Faculty/Staff Directory

It's a privilege to join the PHS Community!

Welcome to Adrienne Moon, Presidio Hill School's new Director of Development! Adrienne joins us after nearly a decade working in Advancement at the Exploratorium and six years building The Hamlin School's Alumni Engagement program. She will spend the last few weeks of this school year with us on campus; please say hello when you see her on the curb in June! Adrienne shares: "It is an honor and a privilege to join Presidio Hill School's vibrant, inclusive, and supportive community. I am thrilled to combine my passion for Development work with my deep commitment to the core values of progressive education. I am particularly excited about getting to know everyone in the PHS community and being a part of the day-to-day life of the school." 

I am excited to be joining Presidio Hill School as a Technology Associate. I have a background in Aerospace and Internet engineering where I worked as a Senior Software Engineer at a major aerospace company, and most recently at a digital library. I also worked in social media for a time and have taught Astronomy and Calculus as a volunteer to international students. I am a strong believer in the appropriate use of technology for children and adults, and am a proponent of open-source software and open access for all. I love to travel in the interest of understanding diverse perspectives, and I greatly appreciate a wide range of art, history, music, and literature, which inform my efforts at printmaking and playing music. I hope to share my passion for the humanities, social justice, helping one another, and the use of technology for learning with all of the students, faculty, and staff at PHS!

I continually strive to make Presidio Hill the best school it can possibly be. I am constantly inspired by the faculty to keep on this path; they take risks, try new things and are always looking to make things better for all learners. Of course, it's the day-to-day interactions with students and seeing their growth that makes PHS such a fun place to be. It's exciting to think that I have been here for about a quarter of our 100+ year history!

I am so grateful to be a part of the PHS community; witnessing the daily interactions and shared learning among our students, parents, faculty and staff inspires and challenges me every single day.

At Presidio Hill School I feel that all ideas and creations are possible. I love the excitement students show when we start a new project and also how they come to me with suggestions about what we should do next. I have a lot of fun with the students!

Hello PHS community! I'm thrilled to join you as the Fifth Grade Assistant Teacher and support PHS in fostering a student-centered, experiential, and inclusive learning community. I'm also so excited to learn and explore in the Presidio. My teaching background is primarily in outdoor education and I have taught Bay Area youth at Adventure Playground, Shorebird Nature Center, and Walker Creek Ranch. In 2020, I transitioned to a 6th Grade Teaching Assistant position at Redwood Day. I am super excited to continue learning about project-based instruction and engage students in cooperative learning opportunities.

Hello, PHS! My name is Xavia, and I’m the 3rd grade assistant. My pronouns are she and her, and I go by my nickname, “Xai” (pronounced Say). I’m really looking forward to growing as an educator in this progressive learning community! It’s my hope and intention that learning is joyful, that I support our students in creating fond and meaningful school memories. I’m an SF native and urban gardening nerd. I would also like to write “cat lady,” but my partner is allergic to felines so I’m trying to become a “dog person.”

I am so excited to return to the PHS community as a Middle School Support Teacher after completing my MA in Literature at San Francisco State University in the Spring. I love reading, cooking, and have recently started a garden. I can't wait to serve the PHS community and grow with the families, students, and staff during this unique time. 

 

Greetings PHS! For many years, I’ve hoped to join this vibrant, warm community, and I’m honored to now serve as your librarian. My path in education began as an elementary classroom teacher, though I was often found in the school library. The birth of my twin boys, now almost 6 years old, meant a longer road toward my Master’s in Library and Information Science, but has culminated in the most wonderful way possible. I can’t wait to connect, learn, question, and read with you all! 

Hello PHS! My name is Alysia and I go by the pronouns she/her. I received my B.S. in Child & Family Development at SDSU and worked as a co-teacher and lead teacher at a private preschool for two years before joining PHS. I view my profession of teaching as more than a career choice, rather, a labor of love. I am thrilled to continue my journey with USF and PHS and can't wait to help make a positive impact on/with this amazing community, as well as to learn from the experienced and wonderful current teachers. I am excited to share my love for life, learning, and teaching with students, parents, and teachers alike! Thank you for welcoming me with open arms, let's get ready to learn!

I am passionate about guiding students to learn how to take pride in their academic experience and how to be a part of a classroom community that is not only diverse but promotes equity for all students. I am committed to helping our youth become empowered learners, stewards for the environment and effective changemakers. I’m a proud Oaklander (Go A’s!) and live in the Temescal area with my educator husband and our small terrier. When not in the classroom, you’ll find me hiking in the redwoods above Oakland, riding my bike on the winding roads to Pt. Reyes, or sitting among flowers reading historical fiction. I look forward to meeting everyone in the fall!

I'm very delighted to be joining the PHS community and continue my journey as an educator for the young minds of our generation! I taught Spanish to Kindergarteners and first graders for seven years and have served as second-grade co-teacher. I cannot wait to continue to grow and learn from my PHS colleagues, students, and families!

