MSSELI Participant Bios

Bell Jr. High
San Diego City Schools

My teaching experience includes three years teaching 4th grade at Chollas Elementary School, three years as a Math Specialist grades 4-6 at Chavez Elementary School, two years teaching 7th grade science at Bell Jr. High, and I am beginning my first year teaching 7th grade science at Pershing Middle School.

I am very happy to be primarily teaching science. I have always been drawn to nature and to be sharing this with students is exciting. San Diego City Schools is using the Science and Life Issues curriculum which is inquiry based. I think this is a great way for students to learn. It is good for teachers to constantly make changes to their teaching. I think there is always room for improvement.

I enjoy spending time outside working in my yard, mountain biking, hiking, and camping. My wife and I have a baby girl and the three of us enjoy discovering new places together.

Susan Benson
smbenson@cox.net

Perching Middle School
San Diego Unified

Literally, everyone in my family teaches (parents, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, in-laws). If I hadn’t spent so much time reading science books, I would probably think that there is a teaching gene. But, I wanted to be the black sheep. I thought about trying something new for a career even though I always enjoyed going to my mom’s classroom and watching her in action.

I grew up in Southern California and have always loved plants, animals and the outdoors. Because of this love, I decided to get a degree in Biology. In college, I decided that teaching might be a good path for me but only after I spent some time doing work in the field. I had this brilliant idea that I would work to restore our environment, learn about all of the interesting flora and fauna and then go to the classroom to share it. I did this for a while and then strayed to the biotech world. After two grueling (and not so interesting) years of biotech I realized I lost sight of my goals and decided to return education.

I guess I felt that I was ready to share my information with others especially kids. I am at Pershing Middle School and have just finished my second year of teaching 7th and 8th grade.

Bruce Cornish
bruce.cornish@lmsvsd.k12.ca.us;
bcornish2@cox.ne

Parkway Middle School
La Mesa/Spring Valley

I was born in 1957 at Alameda Navel Hospital. My first 18 years were spent as a navy brat never spending more than 2 years in any one place. Much of that time was spent in foreign ports of call, most in the third world. This transient, out of the box, lifestyle left indelible marks on my perspective of, and my priorities in, life. I graduated from Mar Vista High School in the “Most Southwesterly City in the United States,” majoring in auto shop and springboard diving. Avoiding the prospect of further education, I fell into a career in restaurant management for the next 10 years.

At an older and hopefully wiser age, I went back to collage. Disillusioned by the business world, I pursued education for its own sake and for how I might help make the world a better place (no really!) After two years in Biology/Wildlife Mgmt., it was becoming clear that the plight of the world was not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of understanding. I had discovered philosophy. I went on to get a degree at UCSD in that field with a focus in philosophy of science. This, it turns out, is a wonderful background for teaching science. Most of the students we teach in science do not go on to careers in science but use an understanding of how science works, its strengths and weaknesses, to better understand their world.

In my 16 years of teaching I have taught every grade from 1st to 8th short of 2nd. My last five have been at the middle school level. There is nothing in the world like watching the slow movement of a child’s face from furrowed confusion to wide-eyed astonishment at the understanding of an elegant scientific relationship. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

Erin Cronin
erinacronin@yahoo.com

San Ysidro Middle School
San Ysidro School District

Interests: archeology, shopping, reading poetry and understanding it, vacations on warm clear water beach towns, people who laugh at themselves and do not take life to seriously, and shoes.

Aspirations: striving to make the world a better place one middle school student at a time, marry a rich older man, and become a personal shopper at Nordstroms or a summer job as an archeologists assistant and dig up ancient artifacts.

Background info as a science educator: have taught 6 th grade earth science, 7 th grade life science, dissected various specimens (fresh and formaldehyde dipped ones), have always enjoyed science fair projects yet the first one I did was with my students during the first year of teaching.

