What Matters in Education is:
making connections between and within people and communities; learning to see our interconnectedness.
Alberto Palomar
2nd Grade Teacher (Blackberry Creek)
Alberto Palomar
What Matters in Education is:
making connections between and within people and communities; learning to see our interconnectedness.
What Matters in Education is:
guiding children to connect with their inner wisdom and adjusting the environment to the capacity of every child.
Alice Hsu
Preschool Head Teacher (Cedar)
Alice Hsu
What Matters in Education is:
guiding children to connect with their inner wisdom and adjusting the environment to the capacity of every child.
What Matters in Education is:
having an inclusive, supportive, and safe environment to learn.
Andie Gaeta
UAC Front Desk & Community Manager
Andie Gaeta
What Matters in Education is:
having an inclusive, supportive, and safe environment to learn.
Andrea Abrams
Preschool Extended Day Teacher (Eugenia)
What Matters in Education is:
using best practices to understand how each learner connects with the materials and lessons.
Andy Keating
Preschool Head Teacher (Magnolia)
Andy Keating
What Matters in Education is:
using best practices to understand how each learner connects with the materials and lessons.
What Matters in Education is:
the personal relationship between teacher and student. Every student should be engaged and have fun!
Ann Levinsohn
Academic Learning Specialist (Middle School)
Ann Levinsohn
What Matters in Education is:
the personal relationship between teacher and student. Every student should be engaged and have fun!
What Matters in Education is:
the passion and love for learning.
Catherine Guerlac
Preschool Extended Day Teacher (Live Oak)
Catherine Guerlac
What Matters in Education is:
the passion and love for learning.
Cesár Martinez
7th & 8th Grade Spanish Teacher
Chris Chun
Chris Chun – Director of K-8 Teaching & Learning
Chrissy Hoffman – Preschool Music & Movement Teacher
Chrissy Hoffman
Preschool Music & Movement Teacher
Chrissy Hoffman
Chrissy Hoffman – Preschool Music & Movement Teacher
What Matters in Education is:
always remembering there is more to learn.
Christin Weber
Preschool Lead Teacher (Mariposa)
Christin Weber
What Matters in Education is:
always remembering there is more to learn.
What Matters in Education is:
fun! When activities are fun, students want to stay engaged which allows for true learning to happen.
Craig Jackson
UAC Physical Education Teacher/After-School Sports Coach
Craig Jackson
What Matters in Education is:
fun! When activities are fun, students want to stay engaged which allows for true learning to happen.
What Matters in Education is:
joy. With joy comes a freedom that allows magical, powerful, important learning experiences to take hold.
Danette Swan
Kindergarten Teacher (Sweet Briar Creek), K-2 Team Leader
Danette Swan
What Matters in Education is:
joy. With joy comes a freedom that allows magical, powerful, important learning experiences to take hold.
Daniel Simms – UAC Extended Day & Instructional Support Teacher
Daniel Simms
UAC Extended Day & Instructional Support Teacher
Daniel Simms
Daniel Simms – UAC Extended Day & Instructional Support Teacher
What Matters in Education is:
nurturing a child’s understanding of the world through exploration and self-expression.
Daniela Hoffmann
K-2 Instructional Support Teacher
Daniela Hoffmann
What Matters in Education is:
nurturing a child’s understanding of the world through exploration and self-expression.
Darius Morales
What Matters in Education is:
What Matters in Education is:
helping students develop their curiosity. They need to build their ability to seek the truth.
Derek Payne
7th & 8th Grade Science Teacher, Middle School Team Leader
Derek Payne
What Matters in Education is:
helping students develop their curiosity. They need to build their ability to seek the truth.
Elise Wilks
Elise Wilks – Chief Financial Officer
What Matters in Education is:
nurturing a child’s understanding of the world through exploration and self-expression.
Emily Becerra Sigel
Preschool Lead Teacher (Eugenia)
Emily Becerra Sigel
What Matters in Education is:
nurturing a child’s understanding of the world through exploration and self-expression.
What Matters in Education is:
allowing students to find pathways and make connections in an environment that encourages continual self assessment and self reflection to help them actualize growth in their abilities as learners.
Erica Morales
4th-6th Grade Spanish Teacher, Core Arts Team Leader
Erica Morales
What Matters in Education is:
allowing students to find pathways and make connections in an environment that encourages continual self assessment and self reflection to help them actualize growth in their abilities as learners.
Gladys Barrios – K-3 Spanish & Instructional Support Teacher
Gladys Barrios
K-3 Spanish & Instructional Support Teacher
Gladys Barrios
Gladys Barrios – K-3 Spanish & Instructional Support Teacher
What Matters in Education is:
awakening curiosity beyond your own culture and respecting different beliefs.