John Dewey famously asserted that "education is not preparation for life, education is life itself" and the spirit of that maxim is alive and well here at Presidio Hill School, where children and adults embrace and learn from one another as symbiotic members of a distinct community of individuals. As I see it, the humanities classroom should be a place for students to actively explore, investigate, collaborate, and inquire about themselves and the world around them, past and present. I feel grateful to be part of the PHS community, where such exploration extends far beyond my classroom and in fact, is ingrained so deeply in the mission and overall ethos of our school. 

Presidio Hill intentionally celebrates individual learning styles and unique viewpoints. This engenders an inclusive and caring community for all. I enjoy that students are provided the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and encouraged to become a part of the learning process. As a science teacher, the curriculum allows me to teach to my passions, this flexibility creates a program where I can respond to the needs and curiosities of the students. This approach allows students to build personal connections with the natural world, thus providing students with inspiration, skills and desire to become global of the world around them. 

Hola, wonderful PHS community! I am very happy to have the opportunity to be working with all of the faculty, families, and most importantly the students at PHS. I’ve always dreamed of working at a school like PHS that’s progressive, inclusive, and promotes curiosity. I am a passionate, dedicated, and enthusiastic educator who truly cares about empowering children through learning Spanish; I strongly believe in a bilingüal education. Here is a little bit about me: I was born and raised in Mexico City. I earned my B.S. in Biology from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (Mexico), and a master's degree in Environmental Education from Universidad Iberoamericana, (Mexico). I also have additional training in the TPRS (Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling) and CI (Comprehensible Input) methods of instruction. After being an environmental education teacher at La Salle Elementary School (Mexico), I immigrated to the USA, where I’ve taught Spanish in preschool through high school at educational establishments all throughout the Bay Area. I enjoy hiking and spending time with my eighteen-year-old son who goes to college this school year. I’m excited to join this amazing community and can’t wait for what lies ahead! 

I was once a middle school student at Presidio Hill. I teach because I want to give PHS students all the positive experiences I enjoyed here. I am aware that I am a role model for them and strive to embody the traits I admired so much in my PHS teachers.

I am excited to join the Presidio Hill School community! Before PHS, I spent several years at Town School for Boys and helped Town to envision distance learning for their 2020-2021 year. I have experience in curriculum development, global education, technology tools and leadership, and faculty and family coaching. I received my Master's in education from Bank Street College, have taught in Brazil, and helped coordinate the Teach with Africa Educator Exchange program. Thank you to the students, staff, and families who have welcomed me to the progressive and caring PHS community–I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience and learning from all of you!

I strive to work collaboratively with learners to raise their critical consciousness and engage in contemporary and historical issues from a variety of entry points. I value the student-centered, progressive approach to education at PHS, and I look forward to supporting students in their social, emotional and academic growth through readings, discussions, art, music and projects. In my spare time I am most often traveling, volunteering, exploring farmers markets, reading, dancing and appreciating animals. I am very excited to join a community of fellow progressive educators and get to know the students and families at this wonderful school!

I enjoy the camaraderie of the other teachers at this school, including the openness to sharing advice and ideas, lending a hand to help out each other when necessary, and sharing a few laughs. The environment of the school allows the voices of students to be heard, and the curriculum is creative and in-depth. Parents work with teachers and administrators to support their children at PHS.

I am so honored to be Presidio Hill School’s Art Assistant Teacher. I look forward to working with our current Art Teacher (and great mentor and friend) Sarah Myers–she is patient and skilled as both an artist and educator and inspires students to think of themselves as artists. My career and life have prepared me to take on this rewarding, yet challenging role. It all began with
motivating children to smile and laugh as I drew caricatures for Richmond Illustrations and entertained kids with playful dancing and games as a part of the Road Crew for Radio Disney. In addition, I had four years of experience working and managing the afterschool program for my alma mater, Kirkwood School District. Here in San Francisco, I worked as a camp counselor for SFSPCA and currently teach cartooning and comics at the Cartoon Art Museum.

Lastly, I feel so connected to the beautiful progressive foundation that PHS is built upon. PHS is unique, from  being the oldest progressive independent school in California, to seeking diversity regarding race/ethnicity, gender, and backgrounds and the acceptance of students and staff. Thank you to the staff, families, and students at PHS. Growing up as a biracial person of color in Missouri had me feeling unaccepted in some parts of my life. Coming to a community that accepts me for all of who I am has meant the world to me. I will do everything in my power to prepare the next generation of students/artists with all the knowledge and experience I’ve collected and will push myself to perform beyond my own capabilities.

Hi there, I'm Maya! (she/her) 

As someone trying to radically prioritize joy during these stressful times, I feel so lucky to spend my days with PHS students. Nothing makes me laugh harder or appreciate life more than sharing space and special moments with children. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was always involved in afterschool programs. I understand the crucial role after-care plays in a family's life and honor the relationships I get to build with students of all ages (especially the kids who get picked up the latest!) When I'm not goofing around with kiddos, I enjoy singing karaoke, researching local LGBTQIA+ history, and taking naps outdoors.