About RMDS
RMDS Faculty and Staff |
Suzanne Alpert is our high school counselor and the Director of Development. She has her B.A. from Bowdoin College in Biology and Environmental Studies, and a M.A. from Stanford University in Educational Policy Analysis and Evaluation. Suzanne has taught at Lick Wilmerding High School and Marin Academy, and at Santa Catalina School and the American School of The Hague. She was a Klingenstein Fellow at Columbia University’s Summer Institute in 1996. Suzanne joined Ring Mountain in 2001.
David Beitchman teaches Humanities in the Middle School. He has his B.A. in Social Studies with honors from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and his M.A from UC Santa Barbara in Education, with an emphasis in Teaching and Learning. At Harvard, Dave was co-captain of the 8-time defending National Champion Squash Team. Dave is a current member of Screen Actors’ Guild, and is interested in using film in classroom interdisciplinary study. He has taught in Prague, Czech Republic and is the founder and president of Holistic Tutoring.
Shannon Beitchman teaches K-2 Spanish. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She attended La Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina and La Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso in Chile. Her experience includes teaching and tutoring students of preschool age through young adult.
Terry Bonn joins Ring Mountain Day School as Elementary/Middle School Director. She has an MA in Education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Her Ed.D is from the University of Minnesota in Educational Administration. Terry has many years of teaching and administrative experience in both US and international and schools, most recently at Graland Country Day School in Denver, CO.
Liza Butler is returning for her fifth year, teaching third and fourth grades. She has her B.A., First Class Honors, from the University of Birmingham, England, and was in the Education Abroad Program at the University of California, Berkeley. Liza taught at the Nueva School in Hillsborough, and was a volunteer Science Teacher at Trinity Grammar and Preparatory School, a Senior Field Staff, Naturalists At Large, and Literacy Project Coordinator, East Bay Conservation Corps, Oakland.
Daisy Cassidy begins her third year at RMDS in Kindergarten. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from University of Oregon and her multi-subject credential with an emphasis on Early Childhood from San Francisco State University. Daisy taught Kindergarten at Alvarado Elementary School in San Francisco and co-taught 1st Grade at The Nueva School. While at Nueva, she assisted in the planning and teaching of the Social/Emotional Learning classes for Grades 1, 4, and 7 and assisted in the Kindergarten and 1st Grade admissions process. Daisy also worked as a clinician at Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes in Burlingame.
Amy Copland is originally from California and came to Ring Mountain mid-year 2006-2007 after teaching for two years in New York Public School System. Her experiences with diverse cultures and multiple age groups reinforced her philosophy of an inclusive, experiential values-based approach to elementary education. Amy earned a BA in Liberal Studies from Chico State University in 2001 and Early Childhood Credential from San Francisco State University in 2003 and Professional Clear Credential in 2004.
AJ Diamonti joined RMDS in 2002 He spent four years at Cornell University in upstate New York majoring in Biochemistry before moving on to Harvard Medical School where he worked as a researcher in biochemistry until 2001. His research eventually brought him to a lab in California before he began volunteering his services at RMDS. He published 8 papers stemming from his work on breast cancer before turning his attentions to education. In addition to managing our Informational Technology program, AJ teaches 7th and 8th grade English, and is the school photographer.
Nancy Diamonti has been Head of School since 1999. She has her Ph.D. in Child and Adolescent Psychology and Educational Leadership from Boston College. Nancy has also completed her doctoral coursework in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her MA is also from UW- Madison in Reading and Learning Differences. Her BA is from Caldwell College, Caldwell, New Jersey in History and Elementary Education. She has over 40 years in education, 22 in public and private schools as a Principal/Head of School.
Suzanne Geller is the K-8 Librarian. She is originally from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles where she learned to speak Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamentu. She received her BA in Theatre from Smith College and did her graduate studies in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Bank Street College in New York City. She taught at Corlears School and Ethical Culture in New York City, Santa Catalina School in Monterey, CA, and most recently at The Nueva School in Hillsborough, CA. Suzanne also served as the Service Learning Liaison at The Nueva School and has spent the past four years leading summer service trips for middle and high school students in Ecuador, Fiji, Thailand, and Mongolia.
Andrea Gough joins RMDS this year, teaching 5th and 6th Grade English and 5-8 Physical Education. Andrea has a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC-Berkeley and her multiple subject clear credential from San Francisco State. She brings a background of five years classroom teaching experience in preschool and grades 3, 4 and 5; educational leadership and team work; integrated science experiences; yoga and dance instruction.
