Years teaching at TO: 19 years

Education: graduate of Agoura High School, class of 1999; Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Irvine, class of 2003; Teaching Credential through California Lutheran University 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 10 Honors, AP English Literature

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Screening Literature Club

In high school - involved in cheerleading (sideline and competitive), diving, and ASB

One of her favorite things to teach: "I love teaching William Blake's poetry, specifically helping students puzzle through the shifting perspectives found in close readings of pairings from Songs of Innocence and Experience."

One of her favorite authors: "Recently I have really enjoyed Madeline Miller's books.  I find it intriguing how she is able to take such well-known mythological tales and create what feel like more fully formed characters, while still respecting the original tales.  Others have tried to imitate these efforts, and many are not as successful as she is."

Anything else?: "I apologize in advance - I am notorious for changing my desks around regularly."

Years teaching at TO:  15 years (This marks my 26th year teaching, including Redwood Middle School, John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica, and Meisler Middle School in New Orleans) 

Education: graduate of Louisville High School, class of 1993; Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Santa Barbara, class of 1997; Teaching Credential through University of New Orleans 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 9 Honors, English 12 CP

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Heart to Art Club

In high school - involved in Cross Country and Track

One of her favorite things to teach:  "I love teaching The Glass Castle because it's a memoir rooted in the underdog. Students gravitate toward Jeannette Walls because she faced the grit of her life head-on, and through her spirit, found strength. They tend to see themselves through her, and it's a delight to watch unfold." 

Some of her favorite books or authors: "Toni Morrison and Shel Silverstein.  Toni Morrison because her books made me want to be an English teacher, and Shel Silverstein because his writing made me want to write from an early age."

Anything else?: "I call my classes 'Families' and I am a 3-time 1st place Dancing with the T.O. Stars Champ!"

Years teaching at TO:  22 years

Education: graduate of Elsinore High School, class of 1987; Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Redlands; Master of Arts in English from CSUN 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 11 CP,  AP Seminar

Clubs & Extracurriculars: The Center for Advanced Studies and Research

One of her favorite things to teach: "I love teaching, but the most fun I have is teaching AP Seminar because I get to learn from my students who research so many interesting topics.  They're definitely smarter than I am."

One of her favorite books: "Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter because every time I teach it I realize something else.  This year I read the manga version and learned a great deal more about the the tapestries hanging on the wall that I never noticed before.  I can't wait to see what I uncover this year."

Anything else?: "I'm coming up in my 30th year teaching and feel like I've definitely landed in the right profession and the best school."

Years teaching at TO:  28 years

Education: BA in English from St Olaf College; Masters in Education, University of Minnesota 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: Japanese 1 / 2 / 3, English 12 CP,  Work Experience 

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Asian American Pacific Islander Club, ASB

One of her favorite books: "Such a hard question but if I have to pick one Shogun."

Anything else?: "I enjoy an active lifestyle of hiking, skiing, traveling and trying new things."

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Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 10 CP, SAI Math for Personal Finance, SAI Algebra 1B 

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Courses for 2024-2025 school year: SAI English 10, SAI Directed Studies

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Years teaching at TO:  11 years

Education: graduate of Thousand Oaks High School, class of 2007; Bachelor of Arts in English with a specialization in the Early Modern Era from UC Santa Barbara, class of 2011; Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from California Lutheran University, class of 2017

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: ETHOS English 12 CP, Sports/Entertainment Marketing, Virtual Enterprise

Clubs & Extracurriculars: ETHOS Entrepreneurship CTE Academy

One of her favorite things to teach: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

One of her favorite books: "I have too many favorites! I really enjoy reading memoirs and accounts of people's real life experiences."

Years teaching at TO:  22 years

Education: graduate of Royal High School, class of 1994; Bachelor of Arts in English from CSUN; Teaching Credential through CSUN 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 11 CP, English 10 Honors

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Black Student Union (BSU)

One of his favorite things to teach: Dracula by Bram Stoker

One of his favorite books: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

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Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 11 CP, SAI English 12

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Years teaching at TO:  25 years

Education: graduate of  Thousand Oaks High School, class of 1989; Bachelor of Arts in English from California Lutheran University, class of 1994; Teaching Credential through California Lutheran University, class of 1994; Masters of Education from Walden University, class of 2008

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 10 CP, ETHOS English 10 CP, ETHOS English 11 CP

Clubs & Extracurriculars: ETHOS, Business Majors

One of his favorite things to teach: "It's cliche, but Shakespeare."

