Faculty

 

Kindergarten

Education:
BS, California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
MA, College of New Jersey, Ewing
Credential, College of New Jersey, Ewing
Prior Experience:
Howell Mountain Elementary, Angwin
French American International School, San Francisco
International School of the Peninsula, Palo Alto
Pan American School of Bahia, Brazil

 

First Grade

I love teaching at Blue Oak School because of the sense of community. Every teacher feels responsible for every child.
Education:
BS, UC Davis
Credential, Dominican College
Prior Experience:
Petaluma Public Schools


Second Grade

 

Education: 
BA, California State University, Chico
Credential, San Francisco State University
Prior Experience:
Katherine Delmar Burke School, San Francisco
Megan Furth Academy, San Francisco
Town School for Boys, San Francisco


Third Grade

Students at Blue Oak School are curious by nature. They become excited by exploring their own wonderings and interests. The children discover knowledge through hands-on activities and pass on their knowledge to the other members of their class. The parents are dedicated to their children’s education and are an important part of our class and school community.
Education:
BA, UC Berkeley, Credential, Cal Poly Ponoma
MA, St. Mary’s College
Prior Experience:
California public schools

Fourth Grade

 Education:
BA, California State University, Sacramento
MA, National University, Sacramento
Credential, National University, Sacramento
Prior Experience:
Brook Hill Elemenatary, Santa Rosa
Napa Valley Unified Schools
Union House Elementary, Sacramento

Fifth Grade

Blue Oak provides students with opportunities to expand their thinking and take ownership for their learning.  By differentiating instruction, students have multiple entry points to approach new concepts and ideas.
Education:
BA, Augustana College, IL
MPA, University of Illinois, Chicago
Credential, CalState Teach, Monterey
Prior Experience:
Live Oak School, San Francisco
NOCC, Oakland
Aspire Public Schools, Oakland 

Lower School Spanish

Blue Oak allows me to teach Spanish to children in a way that is engaging and meaningful.  The natural method of language acquisition honors all learning styles.  The students develop a strong foundation of vocabulary and cultural understanding while also gaining a clear understanding for how they learn best.  At Blue Oak School Spanish is woven into other academic areas allowing students to make connections between languages and themes taught school-wide.
Education:
BA, Spanish and Anthropology, Purdue University
MA, Teaching Spanish, Sociology, Anthropology, Indiana University
MA, Social Work, Indiana University
California Credential (Secondary)
TESOL Certified, Anaheim University
Prior Experience:
Park Tudor School, Indianapolis, IN
Sharon is also the Coordinator for Blue Oak Middle School and Community Health Clinic Ole, Reach Out and Read program.

Learning Specialist

During my time at Blue Oak School, I have been consistently pleased and excited to see the most enthusiastic teachers using best practices in the classroom every day.
Education:
BA, University of Colorado
MA, University of San Francisco
Credential:
Multiple Subjects
Learning Disabled, Mild to Moderate
Culture & Language Acquisition & Diversity (CLAD)
Prior Experience:
Porter-Gaud School, Charleston, NC
Stuart Hall for Boys, San Francisco, CA
Elmhurst Middle School, Oakland, CA
Mission Hill Junior High School, Santa Cruz, CA
Megan is also the Middle School Learning Specialist.

Lower School Librarian

Mary Smartt 

Education:
BA, UC Berkeley
Master of Library and Information Science, San Jose State University
Credentials: 
Elementary Teaching, California State University, Hayward
Primary Teaching, Somerset Education Authority (England)
Prior Experience:
Children's Services Napa City-County Library - Library Associate
Sleepy Hollow School, Orinda, CA - Literacy Specialist
Elementary Teacher Grades 108 (CA and England)
Mary is also the Middle School Librarian.

Lower School Art

It’s exciting to build a curriculum that honors the passions of both the educators and the students. WE all grow and thrive in this environment.
Prior Experience:
Private art studio
Summer art camps



Lower School Drama

In working with children, I strive to create an atmosphere of collaboration and creativity. Although performance is the natural result, the process of getting to that point is the focus as we work on building confidence, cooperative learning, reading comprehension with a script and public speaking skills, which all establish a foundation for manifesting a child’s highest potential.
Education:
BA, Literature, SUNY Purchase
MFA, Acting, UC San Diego
Prior Teaching Experience:
Berkeley Rep Theatre
TheatreWorks
Resident Teaching Artist for TheatreWorks’ Children’s Healing Project at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA
Other Experience:
Actor in television, film and theatre in New York, Chicago, San Francisco
Aimée also teaches Drama in the Middle School.

