Peter Lavaroni has been teaching at Kittredge School since 1981. He was the Primary Class (first and second grades) teacher for 16 years. He finally left the "World's Greatest Class" in 1998 to assume his current role as Principal.
Mr. L received his BA from California State University, Chico, and his Master's degree at Dominican College. His teaching credential was also earned at Dominican College.
He has served as President of the Board of Directors of the National Independent Private Schools Association (NIPSA), the organization that accredits Kittredge School.
This is Ms. Pon-Barry's ninth year teaching and sixth year at Kittredge.
She received her BA in Liberal Studies from Santa Clara University, along with minors in Spanish and Art History. She earned her multiple subject teaching credential and MA in Education from the University of San Francisco.
Ms. Pon-Barry enjoys working with the primary children for their fresh and unique outlook on life. She strives to make the learning process enjoyable and exciting for each child.
Ms. Pon-Barry's website is available at: http://web.mac.com/ms.ponbarry/Primary_Pages/Welcome.html
This will be Ms. Higgins's 12th year of teaching, and eighth year at Kittredge. She comes to us with teaching experience in Oregon, California and New York City. Holly earned her BA and MA in Education, as well as a dance minor from The University of Oregon. She has also earned her CLAD certificate in California. Holly received the Herbst Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence in 2011.
Holly enjoys the honesty the children bring to the classroom and loves to teach reading and writing. She considers the second and third year of education critical in establishing the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Ms. Higgins' website is available at: http://web.me.com/holly23/Ms._Higgins_Class
Mr. Wayne Riddle is the fourth/fifth grade teacher. He has been teaching for 32 years, 26 of them at Kittredge School, where he has worked with students at all levels. He received his BA degree and elementary teaching credential at San Francisco State University in 1975 and a mathematics single-subject credential in 1982.
In 2006 Mr. Riddle became Kittredge School's second recipient of the Herbst Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. In all classes and across the curriculum, Mr. Riddle enjoys helping students feel comfortable in their learning environment as they continue to grow academically and socially.
Mr. Riddle's website is available at: http://web.me.com/wayne_riddle/4th_5th
Kevin is in his tenth year at Kittredge and his eighth year as sixth grade teacher. He received his BA in Anthropology at San Francisco State University, and his teaching credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI).
Kevin grew up in Japan, and enjoys bringing his international experiences into the classroom.
Kevin's website is available at: http://web.me.com/kevinkittredge/Site/Welcome.html
Dorothy only had to click her heels three times but Ms. McKee had to wait three years (yes, she was wearing red shoes the entire time) to return home! She is very happy to be back on the West Coast and especially at Kittredge. For a decade, Ms. McKee has been teaching and learning from students of all ages; her experience includes public high schools, college, a charter school, and of course, the especially charming middle school group.
The miniature blank canvas and easel on her desk symbolize her teaching philosophy; each day is a new opportunity for students to discover their individual masterpieces and the teacher's role is to be like the supportive easel. Studying literature is a way to grow roots and wings, to ground one's self in academic knowledge as well as to dance with the imagination.
In her life outside of school (yes, teachers do have these!), she enjoys hiking, plays, movies, concerts, spending time with friends, taking classes and workshops, exploring the beauty of the Golden State, and of course, reading and writing. Namaste!
Ms. McKee's website is available at: http://web.me.com/ms.mckee/Site/Welcome.html
Mr. Terry Young, winner of a 2004 Herbst Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, has been teaching seventh and eighth graders at Kittredge for 32 years. A native of Philadelphia, he received his BS in Secondary Education and his teaching credential at Temple University, and his MA in Secondary and Post-secondary Education at San Francisco State University.
Mr. Young sits on thethe Board of Directors of the National Independent Private Schools Association (NIPSA) and is also Kittredge School's representative to the Bay Area Independent Schools High School Placement Counselors organization. His record of getting students into San Francisco's best high schools speaks for itself.
Mr. Young's website is available at: http://web.me.com/terryoung/Mr._Youngs
This is Ms. Rose's eighth exciting year at Kittredge, and her fifth year as the middle grades' science teacher.
