* 2014-2015 *
Thiago Batista: Learning Lab & I.T. Director
OTA is pleased to announce that Mr. Thiago Batista will be joining Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School as our school Learning Lab & I.T. Director.
Old Town Academy’s K-3 and 4-8 Computer Labs are dedicated to accelerating core skills and to helping classroom teachers teach the core curriculum and Mr. Batista understands their importance. Since Thiago joined the staff full time he has been doing great work helping OTA get through the new “Smarter Balanced” state testing trial, implement our new MAP testing (results will be sent home soon), and prepare the ground for the “Learning Acceleration Games” we have been installing on the new classroom iPads which your generous donations at the Wine & Dine are making possible).
Here are four sample “Learning Acceleration Games” for the iPad that are already big hits with the students who’ve tried them, for children & parents to try at home:
- Duolingo (choose: Spanish, French, Italian, Portugese, German)
- Light-bot Hour of Code (programming: Jr: 6-9; Hr of Code, ages 9+)
- Pizza Math—(applied mathematics, business)
- Build an Atom (matter: periodic table; chemistry… click ‘Games’.)
Education: Mr. Thiago graduated from University Catholic of Santos with a Bachelor of Computer Sciences in Santos, Brazil.
Hobbies: Playing soccer, surfing and flying.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho / New Yorker
Favorite Subject in School: Math
Fun Facts: Mr. Batista moved to the United States from Brazil in 2003 and fell in love with California. He is a Private Pilot and loves to fly. He recently (this week!) passed his “complex airplane” exam.
- For more see:
- Pilot Certification in the US
- How to Get a Private Pilot’s License
- The Checklist Manifesto (what pilots & their checklists can teach surgeons, teachers, builders, and anyone who has a complex job to do well.)
==============
Jeff Major: Assistant Director
Old Town Academy is pleased to announce that Mr. Jeff Major will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as Old Town Academy Assistant Director. Mr. Major will oversee day-to-day operations, MAP Assessment, and Student Success Teams. He will also continue to coach morning TAPS (Think Aloud Problem Solving) for grades 4-8 math and Robotics, including after-school Mindstorms and Bot-Ball teams!
Education: Mr. Major graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Applied Physics. He received his teaching credential with a C.L.A.D. emphasis from UCSD and completed a Masters in Teacher Leadership from the High Tech High Graduate School of Education.
Teaching Experience: Mr. Major began his teaching adventures teaching ESL to Japanese students in Akita prefecture. He then spent 7 years teaching middle and high school students Physics, Mathematics and Robotics at The Preuss School UCSD. More recently he taught Engineering, Robotics, Physics & Mathematics for 4 years at High Tech High International.
Hobbies: Programming robots to dance the Cha-Cha-Cha, hunting albino cave cicadas in the rainforest, & growing devastatingly delicious tomatoes of noble birth!
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Abarat by Clive Barker, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Les Halles Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain, & Make Magazine.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Science & Math
Fun Facts: Mr. Major has traveled to 24 countries and sometimes he takes his students (latest trip: a cycling journey in Tuscany with 32 students!)
===========
Mei Christensen: 8th Grade Teacher
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Mei Christensen will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our 8th Grade Teacher.
See below for Ms. Christensen’s Bio
Education: Ms. Christensen graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Teaching in Elementary Education. In 2010 she was named ACC Women’s Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Teaching Experience: Ms. Christensen taught Pre-K in San Diego and spent the last two years teaching 6th grade Social Studies in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, reading, practicing yoga, swimming, photography, and other arts & crafts (at the moment, knitting).
Favorite Books/Things to Read: The newspaper, kids books (especially Bill Peet and Roald Dahl) and Historical Fiction (especially Ken Follett).
Favorite Subject(s) in School: History & Writing
Fun Facts: Ms. Christensen swam at the 2008 Olympic Trials and can do a headstand!
Turner Watts: 7th Grade Teacher
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Turner Watts will be joining Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School as our 7th Grade Teacher.
See below for Mr. Watts’s Bio.
Education: Mr. Watts earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Shepherd University in West Virginia. He will begin work on a Master’s degree at San Diego State University this fall.
Recent Teaching Experience: Mr. Watts spent the current year teaching 8th grade English at a charter school in Los Angles, CA. He also experienced a wide variety of classrooms working as a substitute teacher in Baltimore, MD, his home town.
Hobbies: Hiking, camping, reading, cooking, travel, and writing.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: The newspaper, anything by Bill Bryson, anything by John Grisham (guilty pleasure), short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, historical works, favorite novel hands down: Herman Melville’s book on Captain Ahab and that white Whale!
