Welcome to Poly: Moving Around and Moving In

Joey Bacon will be moving from Poly's kindergarten to the first grade in the fall. Joey first came to Poly in 2017 and spent his first year as a long-term substitute teacher in kindergarten and first grade before transitioning to be a Lower School teaching fellow. During the pandemic, Joey taught a kindergarten 'pod' and was pivotal in the success of keeping the Lower School fully on track and providing a quality education to our youngest students. Before joining Poly, Joey worked in both public and private schools in Minnesota and Southern California. We are very fortunate that Joey will continue his career at Poly and that our students will continue to grow from this teaching.

Sherlyn Burns is Poly's new lead teacher in kindergarten where she started her career at Poly as a substitute teacher in the Lower School in 2003. Sherlyn became a permanent part of the Lower School in 2005 as a kindergarten assistant teacher. Sherlyn has a long-standing history with Poly as her son, Brendan, graduated in 2015. Sherlyn has proudly participated in school assemblies on Veterans Day as she is a vet who served with the United States Army. Sherlyn earned her B.A. in human development from Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA. We are very excited for Sherlyn as she moves into this next chapter of her teaching career.

Jackie Clark is the new Lower School coordinator to Paula Martin, Poly's Lower School director. Jackie came to Poly initially as a Hixon intern, and then in 2016 joined Poly as the assistant to the director of PolySummer and Extended Day Program. Before coming to Poly, Jackie served as a teacher intern at Saint Mark's School in Altadena; she brings valuable experience and skill to this position. We are very excited to welcome Jackie officially as part of the Lower School team.

Rachel Pringle will be Poly's new Upper School English/Writer Center Coordinator in the fall.  Rachel came to Poly in 2015 and has been an integral part of the English department as she has taught AP English Language to juniors and also serves as a faculty advisor. Rachel is a member of the Global Initiatives Program Faculty Committee and has served as a chaperone for the 2018 service-learning trip to Nicaragua and the 2019 service-learning trip to the Dominican Republic. Before coming to Poly, Rachel worked as a research assistant for the National Writing Project, a professional development organization for teachers of writing. Rachel stated that "teaching allows you to be a lifelong learner" and further stated that "working at Poly is challenging, creative, and most of all invigorating. Each year, I not only have the chance to read new books, develop new curriculum, and try out new methods, but I also get to meet and cultivate relationships with new students." Rachel will be tasked with fostering an awareness and love of the expressive power of language and the mastery of critical thinking, reading, writing, and speaking. We are very excited for Rachel in this new role.

Bordeaux Martin will be moving from teaching second grade to being our new third grade teacher this fall. Bordeaux came to Poly as a Hixon intern in 2014 and assisted with both PolySummer and after-school programs while serving as a long-term substitute teacher before becoming a permanent part of the Lower School faculty. Bordeaux was a pre-kindergarten through third grade classroom teacher in Taiwan and Thailand before coming to Poly. We are thrilled Bordeaux is continuing in the Lower School.

Aileen Peterson will be joining Jon Fay’s team as Polytechnic Bus Program coordinator in the fall. Aileen came to Poly in 2007 as the Lower School/Middle School assistant and eventually moved into the Lower School coordinator position. Aileen’s entire career has been devoted to education; prior to joining Poly she worked for the La Canada Unified School District. Aileen comes with a wealth of experience and the ability to perform at any level. We are fortunate that Aileen is now part of the summer and Extended Day Program.

Anushka Rai is now a permanent member of our Lower School faculty team as a fourth grade teacher. Anushka joined us last year during the pandemic. Prior to Poly, Anushka taught at Ribet Academy in Los Angeles where she served as a kindergarten teacher, engaging her students in a variety of activities and instructional methods (songs, stories, media, structured games, art, and outdoor activities) to motivate and stimulate children’s abilities. Prior to joining Ribet Academy, Anushka taught at the Lentera Kasih School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Anushka served as a first grade teacher (English and science); and a second and third grade teacher (science). Anushka also taught at the Singapore International School in Jakarta where she served as third grade teacher for English, science, and math and a fourth and fifth grade instructor for science. 