Thorsten Gritzan is teaching Mathematics in the Middle School. He is from Canada, and has a BA in Statistics and a diploma in Honors Standing in History for the University of Western Ontario. He also has a Bachelor of Ed. from Althouse College. Thorsten’s previous experience includes 6 years in the San Francisco Unified School District, teaching Middle School Honors Math and Algebra. Thorsten joined the faculty in 2005.
Iris Heusler teaches Physical Education in grades K-4, and has been a teacher at Ring Mountain since 1990. She was born in Cologne, Germany where she earned her BA equivalent and Certification in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Afterschool Programs and Recreation at the College of Education in Cologne. Iris is an active member of CAHPERD (California Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance).
Jocelyn Lee is teaching Science for Grades 5-8. Her background includes four years of science instruction for both elementary and middle school as well as tutoring chemistry at the college level. She reads, speaks and writes both Cantonese and Mandarin dialects. Jocelyn earned her BA in Integrative Biology from UC-Berkeley in 2004. She received her CLAD certification in Biological Science from San Francisco State University in 2007.
Mark Mabry returns to RMDS as the Director of Admissions. He has been working as a teacher and administrator in educational programs in the Bay Area for over 20 years. He earned an M.A. in Elementary Education from San Francisco State University and a B.S. in Information and Computer Science from UC Irvine. Mark presents workshops for both educators and parents at the local, state and national levels on a variety of topics including literacy development, children’s play, and documentation of children’s learning.
Bobbi Perez joins the RMDS staff as Administrative Assistant. She has previous administrative support experience in medicine, multiple financial fields and design. She has a BA in Humanities from California State University, AA degrees from Sierra College in both Humanities and Liberal Studies and General Education coursework at San Francisco State University. Bobbi also earned a certificate in Medical Assisting from Bryman College.
Luisa Pinto returns for her second year. This year she will be team-teaching Grades 1 and 2 with Amy Copland. Luisa has her B.A. from San Francisco State, and her M.A. and multiple subject credentials from Mills College in Early Childhood Education. Luisa has taught at the Nueva School in Hillsborough CA. for five years, some of that time co-teaching with Daisy. She also was the Co-Director of the Nueva Summer Challenge Program in 2003. Luisa is fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish.
Sarita Pockell teaches Elementary/Middle School music, drama and movement. Sarita came to Ring Mountain in 2004, with an extensive background as a performer and educator. She has performed for over 20 years with both academic and community choral and music ensembles that have won statewide and international awards, and she has composed, performed, and produced the music for several recordings, groups, and shows. Sarita has taught in many public and private schools in the Bay Area and has conducted numerous children’s workshops in composition and musical and theatrical performance. She attended Northern Arizona University and has done coursework at several local colleges.
Feli Pulaski is beginning her sixth year at RMDS teaching Spanish in grades 3-8. Felicitas is a native from the Argentinean Patagonia. She went to school there and graduated from the Conservatory of Music, studying Piano, Pedagogy and Didactic. She later studied Latin and Spanish Grammar and Literature at the Superior Institute of Teaching in Buenos Aires. During these seven years, Feli taught Music from preschool through grade 8. Feli has taught Spanish as a second language in Piedmont, and ‘Espanol for Kids Only’ in San Francisco and Berkeley.
Shane Sahadi is teaching Art, K-8. His background includes being an art teacher in California public schools, art camp and private museum. His expertise includes two and three dimensional art, photography and video production. He looks forward to the opportunity to develop students’ confidence in their creative abilities and to collaborate with faculty to integrate art into all aspects of the curriculum. Shane’s BA in Communication is from Ohio State University (1996) and his MA in Fine Arts is from the University of Toledo (2001).
Rita Voss is the Business Manager. She earned an MBA from Dominican University after completing a BS degree with an Accounting major from San Francisco State University. Rita grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and has lived in Marin County for over twenty years. Rita has many years of business experience; she opened her first restaurant when she was just twenty-years-old. Rita has experience in both finance and human resources at for profit businesses and at not-for-profits. Rita joined us in 2003.
RMDS Preschool Staff Bios |
Cecilia Chan is joining Ring Mountain Preschool this year as the Lead Teacher in the Twos Starfish room. Cecilia has her BA in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University as well as a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. She obtained her Early Childhood Credentials from City College of San Francisco and holds a Site Supervisor Permit. Cecilia has worked with infants through PreK-aged children at Marin Day Schools and at the Imagination Station in Daly City.
Rebecca Courtney is a Teacher in the Sea Lion Room. Helping children thrive through teaching and mentoring has been her passion for over 15 years. She is also deeply involved with a local non-profit (Gilead House) that helps women in need and their children. She has a B.S. in Education (with a minor in Art) from Delta State University.
