Our Faculty
Vanessa Halliday - Kindergarten Teacher
Michelle Garcia - Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Kathy Wolcott - 1st Grade Teacher
Tina Chase - 2nd Grade Teacher
Nora Patterson - 3rd Grade Teacher
Amy Caldwell - 4th Grade Teacher
Carole Bonsall - 5th/6th Humanities Teacher
Charlotte Perrine - 5th/6th Math, Science, Economics Teacher
Corey Paulson - 7th/8th Humanities Teacher
Jack Strange - 7th/8th Math, Science, Economics Teacher
Deborah Fisch - Lower Grades Spanish Teacher
Peter Burchard - Middle School Spanish Teacher and Fencing Instructor
Lisa Gardner - Mandarin Teacher
Dan Harting - P.E. Teacher
Karen Klimack - Art Teacher
Jain Fairfax - Music and Performing Arts Teacher
THS's new kindergarten teacher VANESSA HALLIDAY was born and raised in Sonoma County. After receiving her bachelor degree in psychology at Sonoma State University, Vanessa chose to go into teaching and received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with an emphasis in early childhood education. Vanessa is a dedicated teacher who has a great passion for teaching and inspiring students to appreciate learning.
For the past three years, Vanessa has been working at Lake County International Charter School. She has received extensive training from the International Baccalaureate Primary years Program and is excited to bring her experience to The Healdsburg School. Vanessa taught kindergarten for two years and is currently teaching a 1st and 2nd grade combination class. She is also coordinating the Primary Years Program. While working at Lake County International Charter School, Vanessa successfully developed and implemented an inquiry based kindergarten program.
As a teacher, Vanessa is a partner, nurturer, and guide. She expresses esteem, solidarity, and friendships, while exchanging enthusiasm and amazement in life’s marvels. Vanessa supports, respects, and responds to the individual needs of each one of her students. It is also very important to her to form a home-school partnership. Vanessa engages her students through rich, multi-sensory, authentic and hands-on curriculum. She deepens each student’s knowledge by challenging and motivating all students to achieve the highest possible level of learning. Vanessa looks forward to bringing her experience and love for learning to The Healdsburg School. Return to top
Kindergarten assistant teacher MICHELLE GARCIA holds a BS in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from Angwin College and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from Dominican University. She has seven years of elementary education teaching experience, including kindergarten. She has taught at schools throughout the county, and currently holds the position of Pre-K teacher at Windsor Christian Academy, where she has been for the past three years, from 2006 to 2008. Michelle and her husband live in Windsor with their three children. Return to top
First grade teacher KATHY WOLCOTT has a long background in education. She brings to THS a love for teaching and many years of experience in education. Raised in Denver, Colorado, Ms. Wolcott attended Western State College where she completed a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in English and Art. Following her undergraduate degree Ms. Wolcott became a reading specialist, completing a graduate degree in Elementary Reading Instruction at the University of Colorado. She taught in several schools in Colorado before accepting a position at Santa Catalina School in Monterey. Ms. Wolcott held many responsibilities while teaching at Santa Catalina School. She was the head second grade teacher, she coordinated and taught an international summer camp, and she was high school dorm parent for freshmen girls. During her time in Monterey, Ms. Wolcott also coordinated and taught the summer programs for Monterey History and Art Association and the Lyceum of Monterey, and she was the education administrator and coordinator for Monterey Maritime Museum.
Ms. Wolcott moved to Japan in 2001 to teach at Fukuoka International School. She was the head first grade teacher, curriculum coordinator for reading and language arts, and ESL tutor. While in Asia, Ms. Wolcott travelled extensively and attended ESL workshops.
Although she has thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from her experiences abroad, Ms. Wolcott is enthusiastic about returning to California, where she has daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. Return to top
Second grade teacher TINA CHASE is an award winning, high energy educator whose classroom bursts with creativity. In 2007 Tina was selected as a Teacher of the Year at Merryhill Elementary School in Santa Rosa, a Nobel Learning Communities school. She also won Nobel's Teacher of the Year honors for the Northern California District and the West Coast Region, finishing among the top three nationally.
Tina holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Illinois State University and has continued her professional development through course work at Western Oregon State University and Sonoma State University. Tina has more than two decades of teaching elementary students in Illinois, Oregon and California. Her special love is second grade, where she creates a classroom environment so energizing that children cannot wait to get to school each morning. Tina loves to integrate poetry, song and drama into her lessons culminating in performances for parents, family members and friends of the students.
Tina's hobbies include photography, scrap booking, travel, and movies with her husband. She has three grown children, all of whom recently finished their college educations and still live in Santa Rosa. Return to top
Fourth grade teacher AMY CALDWELL is an incredible educator with an abundance of energy and dedication. Amy has received numerous awards of recognition as an outstanding educator. She was honored as Scottsdale Teacher of the Year and nominated for Arizona Teacher of the Year by two different school districts. Amy brings many talents and years of experience to THS.
