Many new teachers will be gracing the classrooms of the Las Lomitas Elementary School District this year. The district’s two schools hired a total of 17 teachers between them, with 11 starting at La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park. Five teachers changed jobs but stayed within the district.
Longtime Las Lomitas bus driver Ron Ferrando retired, as did La Entrada night custodian Al Deltondo. La Entrada has a new night custodian in Grayland Jones, said La Entrada Assistant Principal Pattie Dullea. Of the seven teachers who did not return to La Entrada this year, two left to teach in India.
A few La Entrada kids will get a chance to sing in the “Barber of Seville” in the fall alongside members of the San Francisco Opera.
LA ENTRADA MIDDLE SCHOOL
2200 Sharon RoadMenlo Park
Phone: 854-3962
Dee Brummett, principal
Grades: 4-8
Enrollment: 593
New classes and programs. La Entrada is adding a new section of the leadership class for seventh- and eighth-graders, and new classes in reading support for fourth- and fifth-graders, said Assistant Principal Pattie Dullea.
New facilities. This is the first full year that La Entrada will have its new gymnasium, which frees the old gym for activities such as a fall visit by members of the San Francisco Opera to sing a reduced version of the “Barber of Seville” in the company of some 15 student actors.
Departing staff. Fifth-grade teacher Susan Raffo retired; fifth-grade teacher Elizabeth von Schwarz moved to the East Coast; French teacher Cynthia Cohen left to teach high school in San Jose; fourth-grade teachers Bridget Gibbons and seventh-grade teacher Katie Shefren went to teach in India; English as a Second Language teacher Jill Wegenstein left to travel with her family; special education teacher Kathy Lewis is on leave with a new baby. Night custodian Al Deltondo retired.
New staff. The 11 new teachers at La Entrada for the 2006-07 school year are, for the fourth grade, Angie Ertola, Diane Goldman and Robert Olds; for the fifth grade, Ashley Eastman and Melanie Passovoy; for the sixth grade, Susan Logie; for the seventh grade David Zieper and Eric Kruger; French teacher Mimi Sabo, speech and language teacher Katie Highsmith, and special education teacher Lynelle Gordon. Darrell Sasagawa is moving from fourth-grade teaching to seventh grade; Tanya Rianda taught sixth grade but will be working in language arts support; Patrick Kelly is moving from seventh grade teaching to eighth grade; Steve Gallagher was an eighth-grade teacher but will be teaching leadership and physical education for fourth- and fifth-graders. The new night custodian is Grayland Jones.
LAS LOMITAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
299 Alameda de las PulgasAtherton
Phone: 854-5900
Gerald Traynor, principal
Grades: K-3
Enrollment: 593
New classes and programs. Las Lomitas has no notable new classes or programs this year, said Principal Gerald Traynor. Describing Las Lomitas as “a stable and successful organization” that focuses on deepening its understanding of what it does well, Mr. Traynor added that he “does not want to start a new program just to start a new program.”
New facilities. The school is finishing up its campus renewal project with new landscaping and transforming asphalt courtyards to grass and trees, Mr. Traynor said.
Departing staff. Third-grade teacher Robert Olds is now teaching fourth grade at La Entrada Middle School; longtime bus driver Ron Ferrando retired in June.
New staff. New teachers at Las Lomitas this year are Carol Hedges, physical education; Vanessa Lo Savio, special education; Grace Medina-Chow, speech and language therapist; Barbara Porro, kindergarten; and Krista Smaby, behaviorist. Janet Holbrook, formerly a first-grade teacher, is now a reading specialist; Kristine Reis is back and teaching second grade after a year’s absence.
LAS LOMITAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
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