner, Marissa Oh, Veronica Parnell, Kate Parsons; at Martin Murphy Middle School: Ulisses Alves de Oliveir, Crystal Martin, and Robert Tippett; at Nordstrom Elementary School: Shanyn Bateh, Angela Bellino; at Paradise Valley Elementary School: Kimberly Leaman-Silva and Jessica Winkler; at San Martin/Gwinn: Mayra Gomez-Alvarez and Anna Olagues; at Sobrato High School: Kelsey Arata, Mario Araujo, Rosemarie Austin, Caleb Avecilla, Aaron Carothers, Itzel Coronel Velazco (Counselor), Jessica Gonzalez, Marcus Humphrey, Beverly Navara, Travis Pappa, Jose de Jesus Soto-Guillen, Barbara Sweet, Hannah Tool, and Kirsti Whitmyre; at P.A. Walsh Elementary School: Angela Basile, Caitlin Burkhart, Danielle Dunio, Kelly Koser, and Darren McDonald, Terri Muscatell; Community Adult School: Van Reese.