D'aria Rose is from the Pacific Northwest. She earned her BA from Evergreen State College in Cultural Anthropology and Marine Biology. Miss Rose has traveled extensively, studied abroad, and moved to San Francisco from Berlin, Germany.
Miss Rose has taught marine biology to adults and children of all ages, worked as an educator on a marine research boat, and opened a costume shop in Berlin with her sisters. She is a dancer, artist and performer, and loves languages and nature.
Renee Torres Cordero is our Spanish teacher. Renee was born in Venezuela, studied linguistics and literature in Spanish as well as Theater at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. She is trained as a psychotherapist in Gestalt and Bioenergetics and has worked since childhood in theater, first in her parents' theater company and after that as an independent artist in Venezuela and around the world. She moved to the States at the end of the 90s and since then has taught children, youth and adults Spanish, using methods infused by arts and physical response techniques. She has also taught Spanish and literature to Spanish speakers and as a second language.
She is interested in learning about different cultures and creating world understanding toward peace. Renee is also devoted to the arts and self-development and can’t stay far from nature for long, hiking, swimming or contemplating.
Renee loves California and is grateful for the opportunity to teach your children and for the path that brought her here. Gracias a la Vida!
Giuliana Silvestri (aka Gules) is a graduate of Dominican University in San Rafael, where she majored in International Management and minored in Sports Management.
Giuliana runs the PE program, coaches our co-ed volleyball team, boys basketball team and co-ed futsol team, and has supervised the extended day program. Gules also teaches the upper grades art classes.
This is Ms. Perkins 5th year at Kittredge. She enjoys spending her mornings assisting Ms. Pon-Barry in the Kindergarten/First Grade classroom and her afternoons on the playground, assisting K-8th P.E. with Ms. Gules.
Ms. Perkins Received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biological Sciences from Dominican University where she played basketball for the nationally ranked women's basketball team. Tanyn most enjoys the honest sense of humor the children possess and the genuine excitement present as they learn and grasp new concepts.
Trudy is a graduate of the University of San Francisco, where she also worked for 10 years, most recently as Assistant Director of Annual Giving.
In addition to supervising the school's business office for the last fifteen years, she is in her 14th year as Administrative Assistant to the Principal.
Elisabeth Wakcher, Performing Arts
This is Ms. Elisabeth’s seventh year teaching at Kittredge. She holds both a BA and a Masters in Teaching from The Evergreen State College and has worked for many years in Jewish education.
In addition to her interdisciplinary Performing Arts curriculum, Ms. Elisabeth teaches 5th grade Social Studies & Literature and helps with 4th, 7th and 8th grade math.
Music, dance, poetry and theatre have been central parts of Elisabeth’s life for as long as she can remember. She feels that The Arts play an essential role in helping people understand themselves, each other, and the world we all share. Through her teaching, Ms. Elisabeth hopes to spark curiosity, promote tolerance and inspire a lifetime love of learning.
Ms. Elisabeth's website is available at: http://web.me.com/ms.elisabeth
This is Elizabeth's sixth year at Kittredge. She is
originally from Denver, Colorado but has been in San
Francisco since 1993. She recieved BAs in both Liberal
Studies and Journalism from San Francisco State
University. Though much of her teaching experience is
in Early Childhood Education, she has worked with
children of all ages for more than ten years.
Elizabeth loves the outdoors, travel and gardening.
When she isn't teaching she is busy running her own
small landscaping business. She looks forward to new
teaching experiences with Kittredge kids!
This year Elizabeth added the lower grades' art curriculum to her other duties.
This is Zoe's 3rd year working at Kittredge School. She loves her afternoons on the playground, running the 4th/5th grade study hall, and playing various endless games after school with the fabulous kid-o's.
Zoe has fond memories of attending school at Kittredge when she was a girl. In her time outside of Kittredge, Zoe performs as a singer/songwriter at various venues around the City. She most recently has made a hobby of painting and bejeweling garden gnomes.
