Scotts Valley High School
555 Glenwood Drive in Scotts Valley
http:/svhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
Led by Principal Valerie Bariteau, the school continues to thrive. This year, enrollment is up to 850 students which exceeds the previous year by 60 students.
Asked what is new, Bariteau said that they have five new instructors. In Humanities, there are two new people teaching history. They are Kirk Jennings and Andrew Ligeti. The new Mathematics teacher is Vito Chiaramonte. Two new Physical Education and Health teachers are Lewis LaHood and Megan Hill. In the World Languages subject area, Sudha Schneiter will be teaching Spanish.
A new position brings another staff member. The school now will have a full time counselor. This position is filled by Sarah Hershey. “We are very happy to have her,” said Bariteau.
Alongside the other schools in the Scotts Valley Unified School District, Bariteau says that SVHS will continue with refining their Common Core Math Curriculum standing. “This year we have reached the Math 3 level.”
“We have added a new science course, ‘Introduction to Environmental Science’,” explained Bariteau. This class will be for students who want to know more about science without having to become a scientist to enjoy the subject.
Bariteau was very excited to explain the function of a School Resource Officer, since they have a new one. His name is Chris Culwell and he is a Scotts Valley Police Officer. Being on staff, Culwell will be a resource to Staff, Teachers in the classroom and for students. “He will be able to respond to student’s questions about ‘youth and law’ concepts,” she said. “It has been at least seven years since we have had an SRO on staff and we are all very happy to have Chris,” explained Bariteau.
St. Lawrence Academy
6184 Highway 9 in Felton
335-0328
http://www.stlawrenceacademy.com
Monday, Aug. 24 is the first day of classes at the private kindergarten through eighth-grade campus in downtown Felton. The first day will be a minimum day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Representatives were unable to be reached before the Press-Banner’s deadline.
Vine Hill Elementary School
151 Vine Hill School Road in Scotts Valley
http://www.vinehill.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
438-1090
When Vine Hill Elementary School opens its doors on Wednesday, Aug. 24, Julie Ebert, Principal, will have added a new kindergarten class. “We are pleased to welcome Megan Prather to teach this new class,” said Ebert.
Ebert said that Julie Ross will be teaching first grade. Moving from first grade to second is Yasmine DeCleve who will be job sharing with Jacqui Weiss. In the third grade, Ebert welcomes Katie Blue who comes from Santa Cruz County Schools. Hannah Walsh moves from the fifth grade to the fourth grade and Angelique Bright goes from third to the fifth grade. Ebert is looking forward to a fabulous year with these staff changes.
Last year there were about 530 students enrolled, this year the number is at 568 and growing.
Ebert says that they continue to implement their one to one device program for the third through fifth grades with Chromebooks. The District funded a portion of the project and the remainder was funded by a very generous PTA.
San Lorenzo Valley Elementary School
7155 Highway 9 in Felton
335-4475
When school starts on August 24th at 8:20 a.m.,Principal Shannon Calden will be proud to introduce nine new staff members. Daniel Brenner and Megan Glover will be teaching the fifth grade. In the fourth grade the new teachers are Laura O’Sullivan and Lauren Romano. Jessica Curcio will be teaching science to the fourth and fifth grade. Heather Odegard is on board to teach the first grade and Hayley Winkleblack will teach Transitional Kindergarten. Special Education will be taught by Dawn Mikolyski and Ben Beck is the new Instructional Aide.
Calden says “our focus for the year will be to continue implementation of the common core standards” In doing so, she said that they will “use technology as a tool for students in the classroom, and focus on college and career readiness for all students.”
“We are expecting 640 students TK- fifth grade this year” said Calden.
Calden lists the class schedule for all TK-fifth grades:
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First – third grade – 8:20 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
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Fourth – fifth grade – 8:20 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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TK and Kindergarten – 8:20 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
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First – fifth will be dismissed at 1:25 p.m. every Wednesday.
Brook Knoll Elementary School
151 Brook Knoll Drive in Santa Cruz
http://www.brookknoll.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
423-2454
In his second year at the helm as Principal, Josh Wahl welcomes 540 students back to school. He is pleased to introduce Haley Eggleston as a new First Grade Teacher. Beth Gray is continuing as the Special Education Preschool Teacher, covering for maternity leave of absence of the prior teacher. Amber Julien is joining the staff as one of the two Multi Grade teachers in Room 1.
Along with Vine Hill Elementary School, BKES increased Chromebooks so that all 3rd, 4th and 5th grades have class sets.
Classes at BKES start on Wednesday, August 26.
BKES will be hosting a ‘Meet and Greet’, on Tuesday, August, 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., where students and parents can come and meet the new teachers and check out the classrooms.
Back to School Night will be held on September 2, in the early evening.
First Day Packets are currently available for pick up and REagle (Registration Days for Eagles) are scheduled for August 19 – 20. Details are on the Brook Knoll website: http://www.bk-scottsvalley-ca.schoolloop.com/
Baymonte Christian School
5000-B Granite Creek Road in Scotts Valley
http:/www.baymonte.org
438-0100
Baymonte Christian School is an interdenominational Christian school for children between preschool through the eighth grades. Principal Steve Patterson said that this year that Jared Fujishin will be teaching ‘Bible’ to the sixth through eighth grades. New also, is elementary teacher Megan Torchio who will be teaching the third grade.
Boulder Creek Elementary School
400 Lomond Street in Boulder Creek
338-6413
Denise Fosburgh, Principal, reports that “each grade level will enjoy a new teacher. We have a total of seven new teachers,” she says. “Some of them have relocated from other teaching positions and others are brand new to the profession.”
Fosburgh said that at least twelve of her teaching staff attended advanced training courses at other institutions during the summer on their own time. “They are excited about what they learned and are looking forward to sharing it with their students,” said Fosburgh.
A total of 525 students will commence classes on August 24 when school starts.
Scotts Valley High School
555 Glenwood Drive in Scotts Valley
http://www.svhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
439-9555
Please contact the school for a new bell schedule. Some classes may be starting five minutes earlier than the previous year.
San Lorenzo Valley Charter School
7101 Highway 9 in Felton
336-8527
Led by Charter Administrator, Rhonda Reed-Schlosser, SLVCS, provides a variety of learning experiences.
SLV Charter is an umbrella school that includes Nature Academy, various homeschool programs: Quail Hollow, Fall Creek, Coast Redwood middle and high schools, and Mountain Independent Study. “Two of the hybrid homeschool programs, BC and SLV Homeschool, are blending together this year to create the Quail Hollow Homeschool program,” said Reed-Schlosser.
The schools enroll students ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade, and implement the same type of Common Core curriculum as seen at the more traditional schools. All of the programs continue to enhance the students’ core curriculum with thematic courses, field trips and enrichment experiences to better support their academic and social-emotional development. The school received their first WASC accreditation at the end of last year. WASC stand for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. “WASC accreditation recognizes schools that meet an acceptable level of quality, in accordance with established, research-based WASC criteria,” explained Reed-Schlosser.
The 2015-16 school year starts on August 24 with an opening enrollment of 300 students.
Asked what is new, Reed-Schlosser announced “We have hired a new math teacher, Brian Heery, who has extensive experience teaching math from fifth grade through pre-calculus, as well as a background teaching physics and Aikido.” They are also completing the hiring of additional teachers for their Quail Hollow campus. Julie Walker is their new Administrative Assistant, and Tarah Locke has been hired as a part-time secretary.