Kati DeBolt
kgdebolt@cox.net ;
kdebolt@powayusd.com

Bernardo Heights Middle School
Poway Unified

Teaching middle school has been one of the greatest areas of growth in my life. Over my 15 years of teaching, I have felt many times that I am the one who is the student. It is that type of awareness—that I am never finished learning-- that helps me continue to experience growth in teaching. In addition, it has fostered a sense of connectedness to my students. I have taught all kinds of science—life, physical, and earth. Not surprising, I have discovered a fundamental interconnectedness between the three that has not only enhanced my ability to convey curriculum, but has also proved to make my life deeper and richer.

My experiences include organizing the Science Olympiad club at my school and actively participating in our school’s Math and Science Night every year. In addition to teaching science, I am an AVID teacher, which has helped me to set high academic and personal standards for all of my students. I have been a mentor teacher and have developed a teambuilding program that implements adventure learning activities.

My passion is the outdoors—hiking in the hills with my dogs, camping, mountain bike riding, stargazing, even barbequing in the backyard! I love going to my stepson’s basketball games and spending time with my partner of ten years.

My hope is that through MSSELI, we can build a cadre of teachers who want to professionally improve the state of teaching and personally experience growth in order to continue making “what we do” a life-changing experience for youngsters.

Patricia Lee Evans
patbrent@earthlink.net

Challenger Middle School
San Diego City Schools

Ever since I can remember I have been interested in two things, Science and Music. As I knew I was not good enough to make it as a musician, most of my working career has been in the science field. I graduated from UCLA in 1990 with a B.S. in Evolutionary Biology. Following graduation, I set out for the Catalina Island Marine Institute to teach Marine Science in an outdoor education setting. I taught various age groups ranging from 6th grade-college. Students stayed anywhere from three to five days and I led them through various labs dealing with oceanography, invertebrates, marine mammals, plankton and island ecology. As part of the program, I led students on daytime and nighttime snorkels in the local waters. This was my first introduction into hands-on learning and my first experience as an educator. What a job! Since that first job, I have had other careers in science. I have had the opportunity to work in San Diego’s Biotech industry as a Research Associate for companies such as Stratagene, Terragen, and Novartis. I hold a Single Subject Credential in Biology and have my BCLAD and a supplemental in Chemistry. I am a member of the District Middle School Leadership Team and Department Chair. My goal is to make the Challenger’s Middle School Science program top notch.

Hobbies: Surfing, SCUBA, underwater video and photography, and playing jazz trombone.

Michelle M. Grantham
mmgrantham@cox.net

Taft Middle School
San Diego City Schools

7th & 8th Grade Science

Working as a science teacher with San Diego City Schools for the past 10 years (the past 7 at Taft Middle School in Serra Mesa) has been a rewarding experience. My main goal as a science educator is to help students see science as something they encounter in their everyday lives; to experience science not just as something done behind a lab bench by someone in a white coat, but as something they engage in and explore on a daily basis. My husband John Crum (who works at the National Center for Imaging Research at UCSD) and I try to pass the curiosity that is inherent in any scientist on to our two daughters Ayslinn (17) and Emma (5.)

Carole Griggs
cgriggs@hightechhigh.org

High Tech High
Charter School

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Il, and attended Eastern Illinois University on a soccer scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and a minor in Earth Science. I have worked several years up in N. Michigan at the Leelanau Outdoor Center, an environmental education/adventure outdoor camp for schools, athletic teams, and various other youth groups. Ready for challenge and change, I drove out to San Diego in pursuit of a Masters degree in teaching – with a focus in science education, in hopes to find a solid teaching and coaching position in the area. I was hired to help open up the first year of High Tech Middle, a branch of High Tech High, as an 8th grade Integrated Math and Science teacher. My interests outside of teaching include soccer, running, surfing, national and international travel, and adventurous outdoor activities.

Rebecca McCaslin
rmccaslin@eusd4kids.org

Hidden Valley Middle School
Escondido Unified

Believe it or not, I went to a one room school for my first and second grade and would have done so for kindergarten but my mother didn't send me to kindergarten for some reason. It was in Mrs. Corman's second grade that I made the decision that I would teach so much better than mean Mrs. Corman when I grew up.

