Faculty and Staff

Katie Gibbons, Level I Teacher

I believe in a learning community that holds the highest respect and compassion for the process of human development; we all develop skills and strengths at different times and we all learn in different ways. A community that is flexible, creative, and full of humor, imagination, and fun will only bring out the best in children.  I truly believe in creating a school culture that cares for each individual and honors their role within the group.”

     Katie is a founding teacher at Synapse School. Her passion for making learning exciting, fun, and relevant for her students is palpable in her daily interactions with them. She is often seen rallying the Synapse teachers to prepare for an upcoming event at the school. In the past ten years, Katie has been teaching youth ages 5-11 in a variety of public and private educational settings, from an inner city charter school to start-up independent schools. One of her adventurous positions include teaching in a remote Yup’ik Eskimo village for three years where she participated in relevant math curriculum research project called Math in a Cultural Context (MCC) funded by the National Science Foundation. She also participated in the Alaska Salmon Incubation project, which involved collecting, raising, and releasing salmon as part of the classroom learning environment.

     Katie completed her B.S. in Education from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania and has a California Teaching Credential. Katie recently received an Administrative Services Credential and will graduate with a MA in Educational Leadership from Mills College in 2012.

     Katie never stops developing herself and learning about different cultures around the world. Katie has traveled to Alaska, Canada, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. During the summer, Katie heads a summer camp for girls, Dolphin Camp, which she founded at the request of parents.

Yvonne Kunstenaar, Level I Co-Teacher

As a society, we expect so much of our students, regardless of age. Therefore, we need to give them the tools to succeed intellectually and socially.  I truly believe that if we can instill in our children a love of learning alongside the life skills of coping with daily frustrations, our children will be well on their way to becoming the next generation of leaders and change makers.” 

     Yvonne Kunstenaar has been working successfully with children for many years in many capacities: classroom teacher, reading tutor, science specialist, and volunteer in the Los Altos School District. Prior to discovering her love of working with children, she spent many years working in the business world. She is originally from New York City and has a B.A. in Foreign Area Studies from Columbia University, an MBA from University of Pennsylvania, and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Notre Dame de Namur University. She loves working with elementary aged children: their natural curiosity, imagination, and uninhibited enthusiasm make them a joy!

 

Quincy Jones, M.Ed., Level II Teacher

I come from a teaching background that embraces excellence, individualized learning, and educates the whole child. I have seen how a successful learning environment emphasizes depth of understanding versus breadth of information; experiential learning and conceptually based lessons; activities in multiple modalities and personalized learning goals.”I come from a teaching background that embraces excellence, individualized learning, and educates the whole child. I have seen how a successful learning environment emphasizes depth of understanding versus breadth of information; experiential learning and conceptually based lessons; activities in multiple modalities and personalized learning goals.”

     Quincy has had successful experiences in developing and implementing curriculum for elementary school. She was a teacher in Reed Elementary School and Bullis Charter School. In the latter, she contributed to the receipt of California Distinguished school award and WASC accreditation. She is trained in Schools Attuned to All Kinds of Minds.  Quincy has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and an M.A. in Education. She also has a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with emphasis on cross-cultural, language, and academic development.

 

Katie Morgan, M.Ed., Level III Teacher

When I took a break from teaching to pursue a career in research, I couldn’t believe how much I truly missed being in the classroom. I think being a good teacher requires an investment of time and energy that creates a bond between the student and the teacher. That bond is reciprocal and allows for growth between the student and teacher together.

Fulfilling that partnership and watching the “aha” moments is one of the most satisfying and motivating sensations I have ever felt. Being able to be excited, thrilled, sad, frustrated, hopeful, and intrigued with young people is one of the greatest privileges I know.”

     Katie Morgan is the Level 3 teacher at the Synapse School. Katie is starting her second year at Synapse after having successfully worked her way across the country from Virginia to Michigan to California. After finishing graduate school, Katie taught 4th grade in a public school in southeastern Virginia, and then moved to work as a research associate at The University of Michigan’s Autism and Communication Disorders Center (UMACC) for almost two years. While there, Katie worked on program management for the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), was a leader for play groups, and later helped the Simons Foundation in New York prepare documents and research guides for a new project in 2010. Katie has a B.A. in Psychology and an M. A. Ed in Reading, Language and Literacy from The College of William and Mary. In her free time Katie enjoys reading, traveling and baking, and is working on enjoying running. Maybe some day!

 

Cherilyn Gain, Level III Co-Teacher

As a teacher I challenge my students to see within and beyond themselves so that they may emerge inspired to live as global citizens.  A critical part of the process is helping students discover how they learn best and guiding them to capitalize upon those strategies.”

     Cherilyn’s interest in working with gifted students began in 2006 when she worked with the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer programs.  During the inaugural year of the CTY program in Puebla, Mexico, she organized bilingual activities for students and toured the region’s archeological sites.  Cherilyn holds a B.A. in English and International Studies from the University of Arizona.  After graduation, she accepted a Fulbright grant to teach English as a Second Language to undergraduates in Bucaramanga, Colombia. 

     Prior to joining Synapse, Cherilyn was the Technology Curriculum Specialist at a private school in Phoenix where she worked with faculty to integrate technology through engaging interdisciplinary projects.  Other passions of hers include traveling the globe, salsa dancing, and enjoying live Shakespeare performances.

 

Brian Lucett, Level IV Teacher

I believe that the role of education is to open students’ minds to the vast possibilities of the world while developing their critical thinking skills so that they can analytically evaluate the issues and events of their day.  I also think that it is important to help students integrate literacy skills and technology in a meaningful way that prepares them to be citizens of the global twenty-first century.”