Favorite Subject(s) in School: English and History.
US Navy Qualified Submariner Dolphins
Fun Fact: Mr. Watts was in the Navy for five years and worked on a nuclear powered submarine. He completed four six-month deployments and visited nearly a dozen countries during his time at sea. He says the OTA Projects Trees and Project Pass/Try Again checklists remind him of the “system mastery checklists” (qualification cards) submariners are given and asked to master before they earn the right to wear the Dolphins and stand a watch.
For more see:
===========
Jennifer Church: 6th Grade Teacher
OTA is pleased to announce that Ms. Jennifer Church will be returning this year as our 6th Grade Teacher.
Education: Ms. Church graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal studies and a minor in Child Development. She then went on to California State University, San Marcos where she received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Teaching Experience: Ms. Church worked at OTA in 2012-2013 as our first grade intern and K-5 robotics coach, and in 2013-2014 she did an outstanding job as our Charter School Intern, Enrich! After-School Coordinator, K-5 Robotics Coach, and Substitute Teacher in all grades. Before she came to OTA, Ms. Church worked with elementary students in an after-school program.
Hobbies: swimming, dancing, hiking, and arts and crafts.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: mysteries and children’s literature
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Math and History (even though it was hard for her to remember dates and names, she loved learning about different cultures and history)
Fun Facts: Ms. Church loves the water. She grew up swimming and boating. While attending Chico State, Ms. Church spent a summer in Pennsylvania teaching sailing at a camp in the Poconos.
===========
Sarah Rock: 5th Grade Teacher
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Sarah Rock will be joining Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our 5th Grade Teacher.
See below for Ms. Rock’s Bio
Education: Ms. Rock graduated from Vanguard University of Southern California with her Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Mathematics. She received her teaching credential and Masters in Education from Azusa Pacific University.
Teaching Experience: Ms. Rock spent the last two years leading project-based classrooms in the San Bernardino elementary school she attended as a little girl!
Hobbies: Cooking, reading, going to the zoo, and exploring San Diego.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Love Does by Bob Goff, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Math and Science.
Fun Facts: Miss Rock will soon be Mrs. Cook. She is getting married in December and is so excited!
===========
Drew Cohick: 4th Grade Teacher
Old Town Academy is happy to announce that Mr. Andrew (Drew) Cohick will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our 4th Grade Lead Teacher, in addition to serving as Math Mentor (helping other upper grade teachers create “flipped” math classrooms) and continuing to coach 6th grade robotics and math.
See below for Mr. Cohick’s Bio.
Teaching Experience: Drew has been teaching the Core Knowledge curriculum for five years at Sacred Heart Academy in Ocean Beach; he has attended two national Core Knowledge conferences.
===========
Diana Han: 3rd Grade Teacher
We are pleased to announce that Mrs. Diana Han will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our 3rd Grade Teacher. Mrs Han is now in her 5th year teaching Core Knowledge.
See below for Mrs. Han’s Bio.
Education: Ms. Han graduated as Valedictorian her high school and went on to earn a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley. She earned her Masters in Education and her CA Teaching Credential from University of San Diego, and cleared her CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at U.C.S.D. Diana also has a Black Black in Tae Kwon Do!
Teaching Experience: In 2010-2011 Ms. Han taught primary school in a north county charter school.
Hobbies: Cleaning! hiking, being outdoors/sun-soaking, folding origami stars (her trademark), writing poetry.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Alchemist.
Fun Facts: Ms. Han loves Yosemite (one of her students thinks she lives on Half Dome). She loves Vietnamese pho and spring rolls and stuff crust pizza-yum yum. She loves dancing, performing, and making her students come out of their shells, and she taught the Core Knowledge curriculum for over two years. Ms. Han served briefly as a Director of Education for a large corporation, but came back to what she loves: teaching in the primary grades!
*** *** *** *** ***
Susan Crawford: 2nd Grade Teacher
Old Town Academy is pleased to announce that Mrs. Susan Crawford will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our 2nd Grade Teacher.
See below for Mrs Crawford’s bio.
Education: Mrs. Crawford earned her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from San Diego State University. She holds a K-6 Multiple Subject Credential; and this summer she will receive a Masters Degree in Education, also from San Diego State.
Hobbies: Sewing, Cooking, Decorating.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Recess, Lunch, and After-School Activities. Her two favorite subjects to teach, however, are math and science.
Fun Fact: Both Mrs. Crawford’s children are sophomore’s: her daughter in college and her son in high school.
===========
Shana Pitcher: 1st Grade Teacher
Old Town Academy is happy to announce that Ms. Shana Pitcher will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School for the 2013-2014 school year as our First Grade Teacher (click here to see sample first grade Core Knowledge Projects).