Griselda Kondo
Preschool Lead Teacher (Live Oak)
Griselda Kondo
What Matters in Education is:
awakening curiosity beyond your own culture and respecting different beliefs.
What Matters in Education is:
authentic, transparent, and relevant teaching and learning. Also, find joy in every day with every child!
Hillary Bensky-Schwartz
1st Grade Teacher (Laurel Creek)
Hillary Bensky-Schwartz
What Matters in Education is:
authentic, transparent, and relevant teaching and learning. Also, find joy in every day with every child!
Ira X. Armstrong – 2021-22 Artist & Activist In Residence (Music & Drama)
Ira X. Armstrong
2021-22 Artist & Activist In Residence (Music & Drama)
Ira X. Armstrong
Ira X. Armstrong – 2021-22 Artist & Activist In Residence (Music & Drama)
What Matters in Education is:
building relationships that fosters a learning environment where all students participate and take ownership of their education.
Jeff Ravine
6th Grade Humanities Teacher (Wildcat Creek)
Jeff Ravine
What Matters in Education is:
building relationships that fosters a learning environment where all students participate and take ownership of their education.
What Matters in Education is:
speaking the truth. As educators, we are called to inform and empower our future citizens to take on and, hopefully, resolve the challenges they will face to preserve and expand the benefits of our democracy.
Jennifer Lettieri
8th Grade Humanities Teacher
Jennifer Lettieri
What Matters in Education is:
speaking the truth. As educators, we are called to inform and empower our future citizens to take on and, hopefully, resolve the challenges they will face to preserve and expand the benefits of our democracy.
What Matters in Education is:
speaking the truth. As educators, we are called to inform and empower our future citizens to take on and, hopefully, resolve the challenges they will face to preserve and expand the benefits of our democracy.
Jono Rich
UAC Extended Day Director
Jono Rich
What Matters in Education is:
speaking the truth. As educators, we are called to inform and empower our future citizens to take on and, hopefully, resolve the challenges they will face to preserve and expand the benefits of our democracy.
What Matters in Education is:
that each student’s world and heart is expanded.
Julia Shields
4th/5th Grade Science & Writing Teacher (Strawberry Creek & Cerrito Creek), 3-5 Team Leader
Julia Shields
What Matters in Education is:
that each student’s world and heart is expanded.
What Matters in Education is:
helping students understand themselves as learners through the process of art making.
Julianne Hughes
ECC-5th Grade Teaching Artist
Julianne Hughes
What Matters in Education is:
helping students understand themselves as learners through the process of art making.
Kara Perrino – Middle School Student Life Coordinator & Social-Emotional Learning Specialist
Kara Perrino
Middle School Student Life Coordinator & Social-Emotional Learning Specialist
Kara Perrino
Kara Perrino – Middle School Student Life Coordinator & Social-Emotional Learning Specialist
What Matters in Education is:
meeting students where they are and helping them discover their academic and personal promise.
Kim Huie
7th & 8th Grade Math Teacher
Kim Huie
What Matters in Education is:
meeting students where they are and helping them discover their academic and personal promise.
What Matters in Education is:
the freedom to create, grow, listen, question, make mistakes, wonder, belong, and build in a safe environment that values and challenges you.
Kirstie Mah
Preschool Lead Teacher (Eugenia)
Kirstie Mah
What Matters in Education is:
the freedom to create, grow, listen, question, make mistakes, wonder, belong, and build in a safe environment that values and challenges you.
What Matters in Education is:
Creating an environment where all types of learners feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their ideas.
Lamar Johnson
Director of Enrollment & Outreach
Lamar Johnson
What Matters in Education is:
Creating an environment where all types of learners feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their ideas.
What Matters in Education is:
creating an inclusive atmosphere for learning and expression.
Lavinia Sfetcu
ECC Campus Manager and ECC-8 Enrollment Coordinator
Lavinia Sfetcu
What Matters in Education is:
creating an inclusive atmosphere for learning and expression.
What Matters in Education is:
igniting curious minds. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ~Socrates
Lisa Chung-Nguyen
3rd Grade Teacher (Temescal Creek)
Lisa Chung-Nguyen
What Matters in Education is:
igniting curious minds. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ~Socrates
Lizette Flores – UAC Morning Care & Extended Day Teacher
Lizette Flores
UAC Morning Care & Extended Day Teacher
Lizette Flores
Lizette Flores – UAC Morning Care & Extended Day Teacher
What Matters in Education is:
allies and colleagues are critical.
Loa Ortiz
6th Grade Science & Math Teacher (Wildcat Creek)
Loa Ortiz
What Matters in Education is:
allies and colleagues are critical.
What Matters in Education is:
that every student feels empowered to reach their full potential.
Maple Molina
Data Manager
Maple Molina
What Matters in Education is:
that every student feels empowered to reach their full potential.
