Enriched elementary school education in the ♥ of Santa Cruz

Deric McLean

Director, 3rd - 6th Language Arts, STEAM, & P.E.

With a healthy dose of right place/right time, Deric McLean found his dream teaching job at Santa Cruz Children’s School after earning his credential in 2009. After years of taking on more and more of a leadership role, he was extremely honored to be entrusted by the school’s founders to take over, with his lovely wife, as school directors in 2015.
In addition to serving as the director, Deric McLean is the Language Arts teacher for the upper half of the school. He also enjoys teaching a different science subject to everyone each year including Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science. He holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State University, along with a BA in English from Santa Clara University.
In Language Arts, students are challenged daily to grow their reading, writing, and speaking skills while developing a true sense of personal responsibility for their work. Students are taught flexibility and ease with all modes of writing and reading. In addition to reading assignments in every genre and style, students participate in self-organized, and largely student-led, Book Clubs with their classmates.
In addition to essays, narratives, and other nonfiction writing, creative writing is an important element of language arts. Students are challenged to find their voice across genres by writing in an environment that is both assignment driven and about constant personal progress. Students are taught to use all tools at their disposal to help them on this quest, from mentor texts to peer feedback, and most importantly: the lost art of revision. This environment has resulted in students who write for the pure joy of it.

Joanna McLean

Director, 5th& 6th Grade Health

Joanna McLean is happy to point out that she found the job listing and encouraged the bike ride that led Deric to teach at, and ultimately lead, Santa Cruz Children’s School. Of course, she had no idea at the time what an incredible impact being part of such a community would have on their lives. Now, as the Administrative Director of SCCS she has dived into her role head first, and though primarily working behind the scenes, is an integral part of the day to day operations of the school. A graduate of UC San Diego with a degree in Human Development, she has spent her adult life working with children of all ages, creating and running programs, and mentoring teens and young adults seeking to do the same. She spent many years with the YMCA serving as a residential camp counselor and director, an outdoor educator, and a school age child care director. She also spent several seasons as Operations Coordinator at Camp Galileo in the Bay Area. In addition to her new responsibilities at the school, Joanna takes care of Deric and their son, who is now officially a student at Santa Cruz Children’s School.

Andrea Randall

Kindergarten - 2nd Language Arts & Math & K-6th Local Studies

Andrea Randall has been the lead teacher for the youngest students since 2003. She holds a California State Teaching Credential from Sonoma State with an emphasis in early childhood education.

Her well organized, creative curriculum invites young children to learn in a cheerful environment. Her students hear stories, respond to literature, and keep journals. They build phonics, reading, writing, and math skills with a variety of activities at a pace that is individualized for each person. Andrea has developed and published language arts curriculum that incorporates puppets, songs, handwriting, and bookmaking into an irresistible classroom experience for her students. Andrea, with the help of her new co-teacher, Jessica Romeo, has taken her experience, creativity, and incredible planning skills and adapted it for a meaningful and joyful online experience for the younger half of the school.

Andrea also created and teaches LOST (short for LOcal STudies), where students learn all about the rich history, culture, and art from all over Santa Cruz County through in-class projects and monthly (or more!) field trips.

In Andrea’s classes, students (including her own two boys) enjoy learning every day and are able to thrive in an enriching, engaging, and challenging environment.

Jessica Romeo

Kindergarten - 2nd Language Arts & Math, K-6th Social Justice

Jessica was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. She grew up in a large family and moved back to the Santa Cruz area this summer after living in Oregon and LA for the past eight years. Following her passion to become a social justice educator, Jessica received her B.S. in Elementary Education at the University of Oregon with a minor in Special Education. She spent four years in Eugene, Oregon working with diverse groups of children in schools and after school programs before moving to Southern California to pursue her multiple subject teaching credential and Masters of Education at UCLA.

Jessica is thrilled to be co-teaching the Kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders with Andrea Randall this year! Together they will adapt to maintain a sense of community and small group instruction for both online and in person learning. Jessica is also playing a key roll in the SCCS mission to raise kind, empathetic, antiracist, and passionate global citizens with a social justice curriculum in her weekly Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion class.

Ruby Wong

3rd - 6th Grade Math

Ruby Wong is thrilled to take over the math program for the upper grades at Santa Cruz Children's School. A Santa Cruz native, she returned home to follow her passion for STEM education after earning her B.A. at Loyola Marymount University in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Mathematics her multiple subject teacher credential. Ruby uses hands on learning, project based learning, and her own humor and enthusiasm to help students find joy in math education. She is fueled by her passion for mentoring, social justice, multicultural education, and increasing diversity and representation in STEM professional fields. Ruby also works with the local non-profit, X Academy, as their Program Coordinator and guest lecturer for their Math Circle.

Adriana Villalon

Spanish, Instrumental Music, & Cooking

Adriana Villalon has been with Santa Cruz Children’s School since 2014.

As a violinist, she has always tried to incorporate music into her teaching when possible and believes that children benefit from musical learning across the curriculum.

She is passionate about weaving global themes across the different subjects such as cooking, singing, Spanish, English, reading, math and science. She teaches Spanish to the whole school as well as strings to the students who choose the violin, cello, or guitar for their school music lessons 3rd grade and up. Adriana also brings her passion for world cuisine to her cooking class, teaching children K-6 not only proper kitchen safety and cooking techniques, but also an appreciation for different cultures and flavors, and how the act of cooking and eating a meal together is a joyful experience.

Adriana holds a California State Teaching Credential from Long Beach State and has a major in Music Performance. She also has specialized in microbiology and music therapy. In addition to her time at SCCS, Adriana has experience as a Kindergarten teacher and over 20 years experience as an instrumental music instructor.

Lars Johanesson

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Lars has had 15 years teaching experience and specializes in silver flute, Irish flute and baroque flute. Lars has studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Hague in Holland.

Lars teaches the recorder to all SCCS 2nd graders, helping instil a passion for musical learning as well a

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Lars teaches the recorder to all SCCS 2nd graders, helping instil a passion for musical learning as well as a solid foundation for the next instrument they choose. For students in 3rd grade and up he teaches a variety of woodwinds and ukelele as well as advanced band.

Show Less

Tara Firenze

Lars Johanesson

HISTORY

Tara Firenzi has been teaching history since 2003. Her experience includes ten years teaching AP World History at Pacific Collegiate School, where she also served as Chair of the History Department, and Dean of Faculty. She majored in history at UCLA, and earned a masters degree in History from Stanford. She is credentialed by the state of California to teach both history and physical education, as well as holding an administrative credential. Tara is also a tap dancer, and dance instructor, who teaches at several different studios in Santa Cruz County.

Show Less

Michelle Bigley

Lars Johanesson

Michelle Bigley

JOURNALISM

Michele Bigley is an accomplished freelance journalist, travel writer, university lecturer and writing teacher, and a passionate ecology activist.

This year, Michele will share her experience and expertise with the 4th-6th graders in her Journalism class. The students will learn the techniques of journalistic writing and creat

JOURNALISM

Michele Bigley is an accomplished freelance journalist, travel writer, university lecturer and writing teacher, and a passionate ecology activist.

This year, Michele will share her experience and expertise with the 4th-6th graders in her Journalism class. The students will learn the techniques of journalistic writing and create a blog with a focus on sharing good news with the world, something we could all use a little more of these days.

Show Less

Santa Cruz Children's School