Floriane Siegel will be moving from teaching first grade to being our new second grade teacher in the fall. Flo came to Poly in 2015 but before joining Poly, Flo taught second grade at Chatsworth Hills Academy and grades K-1 at Feynman School in Bethesda, MD. Flo’s educational philosophy is simply “help build good people” which she has been doing since first entering the classroom. We are excited for Flo’s continuing journey in the Lower School.

Edgar Arceo will be joining our Middle School faculty this fall as our new Spanish teacher. Edgar comes to us from Deerfield Academy in MA where he was awarded the J. Smith Teaching Fellow Chair. While at Deerfield Academy, Edgar taught full-time while earning a Master’s of Science in Education through the University of Pennsylvania GSE. Edgar also taught full immersion Spanish, virtually and in person (Levels 1-4). Previously, Edgar was awarded the Fisher Fellow at The Thacher School in Ojai, CA. This two year teaching fellowship was characterized by class observation and colleague mentoring. Edgar also taught AP Psychology and full immersion Spanish (Level 3) while serving as a student advisor, head coach, and camping leader. Edgar is a recent graduate of Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT where he earned his M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. Edgar earned his M.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and his B.A. from Kenyon College, Gambier, OH. Please extend a warm Poly welcome to Edgar when you see him on campus.

Amber Bocquin joins our Upper School faculty this fall as our new mathematics teacher. Amber comes to us from Tien Shan International School in Almaty, Kazakhstan. While at Tien Shan International School, Amber taught AP Calculus, algebra 2 and 1, pre-algebra, and business math. Amber reconstructed the calculus course to cover the AP Calculus BC curriculum and led the mathematics committee to revamp the K-12 curriculum for CIS Accreditation. In addition to teaching mathematics, Amber also taught graphic design, computers, and cultural geography. Amber also enjoys athletics and served as the head coach for Girls Varsity Soccer. Amber earned her B.A. in mathematics from Judson University, City of Industry, CA; her M.A. in urban planning from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI; and her M.S. in mathematics from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. We are so happy to welcome Amber to the Poly community.

Ara Brown has joined the Upper School community as Poly’s Upper School director. Ara’s career highlights include the Whittle School & Studios School in Washington, D.C. where he served as the assistant head of school & founding head of the Upper School for this K-12 (300 students) day and boarding school. In this role, Ara developed, implemented, and managed all aspects of the academic, social, and residential components of MS/US including hiring, retaining, evaluating, and supporting faculty. He also assisted in the development of curriculum including scope and sequence, and mastery-based assessment model; supervised athletic programs; and college counseling and student support services. 

Prior to the Whittle School & Studios, Ara served as the Upper School dean of boys (a K-12 with 780 students) for the Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield, where he oversaw the student life program which included residential life, student leadership, student orientation, advisory program, counseling, student health, discipline, and extracurricular activities. Ara also served on the Education and Residential Life Subcommittee of the Board of Governors; served on the Education Policy Committee, Innovation Committee, Admission Committee, Hiring Committee, and co-led the Crisis Team. Ara also worked for The Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Columbia University as program coordinator where he managed and refined the Center’s strategic admissions and outreach plan for its five programs designed for educators and administrators in independent schools. Ara earned his B.A. in psychology and sociology from Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA and two master’s degrees at Teachers College, including an M.A. in organizational psychology and an M.Ed. in counseling psychology, and his Ed.D in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. We look forward to Ara’s leadership in the Upper School.

Abigail (Abby) Cabrera will be joining the Lower School faculty as our new Lower School dean of teaching and learning. Abby comes to us from the San Marino Unified School District where she served as the director of special education. In this role, Abby organized, directed, and supervised the district’s special education department to supervise all assigned personnel, including administrators, psychologists, teachers, speech/language therapists, clerical, and other classified staff. Abby led recruiting, hiring, and training of qualified special education providers in the areas of instruction, speech and language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and school psychology. Abby also evaluated and supervised educators to assess performance and offer support. Abby worked closely with team members to deliver project requirements, develop solutions and meet deadlines. Abby has experience in resolving interpersonal conflicts by listening, finding common ground, and building relationships. Abby previously worked for the Baldwin Park Unified School District (director of special education); Los Angeles County of Education in Downey (regional director); Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles (assistant principal). Abby earned her M.A. from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA and her B.S. from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA. Please give Abby a warm Poly welcome when you see her on campus.