It happened during recess when Boydy Corl dared Robin, Helen, Cathy, Brad and I to hold onto the electric fence which ran along the north side of the play yard and kept Howard Armagast's Holsteins in their pasture and not grazing among the second graders. Boydy said he could hold onto the fence longer than any one of us. After each one of us gingerly grabbed and momentarily held the fence for a second or less as a great electrical shock, designed to restrain large 500 lb. bovines, ran through our entire little conductor bodies, then did Boydy hold onto the wire for a second or two longer than any one of us. I wanted to know how he held onto the wire without getting shocked down to the tooth roots like the rest of us, so I asked Mrs. Corman and she said we were all bad for playing with the fence and predicted that I would drop out of school and get pregnant.

I did get pregnant when I was twenty-nine and my husband Greg and I had a big nine pound, fourteen ounce baby boy, which was after I graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Art Education and then moved to San Diego, married and went to UCSD and got teaching credentials in Learning Handicapped (Special Ed.) and General Science. My boy is twenty-one, my marriage is twenty-five and I've been teaching 7th and 8th grade at Hidden Valley Middle School for twenty -two years. I've been lucky enough to have been a part of PTEST for 3 years, CSIN, K-12 Alliance,a GEMS trainer, SDAIE trained and now MSSELI. It has been an exciting learning adventure and interesting childhood so far. I'm wondering if parts of our nervous systems were turned into plasma from holding onto Howard Armagast's fence? It's not a good idea to ask Mrs. Corman but I'm still searching for answers.

Jeff Major
jrmajor@ucsd.edu

Preuss School at UCSD
Charter School

I received my Bachelor of Arts in Applied Physics at San Diego State University in 1997. I have taught 6 th grade Earth Science, 10 th grade Computer Science, 8 th grade Robotics, & 6 th grade Building & Design at The Preuss School UCSD. Currently I am teaching 8 th grade Physical Science and have been very active this past year in the implementation and development of the C.I.P.S. curriculum. As a member of the San Diego Botball Steering Committee I have been involved with the San Diego Science Alliance in the fostering educational robotics programs all throughout San Diego . Nationally I have attended robotics conferences in conjunction with the Kiss Institute on National Robotics and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to further the goal of creating greater access for all students in the fields of mathematics, science, and technology.

Bruce Mims
bmims@sdcoe.k12.ca.us

South Bay Community Services
SDCOE Court and Community Schools

I have worked with high-risk youth for the duration of my teaching career: the most-challenging students in the system afford me the greatest potential reward.

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree (Political Science, 1987) from the University of California , Berkeley. I have a Master of Education degree from the University of San Diego (Teaching and Learning, 2001). I am currently embarking upon the process of earning my doctorate degree in Urban Educational Leadership.

Ironically, my interest in Science and Technology is a recent development: I realized the interconnectedness of every living thing in the universe, and I find the causal relationship absolutely fascinating.

Thus, I want to find better ways to help my students discover the fascination within the science(s) of this living universe.

Emmy Rodgers
RODGERSE@cajonvalley.net

Montgomery Middle School
Cajon Valley School District

I have been teaching in the Cajon Valley District for eight years with six of those years here at Montgomery. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and attended Texas A&M University where I majored in . Safety Engineering with an emphasis in nuclear physics. I was employed for several years as a Health Physicist for the University’s Nuclear Science Research Center. While attending TAMU, I married a wonderful man and we began our adventure as a Navy family. We have lived in Newport, RI, Monterey, CA, Hawaii, and now San Diego. Over the years I worked with various companies, in the safety department at Intel and as a city planner for the City of Seaside. I was involved with my children’s schools and encouraged to seek a teaching credential. I received my credential from National University and began teaching in a 1st/ 2nd grade combo class. The elementary school was a pleasure to be at, but I missed the challenge of teaching Physical Science. I came to Montgomery in 1998 and have had the opportunity to teach 7th grade Science, 6th grade Math, 6th grade Core and now my favorite, 8th grade Science. I enjoy being with middle school students and I find the challenge of preparing the 8th graders for High School very worthwhile.