Laura Di Stasi is Ring Mountain’s Preschool Director. She has worked in Early Childhood Education for over 24 years, as a Preschool Teacher and Director and as the Site Supervisor of Old Gallinas Children’s Center in San Rafael. She has a BA in Humanities with a concentration in Child Development from New College of California and she holds a Program Director’s Permit from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Sandra Gutierrez is the Lead Twos Teacher in the Dolphin Room. This is her fourth year at Ring Mountain, working with our youngest children. Sandra has completed over 36 units of ECE courses at City College of San Francisco. She has been teaching young children for ten years in various programs throughout the Bay Area. She holds her Child Development Associate Teacher Permit from the State of California.
Avelina Fogarty (Lena) is the Teacher Assistant in the Garden Room. Lena is originally from the Philippines where she got a Batchelor of Science Degree from La Salette College of Santiago. She taught Kindergarten there for a year before moving to the US. Lena has been a Nanny for over 10 years.
Brandy Hudkins is a Teacher in the Dolphin classroom. She has a BS in Communications from the University of Arkansas, along with completing an Early Childhood Education Certification from Northeastern State University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been an assistant teacher at a Head Start Program with children ranging from infants to four year olds. She did her student teaching in a private school PreK program as well as a public school teaching in Kindergarten, First and Second grades.
Vanessa Jerez is the Lead Teacher of the Pre-K Rain Forest room. Vanessa has her BS in Global Business Management from Arizona State University. She has taken 32 units in Early Childhood Education courses at San Francisco City College and has applied for her Site Supervisor’s permit. This is Vanessa’s fifth year at Ring Mountain.
Jackie Kelly began her work at Ring Mountain in May of 2000 as a Pre-K Teacher in the Sea Otter Room. This will be Jackie’s second year as the Lead Teacher in the Pre-K Sea Lion room. Jackie has over ten years experience working with children. Jackie’s experience includes being the Director of a school-age program, as well as teaching in other preschool programs. Her BA is in Psychology from Dominican College and she recently completed the California Teacher Credential Program.
Barbara Martinez is returning for her third year as the Lead Teacher in the Preschool Garden Room. Barbara has over 20 years of experience working with young children. She has been a Site Supervisor and a Program Coordinator and has a background in Nursing. She has completed 36 units of Early Childhood Education at College of Marin.
Bernadette McCarthy joined RMDS two years ago as a Preschool teacher. Last year she became a Pre-K Teacher and is returning to the Rain Forest Room to teach Pre-K this year. She has 25 years of experience working with young children in American schools in the Middle East and Africa. She has a Bachelor of Education degree from Manchester University, England.
Blanca Molina is returning for her second year as a Preschool Teacher in the Garden Room. Blanca started at Ring Mountain three years ago as a teacher in the Dolphin room. She has an Associate Teacher’s Permit and 14 years experience as a Preschool Teacher. She previously worked for Marin Community Child Development Programs where she taught preschool at Old Gallinas Children’s Center in San Rafael.
Linnea Rich will be a teacher in the Cove Room this year. Linnea has spent the past nine years working as an experiential educator and Naturalist, leading programs for the Headlands Institute, Save the Bay and the Tiburon Audubon Center. She worked with three and four year olds at the Tiburon Audubon Center and was a Preschool Teacher at the Parkside Children’s Center in San Rafael. Linnea has a BA in sociology from Grinnell College and has taken her ECE classes at the College of Marin.
Tina Sarabandi joins Ring Mountain this year as the Preschool Aftercare Teacher. She has been working with young children for four years and is attending the College of Marin where she has been taking Early Childhood Education classes. Tina is originally from Iran and has a Diploma in Mathematics from Alzahra University in Tehran. She earned an MS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2005. Tina began her teaching career in a toddler classroom in Minneapolis and has also worked with preschool age children.
Kari Weber is the new Lead Teacher for the Cove room. Kari has been a preschool teacher in Marin for six years. She was a Lead Teacher at the Little Arrows Preschool in San Anselmo and worked most recently at the San Francisco Theological Seminary Children’s Center. She graduated from University of Oregon with an Environmental Studies degree and has 19 ECE units from the College of Marin.
Carolyn Williams will be a teacher in the Starfish room this year. Carolyn has a BA in Sociology from Sonoma State University and has completed her ECE classes at the College of Marin. She has been a teacher at Gymboree Play and Music of Marin for the past two years and is the caretaker for a local family with four small children.
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