Jared Christensen joins our Upper School faculty for the 2021-2022 school year and will be teaching history. Jared comes to us from Camelot Academy of Arts, Science and Technology in Irvine, CA where he was a high school humanities teacher for U.S. and international high school students. Jared also taught U.S. history, world history, and English. Prior to joining Camelot Academy of Arts, Science & Technology, he spent six year years teaching in China where he specialized in preparing international and ESL students to study in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Jared is conversant in introductory French, Japanese, Latin, and is an intermediate speaker of Mandarin. Jared earned his Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA and his B.A. from Carleton College, Northfield, MN. Please give Jared a warm Poly welcome when you see him on campus.

Steven (Stevie) Clark will be part of the Lower School faculty as our first grade assistant teacher. Most of you already know Stevie as he has been part of the Poly community since 2011. During his time at Poly, Stevie has worn many hats and his duties have ranged from the athletic field to the classroom. Stevie has served as Poly’s assistant coach for varsity soccer and head coach for junior varsity soccer. Stevie was also the assistant coach for the varsity football team. Stevie’s classroom experience includes being the lead teacher for a course entitled “Taking Care of Business: Introduction to Business and Entrepreneurship.” In this role, Stevie instructed sixth/seventh grade students in a project-driven course on the basics and fundamentals of starting a business from “scratch.” Stevie has been an administrator of the Polytechnic Summer School Program and program coordinator for Middle School Tutors, Polytechnic Extended Day Program. In this role, Stevie designed and launched a community service-based program in which Poly Middle School students tutor elementary school students at Pasadena Unified School District’s James Madison Elementary School. Stevie recently has been serving as a Lower School Classroom assistant teacher where he has developed extensive experience during hybrid, hybrid remote, and in-person learning in four different K-2 classrooms. Stevie quickly established a rapport with the students and a management style that aligned with that of the lead teacher, paving the way for a smooth transition back to school. Stevie earned his M.A. in early childhood education, special education from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA and his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, CA. We are thrilled that Stevie will be continuing his career path at Poly.

Emily Fischer will be part of our Advancement Department as an interim director of Alumni & Community Relations. Emily will be filling in for Katherine Vieser while Katherine is out on maternity leave. Emily has over 16 years experience as an alumni relations and advancement professional. Emily has worked for such esteemed institutions as Caltech, Columbia University, and USC. In her most recent role at Caltech, Emily served as secretary to the board supporting the CAA Board of Directors including the Finance, Governance, Nomination and Audit Committees. Additionally, Emily supervised a portfolio of robust programs in the areas of professional development, networks, current student, and recent alumni programming, communications, regional activities, alumni awards and prizes, and engagement events such as Reunion Weekend and Seminar Day. Emily also directed the development and implementation of strategic planning and annual operational plans. Emily earned her B.A. from Washington State University, Pullman, WA. We are delighted to welcome Emily!

Daniel Frazer will be joining our Athletics Department in the fall as one of our new physical education instructors. Many of you may already be familiar with Daniel as he has been very involved in the Poly community since 2018. Daniel has coached 41 freshman-senior defensive and offensive football athletes at Poly and has additionally coached 35 freshman-senior soccer athletes. Daniel has also led and instructed kindergarten-eighth grade students in “How to Play Chess” and “How to Build a Sports Franchise.” Currently, Daniel is responsible for teaching first, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade physical education for the 2020-2021 year at Poly and was responsible for teaching second, fifth, seventh, and eighth grade students at Poly physical education and science for the 2019-2020 school year. Daniel earned his M.A. in education from the University of La Verne, La Verne, CA and his B.A. in kinesiology from Long Beach State University, Long Beach, CA. Please give Daniel a warm welcome.

