Rebecca Kroll, Assistant Head of School, joined CDS in 2005 after completing the graduate-level Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. Previously, she taught fifth grade with Teach for America in Long Beach, CA and also served as the Academic Program Coordinator for the “I Have a Dream" Foundation in San Francisco. Rebecca has a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Texas, Austin and an master's degree in educational leadership from the University of the Pacific. She speaks Spanish, and in her free time she enjoys photography, reading, travel, and studying U.S. history.

Middle School Director Ed Rhee has previously served as an administrator, teacher, and coach for nearly twenty years on the east coast.  Ed has a master's degree in education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and a bachelor's degree in English and drama from Kenyon College. He and his wife Katie, along with their two sons Emerson and Lachlan (both CDS students), enjoy traveling and exploring new places.

Cheryl Ewers joined CDS in May 2016 as our Director of Finance and Operations. Cheryl worked as a Vice President for Finance in educational publishing beginning in 2004 and before that as a Director of Finance. She has a M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, serves on the board of St. Brendan School, and lives in the West Portal neighborhood.

Diane Larrabee, Director of Admission, joined CDS in 2005. Diane has a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She was a commercial litigator for ten years before leaving the practice of law to pursue nonprofit interests. Diane has served as a trustee for several nonprofits, including Compass Family Services and Town School for Boys, where she chaired the diversity committee for four years. Diane enjoys cooking, writing, and reading.

Chris Teare, who joined CDS in 2018 as the Director of the Extended Program, has a master's degree in education from Harvard and a bachelor's degree in modern literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has worked in teaching positions at numerous Bay Area organizations, including four years as a teacher and afterschool program director for the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley as well as afterschool positions at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz and Americorps in East Oakland. Most recently, he served as the program director for Compass Education Group, a local tutoring organization. Chris has traveled extensively throughout Latin America and is proficient in Spanish. Outside of work, Chris is a musician, photographer, and an outdoor sports enthusiast.

Kate Corliss joined CDS in January 2017 as our Lower School Counselor. She holds a master’s degree in school counseling from George Washington University and has more than a decade of experience in a variety of positions and grade levels. At various schools in Washington, D.C. and Maryland from 2004-2012, she served as a Pre-K classroom teacher, as a K-8 art instructor, as an administrator for a Summer Academy program targeted at failing and below-proficient students, and as a counseling intern for District of Columbia public schools. After moving to the west coast in 2012, she served as a case manager for the Raphael House of San Francisco, where she developed an implemented a wide-ranging counseling program for homeless children and families. 

Jill Rosenberg joined CDS in 2018 as our Middle School Learning Specialist. She had served in the same position for the previous four years at Chinese American International School, and she has more than ten years of experience working in various roles in the teaching world, including as a classroom teacher, an administrator, and an educational therapist. Jill holds a master’s degree in educational therapy from California State University, Northridge, and a bachelor's degree in family & consumer sciences, early childhood education from San Francisco State University.

Gretchen Ott, Starfish Head Teacher, began serving as a preschool teacher at Children’s Day School in 2000. She received her bachelor's degree in child development from California State University, Humboldt. Gretchen served as a faculty representative on the CDS Committee on Inclusion and Diversity for over five years. She has been a presenter at the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Regional Conference and in 2011 authored an article for the CAIS quarterly publication on using online blogging as a communication tool to make preschool learning visible to parents. Gretchen is certified in the Project Approach, a teaching approach where teachers guide students through in-depth studies of real-world topics, and she is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Guillermo Cortez joined CDS in 2016 as a Starfish Teacher after holding various teaching positions in San Francisco and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most recently, he was a first grade co-teacher at San Francisco Day School, and prior thereto was a paraprofessional teacher at Presidio Early Education School, an inclusive Reggio Emilia preschool, and a lead science instructor at Galileo Innovation Camp for Kids. He holds a bachelor's degree in child development from Tufts University and is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies. Guillermo is fluent in Spanish. 