My interests include my beautiful daughters, the oldest who has moved to Guanajauto, Mexico and owns a restaurant, and the youngest, a sophomore at University of Illinois majoring in English/Rhetoric. My husband and I are active in our local Kiwanis, helping the community through service. I am also an advisor to the school’s service club. I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, and science fiction. My plans for the future are to obtain a Masters degree in Technology and perhaps someday help my fellow teachers in incorporating technology in all subject areas.

Raymond Ruffin
rruffin@cox.net

Montgomery
San Diego Unified

My education career began in Des Moines, IA from 1972 to1974 where I received a Master of Science in Education degree and worked both years as a teacher intern.After graduation I served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force until 1979 when I received an Honorable Discharge from service. Upon leaving the military, I taught from 1980 to 1985 in the Lauderdale County Public Education System (MS). After leaving the Lauderdale County School System I worked for the Meridian Public School system(MS) from 1985 to 1995 as both an educator and an administrator. In 1995, I began work in the Aberdeen, MS Public School System as an administrator until 1996 when I began to work for the San Diego Unified School District. My entire teaching career have been in science, either teaching general science, physical science or sometimes life science. I have attended the following schools or universities; Alabama State University, Clark College (MS), Drake University, Harris Jr. College (MS), Mississippi State University, San Diego State University, University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Susan Scott
sscott@eusd4kids.org

Rincon Middle School
Escondido Unified School District

I have been in education for more than 35 years and still love what I do enough to always seek a better way to do it. I have taught in a 5-grade experimental primary class, resource program, full inclusion resource program, special day class, middle school language arts, math, science; district workshops, college classes and state science conventions. The field of education encourages creative thinking and intelligence. It allows me the opportunity to encourage these traits in students as well.

I like to stay active outside the classroom as well. In 1985 I was one of the finalists from California for NASA's Teacher in Space program. I became pregnant that year and gave birth 2 hours after the shuttle exploded. In '89 I won a grant to make a video on the history of Escondido. "Escondido: A Living History", played in City Hall to celebrate Escondido's centennial and now plays in the History Museum in Balboa Park and all public libraries. I helped write the Science curriculum for the Wave Water Park and San Diego's Discovery Kits, was a soccer coach, referee, and served on the city's recreation Soccer Board. I attended SEASAND last year and MSSELI this year. I love to travel and have been to almost every US state, Mexico, Canada, Europe and lived in Austria for a while. I have 2 kids, my daughter Lorin at UC Davis, and my son Tyler, a junior in High School.

Samantha A. Swann
sswann@lgsd.k12.ca.us

Lemon Grove Middle School
Lemon Grove School District

I earned a BS in Physical Science from Old Dominion University and a MS in Computers and Education from National University . After teaching Math and Science at the High School level for 12 years I joined the staff at Lemon Grove Middle School in 1989 and have had the opportunity to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math and Science. I have worked with the staff at UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science over the past 11 years developing and field testing issue oriented, inquiry based curriculum for earth science at 6th, life science at 7th, and physical science at 8th grades. In addition to curriculum development during the 2004-2005 school year, I am working on a Language Minority NSF Research project finding ways to accelerate second language students acquisition of academic language using inquiry based science materials, techniques, and technology. I am a teacher leader in the one-to-one table technology project funded through Classroom of the Future Foundation’s Time Initiative with CalIT2; every one of my one-to-one students has a computer they carry home to school and use instead of a paper, pencil, and book.