Amy has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Florida Southern College, and an M.A. from Northern Arizona University. She has pursued her professional development throughout the years receiving additional special training in Differentiated Instruction, Curriculum Mapping, Technology, Multi-Age Classrooms, Multiple Intelligences, Learning Differences, Accelerated Reader, Special Education Inclusion, Hands-On Science, and Drama/Acting.
In addition to her long-term teaching experiences in Arizona, Amy is presently completing a two year contract as a 4th grade teacher with the Leipzig International School, Leipzig, Germany.
Living in Germany has allowed Amy to combine her passions and interests, namely teaching and world travel. She enjoys European history, exploring old cathedrals and castles, hiking and biking. Her stay abroad has also given her the opportunity to support her belief in "green-living." Amy sold her car when she moved to Germany and travels everywhere by foot, bike, or public transportation.
Upon her return to the states, Amy hopes to become involved with community theater. She loves directing children and acting in plays herself. Return to top
CAROLE BONSALL joins THS as the fifth grade homeroom teacher and 5th/6th grade humanities, English (Language Arts), and Literature teacher. Carole comes to THS with sixteen years of teaching experience in the IB/MYP (International Baccalaureate/Middle Years Program). Those sixteen years include experience teaching in international/multicultural environments, and international experience in Europe, Asia, the Middle-East, and North America. From 1998 to 2005 Carole, her husband Wade, and their two children lived in Muscat, Oman, where Carole and Wade taught in the American British Academy.
A British citizen, Carole is a graduate of Brunel University, Middlesex, UK and received her teaching certificate from Uxbridge College of Further Education, Middlesex. Besides acting as a coordinator of integrated and differentiated IB curriculum, she also has experience in development of individualized education plans as well as comprehensive evaluation reports. She brings project-based learning into the classroom, and includes a truly cross-curricular approach. An eager learner, she is in the process of acquiring a degree in ASL (American Sign Language). "I strive to enable my students to become confident decision makers. In order to enhance the learning experience, I encourage empathy and maintain an open and supportive learning environment through interaction and mentoring in an atmosphere of commitment, respect, open-mindedness and fun." Return to top
CHARLOTTE PERRINE is THS' new sixth grade homeroom teacher and 5th/6th grade Math, Science, and Economics teacher. A native of New Haven Connecticut, Charlotte comes from a long line of educators, and has spent the past 21 years teaching math and science from grades 5-7 in the Potomac School, Mc Lean, VA., St. Stephens and St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA, and the past 8 years at Beaver Country Day School in Boston.
Charlotte is a graduate of Westover School in Middlebury, CT, Smith College in Northampton, MA, where she received her BA, and Harvard University, where she received her MEd. She is a huge Red Sox fan, an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking and running, a lover of Broadway musicals, and is passionate about children and teaching. Charlotte is a believer in bringing the real world into the learning experience. Walking the talk, she has helped create a whale curriculum for Montgomery County Schools, studied humpback whales with the Pacific Whale Foundation in Australia, received a summer grant to research and observe orcas with Earthwatch in San Juan Islands, traveled in New Zealand, Europe, Alaska, the U.S. and sailed for a month in Tahiti. She is very interested in helping to create outdoor experiential learning connected to Math and Science at THS. Return to top
Humanities teacher COREY PAULSON was born in the Pacific Northwest and is excited to have returned to the Pacific Coast to teach at The Healdsburg School. After attending independent schools for most of her life, Corey received her bachelor degree in History at the University of Washington. A Dean's List scholar, Corey focused her studies on American history and the relationships between history and the literature of the period.
After graduation, Corey realized that she wanted to use her education to foster the love of learning in others. She began teaching middle and upper school history at an independent school, The Overlake School, in Redmond Washington. She left the school to obtain her master's degree in Religious Studies at the University of Colorado. When she is not working, Corey enjoys cooking, hiking, and playing with her 18-month-old daughter. Return to top
Math and Science teacher JACK STRANGE is going into his sixth year teaching integrated mathematics and science to middle school students and has been credited with producing graduates who are among the best prepared for high school in the North Bay as assessed by the receiving high schools. In addition, having a strong interest in the art of public speaking, Mr. Strange formed and coaches a middle school speech and debate team that has dominated its league for the past five consecutive years.
For nearly twenty years prior to teaching, Mr. Strange was both an innovator and entrepreneur in computer hardware and software technology that served the engineering, scientific and medical markets. He held positions in product marketing up to, and including, the executive levels in start-up companies as well as well-known global technology firms such as Xerox, Canon and Autodesk.
Mr. Strange's interests include mountain biking, the martial arts (where he holds the rank of black-belt in taekwondo), photography, trap and skeet shooting, travel and minor-league baseball. Having been born and raised in Latin America, Spanish was his first language although he also speaks some German and a smattering of Japanese.