Alexander (Alex) Jimenez will be joining our Upper School faculty as our new English instructor. Alex has a varied and interesting background in both English and French Literature. Alex studied French Literature and Contemporary French Society at the University of Paris in France. He comes to us from Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA where he taught Upper School English. Prior to joining Episcopal Academy, Alex served as an Inaugural Foreman Fellow/French Teacher at the Gillman School in Baltimore, MD. In this role, Alex was responsible for two sections of French and maintained a rigorous work schedule that included overseeing a homeroom and an advisory of eight boys. Alex also served as an English instructor at Groupe Scolaire Fenelon Sainte-Marie in Paris, France. In this role, Alex oversaw class discussion and coursework completion in a classroom of 17 year-old French students. Alex also assisted in individually tutoring students on developing their pronunciation and communication skill in English. Alex stated, “I have consciously shaped my American literary education toward understanding African-American racial-uplift literature throughout the 19th century, and exploring the ways in which modernity influenced stream-of-consciousness writers such as Faulkner and Joyce.” Alex was on the varsity track and cross country team in college and has a passion for coaching the sport as well. Alex earned his B.A. in English literature from Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA. We are very happy to welcome Alex to the Poly community.

Suzanne Khazaal joined our Advancement team during the pandemic in October 2020 and is Poly’s donor relations and strategic Advancement communications manager. Suzanne comes to us from CAIR-LA where she served as a development manager. In her previous role, Suzanne managed and executed several online campaigns and mailers. Suzanne has over eight years of experience building donor relationships, creating and implementing a donor stewardship plan, initiating development campaign appeals, creating departmental operational budgets, overseeing major gifts and utilizing the stewardship plan to cultivate relationships and help increase donations annually. Suzanne additionally has marketing and project management experience for several campaigns and events throughout her career. Suzanne earned her B.S. in Journalism from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA. We are so happy that Suzanne is part of our Poly community.

Nicholas Law will be joining our Lower School faculty as a kindergarten fellow this fall. Nicholas has previous experience at Poly serving as our fencing coach and teaching aide. As a teaching aide, Nick supervised multiple fifth grade classes, assisting teachers by reading/correcting homework and assignments and also assisting P.E. teachers. Nick will continue his duties as our fencing coach in the fall. Nick has over 10 years experience in leading educational games and group activities for both kids and adults and has been both a creator and instructor for various educational workshops. Nick worked for the LACHSA Summer Arts Conservatory as an instructor for Middle School summer camp which included classes involving theatrical improvisation, acting, stage combat, directing, and movement. Nick was also an instructor for the Theatrical Education Group in La Canada and was responsible for creating class curriculum, leading students in exercise and drills, concluding with a final performance by the kids. Nick earned his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, CA. We are happy to have Nick as part of our Poly community.

Ramandeep “Raman” Mander will be a new addition to our Middle School faculty team as our Middle School science teacher in the fall. Raman comes to us from Durston House School, London, England where she has served as the head of science for this independent school in the UK with a student body aged 4-13. Raman designed, implemented and monitored the entire school’s science curriculum. Raman has taught biology, chemistry, and physics to seniors ages 10-13 and supervised science coordinators throughout every section of the school for students ages 5-13. A few of Raman’s achievements include the creation of a new Science Virtual Learning Environment by incorporating IT into the curriculum through the addition of simulations, online investigations, websites, powerpoints, and videos. Raman implemented science assemblies to the entire school on a variety of topics, most recently on “Mars and the future of space travel” and “Why Oceans Matter,” which focused on climate change. Raman earned her B.A. in biological sciences from California State University, Stanislaus, CA and her M.A. in science education from California State University, Northridge, CA. We are very happy to have Raman join our Poly community.

Michaela Mares-Tamayo ’99 has joined the Poly community as our director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Michaela comes to us from Pasadena City College where she served as director of student equity. In this role, Michaela was responsible for all aspects of student equity initiatives for the 27,000+ students on the main campus and three satellite locations. Michaela managed multiple teams of people and oversaw critical support programs, including CORE for formerly incarcerated students and QUEST for LGBTQ+ and undocumented students as well as various racial and ethnic affinity groups. She coordinated efforts in the areas of professional learning and program development that were aimed at closing equity gaps. Michaela’s work empowered students, faculty, staff, and administrators to see the unique role each plays in transforming the institution for the benefit of all. Michaela was the first to hold this position and has worked hard to bring cohesion to the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the college. Additionally, Michaela teaches a first-year seminar class and is a visiting scholar at UCLA’s Center for Critical Race Studies. She is also a Poly alumna, class of 1999.