Nichole Buchanan
nicbuchanan@cox.net

Pershing Middle School
San Diego City Schools

I was born and raised in a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts in an extremely tight community. When it was time to go to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be. Drawing, drafting, and painting were big interests I had but did not see them as a career path for me. After being offered a track scholarship, I decided to attend Springfield College in Massachusetts as an undeclared major. I was lucky to be given a work-study assignment as an America Reads tutor, providing support to city kids with their homework. I instantly fell in love working with urban students. I declared my major as a Math, Science, and Technology major with concentration in Education. After graduating, I accepted a science specialist teaching position in my hometown of Weymouth, where I was able to work under the wings of many teachers I once had. Each teacher at South Intermediate School groomed me into a skilled and purposeful teacher. After three years, I was ready to spread my own wings. I knew I wanted to teach in an urban setting where students needed dedicated teachers. This is how I landed in San Diego. As a seventh grade science teacher at Pershing Middle School, I have had the opportunity to work with a team of teachers dedicated to success of all students. I have worked with some of the finest teachers in San Diego and have grown as an educator because of this opportunity. I am now working towards my Masters degree in Educational Technology to continue to grow as a leader and educator.

Roger Wynn
wynn@cts.com
rwynn@meusd.k12.ca.us

Mountain Empire Jr. Highpire
Mountain Empire

I have degrees in Psychobiology coauthoring five articles on Baboon behavior http://web.apu.ac.uk/appsci/lifesci/ abru/
people.htm in Tanzania, and Marine Biology with a Merchant Marine license option. I have been a captain and now Master conducting most of my ocean work in fishing, and fisheries research before teaching. I have been teaching fifteen years at Mountain Empire Jr./ Sr. High School http://www.meusd.net/
rwynn/ every year teaching life science or physical science and some years teaching additional classes at the High school level in Chemistry, and Environmental Science /Geographic Information Systems-GIS. I have voluntarily developed curriculum with General Atomics in Materials Science http://www.sci-ed ga.org/modules/materialscience/ exploration/index.html , and Chromatics, http://www.sci-ed ga.org/modules/materialscience/ chromatics/ index.html , Co-Authoring a publication in materials science: http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/1997/
Jul/abs785.html. I have been volunteer director in an experiment evaluating instruction from the internet versus classroom in a project called Classroom 21 http://www.sdsc.edu/Press/1999/05/
051799_wireless.html , http://www.scu.edu/SCU/Projects/NSF
Workshop99/ html/redelfs.html
http://www.npaci.edu/envision/v16.4/classroom21.html
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9905/21/digidiv.idg
http://salessuccessmagazine.com/articles/11/Satellite-Internet-Access-An d -Curricula-Improves-High-School-SAT-Test-Scores-By-38.html after extensive years working with the San Diego Supercomputer center Teacher Enhancement in Computational Science http://www.stewart.cs.sdsu.edu/ SC97/. Professionally I have been science department chairman, Mentor teacher in science and technology, District Teacher of the year, Alumnus of the California Science Project, member of the Program for teacher Enhancement in Science Project, and most recently teacher partner of the year with the San Diego Science Alliance http://www.sdsa.org/partnerAwards/2005/. I am a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science-AAAS, National Science Teachers Association-NSTA, California Science Teachers Association-CSTA, and San Diego Science Teachers Association-SDSEA. I am devoted to the process of science, understanding our Earth, and practice Critical Thinking. Most recently I am working on restoring effects from the Cedar Fire and watching nature http://www.sdnhm.org/research/birdatlas/
wrenderings/00summer- progress.html regenerate around my home. Currently my interests are in machining and video in the classroom.

Andrea Pfaff Camporesi
apfaff@sandi.net

Standley Middle
San Diego City Schools

I have been teaching in San Diego City Schools for 16 years, all but my first at the middle school level. I love the barely still there naiveté and catching energy of 7th graders especially. Also the 7th grade curriculum standard focus on Life Science is perfect for me. My teaching credential is in Life Science. I have a BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. I also have a MS in Educational Technology.

I am a teacher that loves to immerse themselves in a school, joining committees and running after school academic and sports programs for students. In the classroom I enjoy lab and discussion experiences with my students and use technology to enhance everything I can.

I have remained involved professionally in our district-as a mentor, serving on various science curriculum committees and facilitating PD in the areas of science and technology. I love to help other teachers and I also enjoy learning new things and becoming energized at workshops.