Lower School Music

  LS (K-5th) and MS (6th) Music

It is rewarding to see how music has become ingrained in my students; how it is a natural part of their everyday lives and how they think of themselves as musicians.

Kim is beginning her tenth year teaching music at Blue Oak School and is also the director of the Napa Valley Children's Chorus whose members include singers in grades 3-6 from Blue Oak School and throughout the Napa Valley.

Education:
BME, University of Northern Colorado
MM, West Virginia University
Prior Experience:
Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade, Phillips-Edison Charter School, Napa, CA
Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelth Grade, Ygnacio Valley High School, Concord, CA
Napa Valley College

Lower School Physical Education

, LS Physical Education, 3rd, 4th, and 5th

The positive energy and community feeling surrounding Blue Oak School makes it a great place to teach physical education.
Education:
BS, Sonoma State University
Credential, Sonoma State University
Prior / Current Experience:
PE & APE, Napa Valley Unified School District



, LS Physical Education, Kinder, 1st, and 2nd

Blue Oak honors the students need to grow inside and outside of the classroom.  Children love to move, and providing physical education four times a week promotes the mind and body to come together and thrive.  It is awesome to watch the children learn how to work independently and together in games that promote movement and strategy.
Education: 
BA, Speech Communication, Cal Poly
MS, Education, Physical Education, Bemidji State University, Minnesota (in progress)
Prior / Current Experience:
Volleyball Coach, Napa Valley College and Sonoma State

Lower School Teaching Assistants & After-School Neighborhood

, LS Associate Teacher in Learning Services

I love to see how children blossom into readers and writers. It’s wonderful to help make that happen, and to see them shine when it finally comes together.
Education:
BA, Psychology, UC Berkeley
California Culinary Academy
Prior Experience:
Thirty-hour comprehensive training, Orton Gillingham
Seeing Stars, Visualizing and Verbalizing, Lindamood Bell
Teaching Elementary Mathematics Using Alternative Strategies and Modalities, Landmark School Professional Development
The 4 Operations and 400 Math Facts, 9-Lines Intensive, Fractions, Decimals and Advanced Place Value, Pre-Algebra Making Math Real

, LS Teaching Assistant and After-School Neighborhood

I am proud to be at Blue Oak School because of the School's philosophy and quality of education. 
Education:
AAS, Fine Arts, Chamberlain School of Design
Early Childhood Education, City College, San Francisco
BA, Humanities, New College, San Francisco
Prior Experience:
Adventures Preschool, Belmont, MA
Cross Cultural Family Center, San Francisco, CA
Escola Desportivea, Mozambique

, LS Teaching Assistant and After-School Neighborhood

I am extremely excited to be assisting the faculty and students here at Blue Oak School.  The creative and positive learning style presented here, helps reinforce that learning is fun and very interesting.
Education:
BS, Sociology, Arizona State University
Prior Experience:
Substitute teaching in Napa schools for the past 10 years from pre-school to high school, both public and private schools.
Girl Scout Leader for several years
4-H Camp Counselor, summer session

Director of Special Programs

, After-School Neighborhood / Summer Program Coordinator

Melinda has played a number of roles in the past several years at Blue Oak School:  parent, volunteer, tutor, seventh grade humanities teacher, eighth grade support teacher, and Summer Program Coordinator.  Melinda brings together all these roles as Director of Special Programs, in which she integrates various areas that take the Blue Oak mission, programs and students out into the community:  After School Classes and Neighborhood, Summer Programs, High School Placement, and Service Learning.
Education:
MA, Experiential Education, University of Colorado, Boulder
BA, Religious Studies, Fine Arts, French, University of Colorado, Boulder
Prior Experience: 
September School, Boulder, CO
North Jakarta International School, Indonesia
Elgin Academy, Chicago, IL
San Francisco Day School, CA
Warren Walker School, Henderson, NV
Center for Artistry in Teaching, Washington, DC
Holton-Arms School, Bethesda, MS
Melinda is also the High School Placement Counselor and Service Learning Coordinator at the Middle School.