Prior to her current position, Michaela worked at UCLA as a program coordinator for academic and research programs where she developed and supervised mentoring and support programs for traditionally underserved students. Additionally, she has been a lecturer at UCLA and Cal State-LA in several subject areas, including Mexican Americans in School, urban education, class, race, ethnicity, and gender. Earlier in her career, Michaela taught in the Pasadena Unified School District as a long-term sub.

After graduating from Poly, Michaela earned a B.A. in ethnic studies and Chicano studies from University of California-Berkeley, CA. She later received a Master of Arts degree in Mexican-American Studies from California State University, Los Angeles, CA before earning a Ph.D. from University of California, Los Angeles, CA. Please welcome Michaela (back) to Poly!

Christine Marie will be joining our Upper School faculty this fall as our new film instructor. Christine has enjoyed a wonderful career as an artist and has also taught extensively as a teaching artist. Christine has worked for DreamWorks Studios as a feature film consultant and workshop leader and was part of the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier as a director in their new media category. Christine worked for Pixar University as an animation instructor and was a guest lecturer and workshop leader on Cinematic Shadow Animation and Stereoscopic 3D for the California Institute of the Arts. Christine also has experience in puppetry and was part of the Los Angeles Puppetry Guild at Center Theater Group. Christine has many years of experience working at independent schools such as The Center for Early Education and Black Pine Circle School in addition to Los Feliz Charter School. Christine is very interested in incorporating technology into the classroom whether through maker-type technology or giving students projects on data visualization. Christine earned her M.A. from the California Institute of the Arts, Santa Clarita, CA, and her B.A. from San Francisco University, San Francisco, CA. We are very happy to welcome Christine to the Poly community.

Nicole Morrison will be joining our Middle School faculty team as our mathematics teacher. Nicole comes to us from Providence High School in Burbank, CA. In this role, Nicole taught algebra 1, algebra 1 honors, and geometry, through multiple platforms of instruction, integrating technology. Nicole also provided additional support opportunities for students through tutoring and office hours. She created a support plan for students’ demonstration of math subject proficiency. Nicole collaborated and communicated with students, parents/guardians, colleagues, department members, and administration. Nicole also manages to find time to coach the cheer team. Nicole earned her M.A. in education from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, and her B.A. in educational studies from Chapman University, Orange, CA. Please extend a warm welcome to Nicole when you see her on campus.

Adriana Navarro joined our Advancement team as our new database manager this summer. Adriana comes to us from Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation in Los Angeles where she served as database administrator in charge of the Raiser’s Edge database. Adriana was also part of the Blackbaud Certified Professionals Group (BCP4) within the Adventist Health system, where, for eight years, she led efforts to streamline the coding systems, produce reporting manuals, and publish best practices for the gift flow processes for the 25 sister hospitals in the network. Prior to this, Adriana served as development operations manager at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Adriana earned her B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA. We are very happy to extend a warm Poly welcome to Adriana.

Vincent Oliver will be joining our Admissions and Physical Education departments this fall. Vincent comes to us from Equitas Charter Academy in Los Angeles where he served as a Middle School physical education teacher. In this role, Vincent created unit and lesson plans for P.E. according to the California State Standards and administered physical Fitness Test (PFT) for all fifth and seventh grade students. Vincent provided instructional handouts, texts, audiovisual aids, and other materials to facilitate learning. Vincent simultaneously worked for YULA Boys High School in Beverly Hills, CA as their head Boys Varsity Basketball coach. In his role at YULA, Vincent implemented exercise programs and training strategies that aided in team performance and readied athletes for competitive games by employing coordinated regimes of practices and physical conditioning. Vincent earned his M.A. from the University of Phoenix, Tempe, AZ, and his B.A. from the University of California, Davis, CA. Please extend a warm Poly welcome when you see Vincent on campus.