Personally, I am married with a beautiful preschooler named Summer. I enjoy many sports but especially running, biking and swimming. I am an avid reader, especially during vacations. My family and I love to travel and camp.

Daniel Grendziak
grendziak@sandi.net

Wangenheim Middle
San Diego City Schools

I'm originally from Upper Michigan, basically the middle of nowhere. I've been in San Diego for 22 years. I was brought out to San Diego via the Navy. There I spent 10 years on active duty. While on active duty I finished up my degree. I then decided my path in life was to be a teacher. I've been teaching for about 12 years. Also during this time I completed 11 years of the Navy Reserve and finally in 2003 I retired. Most of my experience is in teaching inner city youths. The inner city experience is one I cherish. Seeing students succeed when they have so many hurdles in life to overcome is what I cherished the most.

I chose to become part of MSSELI because I see a positive change in education and I want to be part of the change. Not just be a part but offer some leadership. This past year I've been actively involved in professional developments at my site. I found it to be very rewarding. I also like to work with other teachers from different sites and districts. They are very instrumental in helping me conquer difficulties I might have with curriculum or working with fellow teachers.

My life outside of work revolves around family. It includes my soon to be wife, Felicia and our kids Missy, Sammy and Micah. Working on the house, planning an upcoming wedding and planning vacations has been keeping us very busy.

Denise Tayco
dmarriott1@sandi.net

Creative Performing & Media Arts Middle
San Diego City Schools

My name is Denise Tayco and I have just completed my second year as a science teacher at CPMA Magnet Middle School. CPMA stands for Creative, Performing & Media Arts Magnet Middle School. During the course of the past school year I completed my 2 year BTSA program to clear my credential, got married, held an after-school club, and successfully headed up our 8th grade Washington DC trip. My teaching experience at the middle school level includes 6th grade Earth Science, 7th grade Life Science and 8th grade Physical Science. I have taught using the FOSS kits, Investigating Earth Systems (IES), Science and Life Issues (SALI) and Constructing Ideas in Physical Science (CIPS) curricula. I have also taught General Biology over the summer at El Camino High School in Oceanside, Biology and Advanced Biology at Pt Loma High School. I aspire to create a curriculum that centers on authentic tasks and allows my students to demonstrate their understanding through ways that showcase our magnet focus.

Heather Michel
heather.michel@sduhsd.net

Carmel Valley Middley
San Dieguito Union Unified

I began getting involved in education during my college years. I grew up in Ventura, California. I earned my bachelor’s degree of science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. During college, I spent a summer as a camp counselor and started volunteering with youth. I was hooked. After I finished my teaching credential at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, I moved to San Diego to work for the San Dieguito Union High School District. I have been teaching seventh grade life science at Carmel Valley Middle School for four years. I have worked at my school site to encourage professional development in the form of Lesson Study. Over the past couple of months, I have worked in partnership with the company Biogen Idec to help get middle school students exposed to the real world of science in their community lab. In addition to teaching, I enjoy coaching volleyball, mentoring a small group of high school students, and traveling.

Heather O’Donnell
hodonnell@sandi.net

Roosevelt Middle School
San Dieguito Union Unified

I am 25 years old and a 4th year life science teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Balboa Park. I have a BA in Biology Education from the University of Delaware and a M.A. in Education with a concentration in Educational technology at National University. I am the science dept. chairperson at Roosevelt, I was part of the Analyzing Instructional Materials committee to select science curriculum and am currently working on the district committee to design technology curriculum for 7th grade science (ESETT) . In my spare time I am the girls basketball coach and run a schoolyard garden (which has won 6 awards and grants in the past 3 years!). I have a love for traveling, and spend each summer in a different country. Two summers ago I was doing research with 60 other science teachers in the Rainforest of Peru. Recently I traveled to South Africa to volunteer with an organization that is doing river cleanup in the townships. Currently I am still working with this organization from here. This year I have won a grant from Cox communication for a partnership between math and science classes to use palm pilots for learning.