Mr. Strange earned his a B.A. in Economics from Fairfield University, Fairfield CT and has pursued courses of independent continuing studies in physics and economics at both Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology. Return to top
Spanish teacher DEBORAH FISCH (Doña Deborah) has been teaching Spanish to children in grades Pre-K through eighth, as well as adults, through her own business, "Mobile Maestra" for the past decade. She employs the Total Physical Response (TPR), as well as the Language Experience Approach (LEA) which results in a lively, engaging classroom atmosphere full of music, movement and games. Doña Deborah draws from an eclectic background of theater, children's educational television performance (Mrs. Twizzleton's Magic Garden), creator/performer of Sonoma Song Service - Singing Telegram Delivery, and Dixieland jazz band singer.
Ms. Fisch worked as the Director of Graduate Events for Summit Inc. - an experiential motivational, self-development organization. She earned a BA in Spanish Literature and Culture, studied at a Translator's University in Spain, and has attended sessions at The Monterey Institute of International Studies. She has been happily married for 20 years to Ed, President of Fisch Bros. Drilling in Sebastopol. Return to top
Fencing instructor and middle school Spanish teacher PETER BURCHARD is a native of Marin County. He has spent a lifetime pursuing two main interests: foreign languages and the sport of fencing. Mr. Burchard holds an M.A. in French, a B.A. in French and German Literature, and he is a fencing master two times over. He has been a professor of French, German, and Spanish at The Branson School, De Anza College, Santa Rosa Junior College and the Academy of Art University. Mr. Burchard’s fencing expertise has won him National Champion in Team Foil twice (1978, 1984). He has been National Coach, USA Team Captain and is currently an international fencing referee for the USA. He is also a lifetime musician; Mr. Burchard has played drums and sung in various groups throughout his life. Return to top
Mandarin teacher LISA GARDNER was born and raised in China. She graduated from Shaanxi Normal University with a degree in Chinese Language and Literature. After finishing her degree, Ms. Gardner worked for ten years in Xian as a college professor.
In 2000, Lisa and her husband moved to the United States and made their home in Santa Rosa. Upon moving to the United States, Lisa realized the importance of improving her English skills, and she began taking classes at Santa Rosa Junior College. Having perfected her English, Ms. Gardner began teaching Mandarin.
Ms. Gardner has been teaching Mandarin to children since 2002. Her methods are innovative and engaging. Her students sing, dance, and recite poems. They play games and write, give presentations and role-play. Return to top
Physical Education teacher DAN HARTING was raised in rural Mnemonic County. Growing up, he spent most of his time running and exploring in the woods, playing in local streams and rivers. Since his youth, Mr. Harting has had an inherent passion for athletics, playing every sport possible. In 1984, he moved to Santa Rosa, where he attended Montgomery High School and became interested in alternative sports such as surfing, skateboarding, and mountain biking. Mr. Harting’s passion for athletics and the outdoors led him to a program in Exercise Physiology at Sonoma State University.
Mr. Harting has been a teacher at Riebli Elementary in Santa Rosa and most recently, at Sonoma Academy. While teaching at Sonoma Academy, Mr. Harting pursued a graduate degree in Sports Psychology. He is responsible for the creation and management of Sonoma Academy’s cross country team, which he has coached for the past three years. Mr. Harting also started and coaches the track and field team at Sonoma Academy.
His philosophy is simple: Mr. Harting feels that children and adults need to be exposed to many different types of athletic activities. Eventually, a passion will be developed for one of those activities, and when there is passion, there is drive. One does not need to be contrived about exercise. Mr. Harting believes that exercise should come naturally, and as such, a life long commitment to physical fitness and outdoor activity will develop.
In his spare time, Mr. Harting is on his bike or at the coast surfing the crispy cold waves of Sonoma County. He has also developed a huge passion for food and cooking, and he constantly finds himself following the scent of food wafting from the many great restaurants of Healdsburg. Return to top
Art teacher KAREN KLIMAK graduated from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio in 1970 with a B.A. in Art Education and has been teaching for over 30 years. Her experience includes teaching art classes at schools throughout San Francisco and the North Bay. In addition, Ms. Klimak owned and directed a summer camp in Mendocino. She also created and developed the art program at The San Francisco School where she taught for 23 years. Her own work has been exhibited in venues throughout the Bay Area, and she received an award in conjunction with the Oakland Museum Show "Hello Again." When she's not teaching, Ms. Klimak creates window displays for several storefronts in Healdsburg, works in her barn on her own junk metal sculpture, and takes art classes to enrich her teaching. Return to top
Music and Performing Arts teacher JAIN FAIRFAX brings more than thirty years of experience to The Healdsburg School. Following a performing career, which included appearances on Broadway, she has enjoyed being a children's choir leader in Denver, CO, a private dance teacher and choreographer for junior and senior high schools, a continuing education provider for teachers, and has spent many years working with children as a school counselor. Currently, she is a psychotherapist in private practice in Santa Rosa who specializes in building self-esteem in children and families.
Her nonprofit organization, Fair Advantage, Inc., produced the series shown on KRCB, "Mrs. Twizzleton's Magic Garden", which won the WAVE award for best instructional series. Dr. Fairfax is an avid gardener, she loves music and movement, and she believes that performance gives children confidence that will last through a lifetime. Return to top