See below for Ms. Pitcher’s Bio.
Education: Ms. Pitcher earned an Art Studio Degree from the University of Maryland and a Teaching Credential from San Diego State University. She is presently pursuing a Masters in Language Arts/ Reading Specialist Credential at SDSU.
Hobbies: Painting, Surfing, and Running.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Too Many Toys by David Shannon; any Magic Tree House book.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Math and Reading.
Fun Fact: Ms. Pitcher painted and designed theater sets for three years! She has been teaching the Core Knowledge curriculum for four years and loves to help children become strong readers.
===========
Kiley Coon: 1st Grade Intern
Teaching Experience: In 2011-2012 Mrs. Coon taught first and eighth grade in a private school in Honduras. She also has been involved in various camps and afterschool programs with elementary students. In addition, she has coached volleyball for the last six years.
Hobbies: Walking, running, playing sports, and discovering new things to do in San Diego.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton, The Big MEOW by Elizabeth Spires, and all books by Dr. Seuss.
Favorite Subjects in School: Reading and P.E.
Fun Fact: Mrs. Coon lived in Honduras for a year and traveled to all of the Central American Countries but Panama. She desires to visit Europe and New Zealand in the future. She has four sisters and one brother who grew up on a farm in Iowa with her.
===========
Lauren Drinkward: Kindergarten Teacher
Old Town Academy is pleased to announce that Mrs. Lauren Drinkward has joined Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School as our Kindergarten teacher for the 2013-2014 school year.
Education: Mrs. Drinkward earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. She earned a Master’s of Education degree in elementary education as well as her teaching credential from DeSales University in Center Valley, PA.
Hobbies: Baking, reading, skiing (both water and snow), and dancing.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, and books by Tedd Arnold.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: Math.
Fun Fact: Mrs. Drinkward danced since she was five. She learned many styles including ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical, but her favorite type of dance has always been tap.
*** *** *** *** ***
Caren Kamanski: Office Administrator
Old Town Academy is pleased to announce that Mrs. Caren Kamanski will be returning to Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School this year as our Office Administrator.
See below for Mrs. Kamanski’s bio.
Professional: Caren’s background in Corporate Administration includes Legal, Manufacturing, Commercial Development, Real Estate & Insurance. She worked at Grant School (SDUSD) for five years, wearing many hats, including Guidance Counselor, Lunch/Playground Supervisor & After School Program Coordinator. Caren is excited to combine her administrative expertise with her love for the students.
Hobbies: Making music, Photography, Outdoor adventures, Cooking, Creating new recipes.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Writings and Drawings By Bob Dylan, The Tao of Pooh, Poetry…
Fun Facts: Mrs. Kamanski is a singer. Her daughter, Tennessee, will be a 10th grader at Pt. Loma High. Beatrice and Clementine are two cats that live with her family.
===========
Thomas Donahue: Old Town Academy
Cofounder and Executive Director
Education: Mr. Donahue earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of California, Davis. He has a Masters in Liberal Arts and Education from St John’s College (aka the “Great Books School”) in Annapolis, MD. He studied early child development and earned an AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Primary Education Degree from the Montessori Institute of San Diego.
Recent Teaching Experience: Mr. Donahue has been a classroom teacher since 1985. He started his teaching career as a windsurfing and SCUBA instructor and got used to students who were excited by the curriculum and who paid close attention without being coerced (if you don’t pay attention in Windsurfing class you never get back to shore; if you don’t pay attention in SCUBA class you might not make it back to the surface!). He taught middle school and high school math & science for eight years before becoming a curriculum designer and worked very hard to find ways to recreate the excitement and student-driven learning of his early teaching experiences.
As a curriculum & software designer he has created many Active Learning Design™ programs including: The Math and Science Olympics! a robotics-based, programming, problem-solving, and applied mathematics program for grades K-5 (originally developed for the City of Shanghai Board of Education), Activated Reader (an award winning vocabulary-powered reading acceleration program designed to close the vocabulary-reading gap for students in grades 3-12), and Music to Mathematics (an Early Learning Advantage course designed to teach every child to read music, play piano, and then make music with classmates and teachers). All Active Learning Design programs use Learning Acceleration Computer Labs to accelerate mastery of basic skills and knowledge.
Hobbies: Guitar, Ocean Swims, Starting Charter Schools.
Favorite Books/Things to Read: Favorite Book this year: Let the Great World Spin (2009 National Book Award Winner). Favorite things to read: poetry, novels, history.
Favorite Subject(s) in School: History and Biology.
Fun Facts: Mr. Donahue is a member of the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).