Jeremiah Potter
jpotter@sandi.net;
bigjeredog@yahoo.com

Pershing Middle School
San Diego Unified

I am currently a Physical Science teacher for the eighth grade at Pershing Middle School. I am also interested in the Life Sciences; my degree in Psychology and Biology led me to this interest. I got my BA at San Diego State University, where I also received my teaching credential.

I grew up in the high desert (Joshua Tree) where all the stars and reptilian critters led me to a natural curiosity of how all these different aspects of life coexist. I’m still trying to figure these aspects out, and am engaging my students to question all around them as well. Through experimentation and the resources to critically think, we can shape our students into future science leaders themselves.

I’m currently involved in the GSDSEF, where the teachers at our site support Science Fair projects for each seventh and eighth grade student. I’m also involved in a technology grant that lends to integrating up-to-date apparatus with science curriculum in the classroom. Lastly, being a participant in CA Next Step helps me further the philosophies of collaborative work and lesson study with teachers through out the San Diego County.

Jim Crouch
crouch.ji@vcpusd.net;
crouch.j1@vcpusd.k12.ca.us

Valley Center
Valley Center-Pauma Unified

Jim Crouch
Born February 23, 1951, Wichita Kansas

BA in English / Teaching Credential 1975 San Diego State
PPSC / Masters USIU 1982 Psychology

Started teaching Valley Center Middle School, September, 1975.
Continuously taught 7th and 8th since 9/75.
Subjects taught: Science, Language Arts, Health, Peer Mediation, Reading, and Social Studies (in descending order). District Teachers' association president in 1980. Head negotiator on district teachers' negotiating team - 1981. Facilitated support groups for 5 years. Coached boys' and girls' 7th / 8th grade middle school basketball for over 20 seasons. SAS core team member for 10 years (evaluated program placement for needy students). Evaluated Potter Middle School as member of PQR team. Mentorship piloted peer mediation at VCMS.

Science assignments have been equally 7th and 8th grade with 20 years total. Directed school science fairs for over 5 years. County certified to judge science fairs and selected projects to go to Balboa Park several times.

Mentorship in science - helped train elementary teachers in Valley Center Union Schools. Plans to remodel classrooms into science labs were publish in SDCOE document. Science / Industry fellow for two summers - worked with the Navy. Science Department chair several years.

Currently teaching four 8th grade classes of Physics and Astronomy and one 7th grade science piloting SALI and MSSELI curriculum.

Joseph Krupens
jkrupens@sandi.net

Standley Middle School
San Diego City Schools

As a native San Diegan, I have a natural love and affinity for the ocean. Throughout my life I have been able to explore different aspects and relationships of many ecosystems around the western US and Baja. It brought me to a deep understanding and appreciation for how everything is related to everything else on Earth. I earned my BS from SDSU and MS from National Univ. I have taught 7th and 8th grade for the past 15 (or so) years, most recently at Standley Middle School. I have always been involved in inquiry and standards-based teaching. I have enjoyed being a leader in science education as department chair, peer coach, master teacher and leading workshops for San Diego City Schools and San Diego Science Educators Association (SEASAND). Two particular areas of interest are bridging research and practice and using technology to enhance student achievement. My “dream-class” would be to teach an integrated global science course to show the science basis of the interconnectedness of how the world really works. Although I love working with students, I think I would also enjoy teaching new teachers how to teach science. I always look forward to learning more about science education to stay current and remain on the cutting edge of my profession.

Gwendolyn Fairley
gfairley@sandi.net

San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts
San Marcos Unified-Pauma Unified

I have a BS in Biological Sciences from UCSD and a supplemental credential in Basic Mathematics. I have been teaching for 24 years and worked 23 of those years at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. We have been located on three different campuses so I have become adept at packing and unpacking. SCPA has grades six through twelve. My teaching experiences started with Biology and Algebra but I have taught grades 6-10 which include Science 6, 7 and 8, Math 6, 7 and 8. In fact, for 11 of those 23 years I taught Math only.