Prior to joining CDS as a Leaping Lizard Teacher in 2015, Jasmin was a preschool teacher for 14 years at Buen Dia Family School in San Francisco, an arts-focused English-Spanish bilingual preschool program. Prior thereto, she taught at Guided Discovery, an inclusion preschool that is a program of the YMCA in Boise, Idaho. Jasmin earned her Early Childhood Education units through City College of San Francisco and has received training in mindfulness in education. She is fluent in Spanish. 

Shaye (Shaghayegh) Shirinbab permanently joined the Teddy Bears team in 2018 after having previously served with CDS as a substitute teacher. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Bahonar University in Iran, a Montessori Early Childhood Diploma from the Toronto Montessori Institute, a master's degree in arts education from Concordia University in Montreal, and an Administration Early Childhood Certificate from City College of San Francisco. Shaye has served as a lead teacher at Toronto Montessori schools, an after school educator and administrator at the Golestan Center for Language Immersion and Cultural Education in Berkeley, and an art education intern at Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. She is the co-founder and program director of Multiverse Art Gallery, a showcase for multicultural works of art in the Bay Area.

Spencer Donaldson, Fourth Grade Associate Teacher, joined CDS in 2016. He holds an master's degree in education and a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific, as well as a bachelor's degree in English from Occidental College. He has been a counselor at various camps for elementary-aged children, including working with third grade students at the summer academy of Growth and Learning Opportunities (GLO), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower youth and families to be leaders toward equitable communities. Spencer is an experienced podcaster, blogger, and writer, focusing on sports topics, and an accomplished musician.

Belinda Gray, First Grade Owls Teacher, joined CDS in 2014 with nine years of teaching experience, including six years lead-teaching first grade at the San Francisco Day School and at the Keys School in Palo Alto. Belinda has an M.F.A. in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute and a bachelor's degree in photography from Humboldt State University. She holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at San Francisco State University. Belinda has received mindfulness curriculum training through Mindful Schools, a leading nonprofit in the field of mindfulness in education. She is trained in the Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing Workshop at Columbia University Teachers College and in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Jodi Kraning joined the Kindergarten Sequoias team in 2015. Jodi has held a variety of teaching roles, including positions at The Children’s School in La Jolla, CA, St. Therese Community Preschool in Sydney, Australia, and the Boulder Journey School in Colorado. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies with an emphasis on the young child from Michigan State University. Jodi also holds an master's degree in education and human development from University of Colorado, Boulder Journey School with a specialization in literacy. 

Christy Kyong moved to the Fourth Grade Marbled Murrelets classroom in 2018 after three years with the Preschool Teddy Bears. She joined CDS in 2015 after working for five years at the Bentley School String Academy, where she created and taught a curriculum for violin and cello instruction. She also has been a classroom and music teacher at Nomura School in Richmond and the Crowden School of Music in Berkeley. Christy earned her bachelor's degree in music and interdisciplinary studies in early childhood from University of California, Berkeley. She also has a M.M. in violin performance/pedagogy from Northwestern University, and she is pursuing a master's degree in education and a California teaching credential through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific. She is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Alex Miller, Second Grade Co-Head Teacher, joined CDS in 2013. He earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of San Diego and a master's degree in elementary education from the University of Phoenix. Previous to CDS, Alex worked as a 3rd grade intern and a 1st grade intern in the New Teacher Institute at Town School for Boys. Alex has extensive experience in athletics, serving as a head coach for 6th grade baseball and soccer, 8th grade basketball, 5th-8th grade golf, and 1st grade baseball. He also was a 5th grade after school teacher with Growth & Learning Opportunities in San Francisco. Alex is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies. Away from school, Alex enjoys cooking and exploring new hiking trails with his dog, Bear.