     Brian earned a B.A. in Philosophy at Cal State University Fullerton and had the privilege of studying British Literature for a semester at the University of London.  After finishing his undergraduate degree, he earned a Single Subject Teaching Credential in English, and taught high school English and SAT prep courses covering Critical Reading, U.S. History, and Literature in Orange Country for four years before moving to northern California to teach at Synapse.  In the spring of 2011, Brian also volunteered his time to co-lead an eight-week workshop where elementary school students prepared artwork for their own art show at PÄS Gallery in Fullerton, CA.  His teaching focuses on the value of active reading and writing strategies, while integrating humor into the classroom. Above all else, Brian believes that learning is, and should be, fun!

     Brian’s interests include art, literature, and comedy. He often spends his free time cycling, making music, and writing.  He has been included in several local publications, including an essay for the third volume of the Hibbleton Independent, an annual art and literature journal, which he helped edit. His work has been displayed in shows in Orange County, where Brian has also curated art shows for The ARTery Gallery in Costa Mesa and Book Machine in Fullerton.

 

Brian Bicknell, Level V Teacher

I feel like education is an experience that all children should have access to in a way that is safe, fun, experiential, and inspiring. I want to provide students with tools that will allow them to think for themselves and find their own voice in an otherwise confusing and expansive world. Education should be a way for children to interact with the world and learning should not stop when they leave my classroom.”

            Brian is the level 5 teacher at Synapse School. He is a former high school English teacher and is considered to be a “jack of all trades” and takes pride in lending a helping hand to challenging projects that would otherwise require specialized expertise. Brian believes in experiencing people and the world to guide his own learning and has traveled to Spain, Italy, France, the UK, Croatia, Peru, Mexico, the Caribbean, Thailand, Hawaii, and most of the United States. Brian enjoys music, running, making things, solving problems, and traveling. Brian earned a BA in English and a Single-Subject teaching credential in English from San Diego State University. He is an avid runner and fad-dieter and enjoys working to make the world a better place to live and learn in.

 

     Elizabeth Gomez has been making and teaching art for many years. She is originally from Mexico City and has a B.A. in Art and Psychology. She also has a M.F.A. in Fine Arts. She has been lucky enough to live in many places and has a deep understanding of multicultural artwork. Elizabeth has taught for many years art to children and teens in the Bay Area. She has illustrated three children’s books, has done many murals and paintings, and has exhibited her work nationally and internationally. However, her first love, is to teach art and to share in the creativity and happiness that art brings to each child.

 

Heather O’Keeffe, M.Ed, Performing Arts Specialist

“Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn. They may teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.” – Charlie “YardBird” Parker

     Heather began her vocal studies at the age of ten, after hearing her first Handel oratorio, and strives to impart the passion and wonder of music and theater studies to her students.  Heather studied classical voice for over 13 years, earning both degrees in musical performance and musical history and literature from Seaver College at Pepperdine University.  Heather went on to pursue her interests in education earning a masters degree in education as well as music performing arts certification from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University.  Heather has studied and performed both locally and internationally in both recital and concert work as well as fully staged operatic productions. Heather has experience bringing integrated arts curriculum to students in private and public school environments- highlighting the theory, practice and historical importance of theater and musical works.  Heather also has an extensive choral performance background and regional musical theater experience. 

     Heather believes strongly that the study of music and theater improves self-directed learning, confidence, problem solving, and collaborative skills.  Heather strives to use music and theater as a tool to explore historical cultural ideals and heritage- also empowering the student’s own personal artistic voice and artistic appreciation.  Heather is an avid listener of all musical genres and may often be found dancing and singing along to a Glee song in the kitchen with her four year old daughter.

Peggy D’Angelo, Literacy Specialist

Reading is magic.  Teaching a child to love reading is to touch their spirit and their future.”

     Peggy holds a B.S. in Education from Baylor University and a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction for Gifted Education from the College of William and Mary.  She has spent nine exciting years as a classroom teacher, most recently teaching first and second grade in Portola Valley, CA.  While there, her passion for books and kids opened opportunities to enhance literacy education by teaching teachers. She co-lead district-wide professional development on teaching reading across the curriculum, wrote language arts curriculum, and initiated the addition of a reading comprehension strand to the language arts curriculum for the school.
    In addition to being a classroom teacher, Peggy has developed science curriculum for gifted students, taught workshops for the U.S. Space Foundation, and run computer classes for children from preschool through eighth grade.  She is eager to share her passion for books with the children and families at Synapse School.

 

Alison Fox Mazzola, Math Specialist Levels I,II,III

     Alison first became interested in gifted education as a youngster when, finished with all of her other work, she was forced to spend many hours sitting in the library by herself with the Book of Knowledge.  She is driven by her desire to provide a different experience and give gifted students meaningful learning opportunities in every lesson.

     Alison worked as a second grade teacher at the Nueva School for twelve years.  Since then she has been the K-5 Math Specialist at a local school in San Mateo and regularly leads math workshops for both public and private school teachers.  She also co-authored a book with Michael Thompson: A Teacher’s Guide to Independent School Parents.

     Alison received her B. A. in Art History from Wellesley College.  She also holds a Masters of Education from UCLA. 

 

Peggy McLean, Math Specialist Levels I,II,III

Jo Elsner, Math Specialist Levels IV,V

     We are thrilled to have Jo Elsner as a math specialist in Levels IV and V. A dedicated math educator, Jo studied math instruction with Mary Laycock and has worked as a classroom teacher, math consultant, teacher mentor and professor of math curriculum and instruction in five states.  She specializes in assisting students, parents and teachers in designing programs for developing the higher levels of thinking and problem solving. She is also actively involved with the Silicon Valley Math Initiative where she helps development assessment and instructional tools based on current research in the international math education community.  She holds degrees in Elementary Education, Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematics Education and Curriculum and Instruction.