I have been science department chair, ASB Advisor and several club and class sponsors. Due to my love of sewing, I have been the costume designer and coordinator for several shows at SCPA that include Purlie, Grease, Charlotte’s Web, 42nd Street, Once on this Island, and West Side Story. Also I have achieved a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration.

Julie Nunes-Felix
julie_smms@yahoo.com

San Marcos Middle School
San Marcos Unified-Pauma Unified

My teaching experience includes three years teaching 6th grade and ten years teaching 7th and 8th grade science. As an elementary teacher I have had the opportunity to be the science rep/coordinator and develop science curriculum for the Ceres school district. As a teacher in the San Marcos district I have served as the co-chair of the science department, revised and updated the district’s Family Life program and participated in developing district science assessments. I have also been teaching and co-coordinating AVID at the middle school for the past seven years. I strive to bring the real world and inquiry into my classroom through projects that relate to future job opportunities and everyday life. I am honored to be part of this collaboration with other science teachers this year.

I hold a BA from SDSU and a MA in Educational Leadership from CSUSM. I have written CyberGuides for the SDCOE, freelance work for Teacher Created Materials, and worked as a science text consultant for Harcourt Brace. My interests outside of teaching are competitive sailing, snowboarding, surfing, volleyball and most importantly—being the best mom I can be to my son.

Patricia Franco
franco.pa@vcpusd.net

Valley Center
Valley Center

Born February 22, 1950, I am first generation American. My father, Joseph Franco, was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and my mother was born in Los Angeles with German heritage. Both parents have no more than a 10th grade education. I graduated from North Torrance High School with a less than stellar grade point average, but I managed to remain encouraged to pursue higher education.

My connection to education had been that I worked for the University of Southern California, University of California Berkeley, and the University of California San Francisco as an adminstrative assistant. The jobs I held were less than satisfying, so I became a reentry student and single parent at the age of 37.

I graduated from Sonoma State University in 1965 after a rather long hiatus from education. I earned a 3.45 GPA and received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I have several friends who are teachers, and they all encouraged me to enter the teaching professtion, so I continued my education at Pepperdine University where I earned a 3.78 GPA and received a Master’s degree in Education.

In 1997, I began my teaching profession as a 7th and 8th grade science teacher at Shorecliffs Middle School in San Juan Capistrano. I was transferred to Newhart Middle School in Mission Viejo due to a reconfiguration of grade levels at Shorecliffs.

My interest in horses encouraged me to search for a teaching position in an rural, equestrian community since no amount of CPR to my checkbook would enable me to afford my horses in San Juan Capistrano. I applied to and have been employed at Valley Center Middle School since 1999 as a 7th and 8th grade science teacher. I currently live in Valley Center with my 2 horses, and I have been fortunate enough to begin a new Equine Science curriculum at Valley Center Middle School.

Tracy McCabe
tracy.mccabe@sduhsd.net

Earl Warren Middle School
San Dieguito Union High School District

My vision of education is that I not only impart knowledge, but that I also influence perceptions about science and what it does, the world and how it is changing, and individuals and their own possibilities. A native of San Diego and graduate of University City High School, I received my B.S. in Biological Sciences from UCDavis in 1994 and soon went on to teach briefly abroad. In 1997 I earned my credential and in 2004 I received my M.A. from CSUSM in Math, Science, and Educational Technology.

My teaching, professional growth, mentoring and school activities have been aimed at empowering individuals to make the most of information by learning to reflect and think critically about purpose, possibilities, and action. Besides teaching 7th grade science to both English speaking students and those learning English, I am also involved with mentoring through NSTA’s e-Mentoring for Student Success (eMSS) project and SDSU’s new teacher program. I also mentor individual students at my school, Earl Warren Middle School, through our Breakfast Club by serving as their “shadows”, advocating for them and helping them learn how to communicate their goals and difficulties to their teachers.

Philosophically, I believe teachers need to be the voices of reform and can enact change through reflection of their practice and genuine collegiality. I am engaged and vested in pursuing lesson study, a way for teachers to effectively learn about their teaching within the classroom through collaboration and investigation of student learning.

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