Jenna Orlandini will be another new addition to our Athletic Department this fall as our physical education instructor. Jenna is very familiar with the independent school world and she has experience at both Westridge and High Point Academy. At Westridge, Jenna served as the head varsity volleyball coach and girls Middle School sports coordinator and a physical education teacher at High Point Academy. In her career as a coach and physical education instructor, Jenna has taught physical education to boys and girls in grades K-8 and has coached boys and girls sports including basketball, track and field, volleyball, and softball. Jenna has coordinated middle school athletics to run smoothly and efficiently with assistance from the athletic director. Jenna has also competed overseas in indoor and beach volleyball and captained a PAC-12 Championship team and Final Four team at NCAA Division 1 level. Jenna earned her M.A. from Concordia University, Irvine, CA and her B.A. in communication from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, and a B.A. in sociology. Please give Jenna a warm welcome to Poly.

Lauren Pinto will be joining our Middle School faculty this year as our new technology integration specialist. Lauren comes to us from the Girls Athletic Leadership School in Los Angeles where she taught sixth grade. In this role, Lauren designed and implemented educational technology training and tutorials for Google productivity suite and GoGuardian, allowing 10 teachers to successfully utilize educational technology platforms in distance learning environments. Lauren wrote scripts and created instructional videos used during distance learning allowing over 60 students to receive asynchronous instruction through video platforms. Lauren developed strategies to implement curriculum and corresponding learning materials to align with the flexible needs of 60+ students within virtual and classroom environments resulting in minimizing learning loss during the 2020-21 school year. Lauren also collaborated as a founding member of a pioneering school for over 300 underserved learners, resulting in outperforming local schools by 30% during the school’s founding year and improved gains yearly. Lauren is familiar with Poly as she worked for PolySummer as a robotics teacher and taught three sections for third to eighth graders resulting in students independently coding their own robot using Lego Mindstorm software. Lauren earned her M.Ed. in educational technology from Boise State University, Boise, Idaho and her B.A. from California State University, Northridge, CA. We are very excited to welcome Lauren to Poly.

Meredith Robbins joined our Poly community as chief Advancement officer in February 2021. Meredith comes to us from CalArts in Santa Clarita, CA where she served as the SVP/VP of development. In this role, Meredith led the Institute’s 20-person Advancement team and increased total fundraising commitments from $8M (FY19) to $15M (FY20); a 10 year high. Prior to joining CALARTS, Meredith led a fundraising team for our neighbor Caltech, in support of science, engineering, scholarships, and student life initiatives. Her prior roles include the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, and Columbia University, among others.  Meredith earned her M.F.A. in dramaturgy from Brooklyn College, City University of New York, and her B.A. in English and B.A. in theater from Hartwick College. Please give Meredith a warm Poly welcome when you see her on campus.

Joannes Rodriguez will join our Advancement team as our new associate for alumni and community relations. Joannes comes to us from Providence High School where she has served as the alumni relations coordinator. In this role, Joannes developed alumni engagement through events, reunions, a personalized 1:1 approach, and general alumni outreach. Joannes strengthened the school’s alumni outreach through specific programming and events like the Alumni Festival and Play Preview Nights. Joannes managed the Senior Projects Program, a capstone experience for graduating students, to build a relationship with current students before they become young alumni. Joannes also worked collaboratively with the Institutional Advancement Team including the marketing and communications department to strengthen communication in the alumni magazine, social media, web pages, and newsletters. Joannes earned her M.A. from Mount St. Mary’s University, Los Angeles, CA, and her B.A. from Cal State University, Northridge, CA.

Dominic Rosato will be part of our Upper School faculty team in the fall as our new Upper School math and computer science teacher. Dominic comes to us from Seattle Preparatory School where he taught both subjects and took sole ownership of the school’s Java-based AP Computer Science curriculum after staffing vacancies created a need, including enrolling in graduate education to further content knowledge. Dominic partnered with the Microsoft TEALS program, aligning curriculum and co-teaching with industry professionals in order to provide effective instruction to students. Dominic increased the annual student interest and enrollment in the AP computer science course to roughly double from the 2018 academic year to the present. Dominic taught mathematics courses in intermediate algebra, algebra 2/trigonometry, precalculus, and honors precalculus. Dominic coordinated with the department chair to design and administer placement exams for incoming first-year students and provided additional one-on-one mathematics support for students across all courses during study hall periods. Dominic maintained inter-departmental collaboration by working with co-teachers on a daily basis through shared lesson planning, assessment design, and grading alignment. Dominic formally and informally provided technical support to colleagues, including training of screen-casting technologies, Zoom, Swivl, Microsoft Teams, and OneNote. Dominic earned his B.A. in secondary education, mathematics, and philosophy from Boston College, Newton, MA. Please give a warm Poly welcome to Dominic when you see him on campus.

