Educators

Claudio Salusso

Years of teaching experience? 35

What three things do you most enjoy in life? Family, time and hobbies (books, motorcycles and cooking).

What is one thing you'll never do? Try to convince anyone of anything.

Favorite place you've traveled to? Within.

Kyle Walenga

Years of teaching experience? 10

What three things do you enjoy most in life? Skipping stones, super burritos and seeds.

What is one thing you will never do? Root for the Dodgers.

Favorite place you've traveled to? San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

Lalla Carini

Years of teaching experience? 27

What three things do you most enjoy in life? The three things I enjoy most, besides my family, are playing with watercolor paints, loudly singing while driving and conversations about things that matter.

What is one thing you'll never do? I will never attempt skydiving, I mean not in this lifetime.

Favorite place you've traveled to? India, because it was the most unfamiliarly familiar of the places I have visited.

Yana Meydbray

Years of teaching experience? 7

What three things do you enjoy most in life? Morning coffee, a good sweat, and a sense of humor

What is one thing you will never do? Say no to a cheesy bite.

Favorite place you've traveled to? Utsjoki, Finland.

Hisae Chako Tanaka

Years of teaching experience? 14

What three things do you most enjoy in life? Using my hands, silence and Japanese festivals.

What is one thing you'll never do? Touch a cockroach.

Favorite place you've traveled to? To the top of a mountain, any mountain.

Akemi Zoshi

Years of teaching experience?

33 years

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

Being a mother, Taking a nap, and Knitting

What is one thing you will never do?

Reading or watching horror tales

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Hot springs

Robin Barneby

Years of teaching experience?

19 years as both a Teacher and a Speech-Pathologist

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

Enjoying conversation over a home cooked meal, time with my family, simplifying

What is one thing you will never do?

Skydive....again

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Praia do Rosa, Brazil

Leny Gonzalez

Years of teaching experience? 6

What three things do you enjoy most in life? 

• Listening to relaxing music and the chirping of birds
• passing the time with my family,
• walking in the forest

What is one thing you'll never do? Surf

Favorite place you've traveled?   Chichen Itza, Mexico - a place where the Mayas built ancient stone pyramids 

Beatrice Gonzalez

Years of teaching experience?

1 year at the new village school

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

Children, water, peace

What is one thing you will never do?

Fail to be surprised by life's mysteries

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Anywhere with a hot spring

Kalanit Kohn

Lucas DeGiulio

Years of teaching experience? 22

What three things do you most enjoy in life? The three things I enjoy most, besides my family, Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens, Campfire Singalongs and Stories under a canopy of trees and stars, Being in the Ocean.

What is one thing you'll never do? Appreciating the Mystery.

Favorite place you've traveled to? A Secret Abalone Cove in Mendocino, CA

Amelia Meier

Years of teaching experience?

10 working with kids and 2 teaching

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

Reading a book in the sun, spontaneous hangouts and adventures with friends, slow time with family.

What is one thing you will never do?

I’ll try most things at least once! 

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Monteverde, Costa Rica or Gili Air, Indonesia.

Marta Shcharbakova

Melanie Jacobs

Years of teaching experience:  36 years working with children

The 3 things I enjoy most in life: 1) Being out in nature - especially near and in water swimming or snorkeling. 2) Going to live music concerts 3) Spending time with friends, family and my cat.

One thing I will never do: Stop practicing gratitude

Favorite place that I have traveled: The Yucatan in Mexico and Hawaii

Fabian Ramirez

Years of teaching experience?

I have been teaching since Aug. 2017. This August I will have completed my 7th school year and I am happy and excited to begin my 8th.

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

The three things that I can't live without and I enjoy the most are cooking/baking, music, and hiking.

What is one thing you will never do?

Skydiving or Paragliding because I am afraid of heights.

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Adam Kirk

Years of teaching experience? 31

What three things do you enjoy most in life? Laughter, beauty, and friendship

What is one thing you'll never do? Bungee jump

Favorite place you've traveled?  Greece

Harpreet Sidhu

Years of teaching experience?

8 years

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

My favorite three things in life are spending precious moments with family, exploring new destinations through travel, and giving back to the community through selfless service (seva) to make a positive impact on others.

What is one thing you will never do?

I would never refuse a cup of masala chai.

Favorite place you've traveled to?

The Butchart Gardens, British Columbia

Amy Novesky

Years of teaching experience?

This is my first year teaching and I bring nearly 30 years of experience writing, editing and publishing children’s books

What three things do you enjoy most in life?

My home. My family. My son, Quinn. The ocean, here and in Kauai. Riding horses.

What is one thing you will never do?

Never say never! I will not likely ride on the back of Señor Salusso’s motorcycle again.

Favorite place you've traveled to?

Greece.

Kiki Wykstra

Years of teaching experience? 5 years at the New Village School

What three things do you most enjoy in life? Time outside with people I love. Staring up at the stars on a crisp, cool night, from the comfort of my sleeping bag. Exploring new places. 

What is one thing you'll never do? Stop learning.

Favorite place you've traveled to?  It’s impossible to name one. The differences are what make each so great. However my favorite trips are consistently long trips outside (often on rivers), disconnected from phones, computers and what feels like the outside world.

Yomi Origunwa

Years of experience? 3

What three things do you enjoy most in life?  Birds, photography, meeting new people

What is one thing you will never do? Stop hiking

Favorite place you've traveled to? Cienfuegos, Cuba

Sofia Salusso

Mitchell Danielson

What three things do you most enjoy in life? Reading novels, exploring new environs and pitching in on projects.

What is one thing you'll never do? Buy a lawn mower.

Favorite place you've traveled to? Bathsheba, Barbados

Sam Wilder

Years of teaching experience? 8

What three things do you most enjoy in life? Growing, cooking, and eating. 

What is one thing you'll never do? Refuse a hot bowl of soup.

Favorite place you've traveled to?  Vietnam