May Garsson – Preschool Extended Day Teacher (Magnolia)
May Garsson
Preschool Extended Day Teacher (Magnolia)
May Garsson
May Garsson – Preschool Extended Day Teacher (Magnolia)
Minha Yoon
Minha Yoon – Media & Communications Manager
What Matters in Education is:
helping all students feel simultaneously seen and supported in every way: academically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Mitch Bostian
Head of School
Mitch Bostian
What Matters in Education is:
helping all students feel simultaneously seen and supported in every way: academically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Mitra Panbehchi
What Matters in Education is:
empowering students to become caring and engaged members of their communities.
Nic Kaelin
7th Grade Humanities Teacher
Nic Kaelin
What Matters in Education is:
empowering students to become caring and engaged members of their communities.
What Matters in Education is:
Imagination. Knowledge is powerful, and imagination can help us see different things and opens brand new paths to knowledge.
Niki Enriquez
Preschool Associate Teacher (Live Oak)
Niki Enriquez
What Matters in Education is:
Imagination. Knowledge is powerful, and imagination can help us see different things and opens brand new paths to knowledge.
What Matters in Education is:
opportunity and encouragement!
Norman Johnson
Middle School Drama & Extended Day Teacher
Norman Johnson
What Matters in Education is:
opportunity and encouragement!
What Matters in Education is:
creating a space where kids feel safe enough to learn, make friends, and build strong social skills.
Noushin Moghaddam
Preschool Associate Teacher (Cedar)
Noushin Moghaddam
What Matters in Education is:
creating a space where kids feel safe enough to learn, make friends, and build strong social skills.
What Matters in Education is:
community. TBS is a supportive learning community for children and adults alike.
Paula D. Farmer
Director of Community & Belonging
Paula D. Farmer
What Matters in Education is:
community. TBS is a supportive learning community for children and adults alike.
What Matters in Education is:
students and teachers bringing their authentic selves to the classroom and forming a community based in empathy, empowerment, and activism.
Rachel Forbes
5th Grade Teacher (Cerrito Creek)
Rachel Forbes
What Matters in Education is:
students and teachers bringing their authentic selves to the classroom and forming a community based in empathy, empowerment, and activism.
Randy Yee
What Matters in Education is:
connecting with the present.
What Matters in Education is:
relationships. Transformative learning does not occur in isolation. It occurs in relationship.
Rebecca Blythe
Early Childhood Director
Rebecca Blythe
What Matters in Education is:
relationships. Transformative learning does not occur in isolation. It occurs in relationship.
RoseMarie Ezra – Director of Facilities & Campus Health & Safety
RoseMarie Ezra
Director of Facilities & Campus Health & Safety
RoseMarie Ezra
RoseMarie Ezra – Director of Facilities & Campus Health & Safety
What Matters in Education is:
empathy and empowerment. Let’s empower our children to feel deeply and lift up others.
Samantha Snook
4th Grade Teacher (Strawberry Creek)
Samantha Snook
What Matters in Education is:
empathy and empowerment. Let’s empower our children to feel deeply and lift up others.
What Matters in Education is:
growing to know yourself as a learner and as a community member.
Stephen Cahill
K-5 Social-Emotional Learning Specialist
Stephen Cahill
What Matters in Education is:
growing to know yourself as a learner and as a community member.
What Matters in Education is:
creativity. When learners become creative thinkers they approach challenges with empathy, and understand how they can positively impact their communities.
Vanessa DeNino
Middle School Teaching Artist
Vanessa DeNino
What Matters in Education is:
creativity. When learners become creative thinkers they approach challenges with empathy, and understand how they can positively impact their communities.
Yu Ren Lin
What Matters in Education is:
furthering the next generation.
“I just wanted people to read. Having a wider selection of books, a nicer area to relax and read- I want those changes to inspire people to read again”
-Fern
Now in their final weeks at TBS, the class of 2022 is hopeful that the library will continue to grow. “The more books, the better!” added team member Embley, who also named comic books as the genre they would like to see expand. The team’s vision for the TBS Middle School library is that fellow Bobcats will care for it and continue to contribute to it in their own unique ways and one day, that we will have a central library for the entire school body.
The Berkeley School welcomes students of any race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ability, and national or ethnic origin and accords them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally made available to students at The Berkeley School. TBS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ability, and national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, employment policies, scholarship programs, and athletic or other school administered programs.
Our Mission
Ignite Curious Minds
Awaken Generous Hearts
Engage a Changing World
K – 8 Campus
1310 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 665-8800
Early Childhood Campus
2030 Francisco Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 849-8340
Connect
Ignite Curious Minds
Awaken Generous Hearts
Engage a Changing World
K – 8 Campus
1310 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 665-8800
Early Childhood Campus
2030 Francisco Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 849-8340