One of his favorite books: "Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell.  It changes the way you perceive just about everything.  Truly eye-opening."

Years teaching at TO:  7 years at TO; 15 years at Leland High School in San Jose, California!

Education: Associate of Arts from West Valley College; Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from San Jose State University; Teaching Credential through National University

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: SAI English 9, SAI English 11, SAI Directed Studies

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Sparkles

One of her favorite things to teach: The relationships between George and Lennie and Boo Radley and “his children”

One of her favorite books: Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird

Years teaching at TO:  24 years

Education: graduate of Daniel Murphy High School, class of 1980; Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Thomas Aquinas College, class of 1984; Master of Arts in English and American Literature from Claremont Graduate School, class of 1993 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: AP English Literature, Philosophy & Comparative Religions

Clubs & Extracurriculars: The Center for Advanced Studies and Research

One of his favorite things to teach: "Pride and Prejudice. Students assume it's a conventional romantic comedy when it's a savage satire pillaging the smart and the stupid."

One of his favorite books or authors: "Favorites change."

Years teaching at TO:  9 years (21 total)

Education: graduate of Thousand Oaks High School, class of 1991; Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Northridge; Master of Arts in Education from Azusa Pacific University 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 10 CP, English 12 CP, Journalism

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), Education Majors, Journalism

In high school - involved in ASB and the Lancer newspaper Features Editor

One of her favorite things to teach: Hamlet

One of her favorite books: "I have too many 'favorite' books.  Mostly, I read fiction to take a break from real-life and lose myself in a story."

Anything else?: "My room is a LGBTQ+ Safe Space and a Mental Health Safe Space."

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Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 9 CP, English 10 CP, Yearbook

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Yearbook

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Years teaching at TO:  4 years

Education: graduate of Oaks Christian High School, class of 2013; Bachelor of Arts in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, class of 2017; Master of Arts in Teaching & Curriculum Design, class of 2020 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: AP English Language, ASB, ELD

Clubs & Extracurriculars: ASB, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Ping-Pong Club 

One of his favorite things to teach: "My favorite thing to teach is reading and helping students connect it to real life context or lived experience."

One of his favorite books or authors: "The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is one of my favorite books because it is a culture-transcending story of redemption that continues to teach after each read. My favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez."

Anything else?: "Outside school, I love riding bikes, playing soccer, watching the Dodgers, and cooking."

Years teaching at TO:  15 years

Education: graduate of Thousand Oaks High School, class of 2002; Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Irvine, class of 2006; Teaching Credential through SDSU, class of 2008 

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 10 CP, AP English Language, ELD

Clubs & Extracurriculars: ATE by GATE

One of his favorite things to teach: Argument

One of his favorite authors: "Neil Gaiman for Magical Realism"

Years teaching at TO:  16 years

Education: graduate of Birmingham Charter High School, class of 1994; Bachelor of Science in Political Science from UCSB, class of 1998; Masters of Education Leadership from Cal Lutheran University, class of 2009

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 9 Honors, English 9 CP

Clubs & Extracurriculars: ASB

In high school - involved in cheer, ASB, and Ephebian Society (community volunteer activism with high GPA)

One of her favorite things to teach: Writing

One of her favorite books: "Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden because it was written with such specific feminine detail by a male author and introduced me to an unknown world." 

Years teaching at TO:  27 years

Education: graduate of Thousand Oaks High School; Bachelor of Arts in English from California Lutheran University; Masters in American Studies from Pepperdine University

Courses for 2024-2025 school year: English 9 CP, English 11 CP, AP English Language

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Writing Majors

One of her favorite things to teach: Writing

One of her favorite books: Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Anything else?: Co-Director of CSUN Writing Project