Balakrishnan (Bala) Selvakumar will be joining our Upper School faculty team as our new biology teacher. Bala has extensive experience in both advanced biology and STEM biology having taught at both the Whittle School and Studios in Washington, DC and Middleburg Academy in Middleburg, VA. Bala’s coursework includes such areas as human interaction and food (neuroscience) which explored how humans interact and what is the influence of food by drawing on primary research literature in neurobiology; human interaction and food (humanities) which explored how humans interact and what is the influence of food by using material evidence and primary sources from the humanities, including history, archeology, art, and literature; understanding molecular biology through labs where students used a series of hands-on labs to explore molecular biology concepts such as structure and function of DNA and protein, etc. Bala also designed and implemented research and writing groups in an online setting during the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in upper school student work being published by Genomic: Insights, the journal of the National Human Genome Research Institute, and the Smithsonian. Bala earned his B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Madras, Chennai, India, and his M.S. in biochemistry from the University of Madras, Chennai, India. Bala earned his Ph.D. in cell biology from Duke University, Durham, NC. We are very excited to welcome Bala to the Poly community.

Debbie Silva will be joining our Admission team this fall as our interim assistant director of Admission for Middle School. Debbie has served for over 20 years as an educator in independent schools and most recently worked at High Point Academy where she served as the lead classroom teacher where she worked with a grade-level team to design and implement curriculum and assessment for grade two students. Debbie also worked with the Admissions department to interview and assess prospective students. Debbie worked at Crestview Preparatory where she was also a lead teacher for grades one and two and worked with the Admissions department to interview and assess new students. Additionally, Debbie was the primary department and lead teacher at Campbell Hall for grades K-2. Debbie advised, supervised, and evaluated primary department teachers (grades K-2) and was responsible for leading monthly meetings and served as a liaison between primary faculty and the elementary principal. Debbie continued her work with the Admission department in this role as well as she interviewed and assessed prospective students. Debbie earned her M.S. from the University of La Verne, CA, and her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, CA. We are very excited to have Debbie join our Admissions team.

Melissa Tomokiyo will be joining Marcy Kwitny in the Health Office as our new Health Office assistant. Melissa comes to us from First Chinese Baptist Church in Los Angeles and the Child Educational Center in La Canada Flintridge. In her role at First Chinese Baptist Church, Melissa entered, processed, updated, and maintained data records for over 500 children in the church’s ERP/SIS system. Melissa compiled and analyzed data to create reports for the Children’s Pastor and prepared, edited, and reviewed parent communications in addition to tracking and compiling responses. Melissa also provided customer service to all families and answered any visitor inquiries. As a private school educator at the Child Educational Center, Melissa worked with a team to develop and implement a curriculum that was current, used research-based practices, and was anti-biased. Melissa managed inventory/purchasing of all consumable school goods and developed new procedures for room supply ordering/distribution. Melissa also provided backup support for the front office, answering phones and reception. Melissa earned her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Please say hello to Melissa when you see her on campus. 

Kendale Winbush will be joining the Lower School faculty as a kindergarten fellow this fall. Kendale served as a teaching assistant for the University of California, Los Angeles where he was part of the Introduction to Acting curriculum. In this role, Kendale led multiple undergraduate courses on the elements of theater, improvisation, classical text, scene study, original content creation, voice-over, meditation, breath and vocal strengthening, and monologue work. Kendale mentored emerging artists and developed new talent. Prior to joining UCLA, Kendale worked with the Odyssey Charter School as a teaching assistant for third grade. Kendale earned his M.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, and his B.A. from Columbia University, New York, NY. Please extend a warm welcome to Kendale when you see him on campus.