Juliette joined CDS in 2017 as our Kindergarten Redwoods Co-Head Teacher with nearly a decade of experience in the classroom. After earning her bachelor's degree from Barnard College, Juliette enrolled at the Bank Street College of Education, where she earned her M.S.Ed. in early childhood and childhood general education. While working on her master’s degree, Juliette worked as a student teacher in both public and independent schools in New York City. During the 2012-2013 school year, Juliette taught kindergarten at CDS in the Sequoias classroom, and the year prior to that taught at CDS in the Leaping Lizards preschool classroom. From 2013 to 2017, she taught kindergarten at the Peregrine School in Davis. She is fluent in French and Spanish and trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Merritt Richmond joined the Third Grade Pelicans team in 2018 with more than two decades of experience in the educational field, working as a lower school teacher at various schools in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Oakland. She holds a bachelor's degree in art history from Duke University and, since receiving her master’s degree in educational leadership in 2012 from Mills College, also has served as a professional development teacher and educational consultant. She chairs the Board of Trustees of the Cemala Foundation, a community charitable organization in Greensboro, NC, as well as SPEAK, our local Parent Education Collaborative.

Skye Scarbrough, Fourth Grade Head Teacher, joined CDS in 2015 with seven years of classroom teaching experience in California as well as Georgia and Florida. Most recently, Skye was a third grade teacher at Stratford Elementary School in San Francisco. Skye has a master's degree in teaching from the University of South Florida and a bachelor's degree in public policy from Georgia State University. In addition to her work in schools, Skye was a lobbyist for the Georgia state judicial system and has been a project manager in both the public and private sectors.

Joining CDS as the Third Grade Pelicans Associate Teacher in the fall of 2017, Hannah is a recent graduate of Wesleyan University, where she received a bachelor's degree in English. Hannah has served as a volunteer/assistant at Lokrantz School in Reseda, California (a public special education center designed to serve K-5 students with physical and/or developmental disabilities) and at La Famiglia Preschool in Ventura, California (a Reggio Emilia program). During the summer of 2016, she was a volunteer with The Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon, a large-scale archeological exploration in Israel. Hannah is conversational in Hebrew.

Barbie Brannon joined CDS in 2016 as a Fifth Grade Humanities Teacher with more than ten years of teaching experience, most recently at St. Philip Elementary School in San Francisco and prior thereto at St. John School in San Francisco. While at St. John School, she was a lead teacher in second and fourth grade, taught fifth grade history for four years, taught fifth and sixth grade language arts in the 2007 summer program, and was principal of the summer program in 2009. Barbie holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of San Francisco and a master's degree in cross-cultural education and a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from National University.

Frances Elsberry, Fifth & Sixth Grade Math Teacher, holds a master's degree in education, a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific, and a bachelor's degree in politics from Pomona College. Prior to joining CDS in 2017, Frances was a co-teacher in fifth grade at San Francisco Day School, where she taught differentiated lessons in math using the Universal Design for Learning framework to develop conceptual understanding, estimation techniques, effective communication of reasoning, and application to real life situations. Prior thereto, she was an intern teacher at Breakthrough Collaborative, an intensive academic enrichment and support program for motivated San Francisco students with limited educational opportunities, and previously was a team leader and corps member for Jumpstart (Americorps), a pre-kindergarten program for children from under-resourced communities. Frances is trained in Developmental Designs, an approach that builds student skills and engagement in three key areas of school life: social-emotional, relationship and community, and academic. Frances is proficient in Spanish.

Paola Nou, Fifth & Sixth Grade Spanish Teacher, joined CDS in 2017 after teaching Spanish for 12 years at Presidio Hill School. She has taught Spanish at Live Oak School (middle school), Greenwood School in Mill Valley (grades K-8), and Gateway High School. She also has served as a Spanish-language crisis line volunteer at Casa de las Madres, a nonprofit organization providing support and services to women and children experiencing domestic violence. Paola holds a master's degree from the State University of Argentina and is trained in Developmental Designs.

Anne Sculley joined CDS in 2017 as our 7th/8th Grade Science Teacher. She has previously served as a middle school science teacher and department coordinator at St. Cecilia School, a 7th-12th grade science teacher at Waverley College in Sydney, Australia, and a science teacher and department head at St. Vincent’s College in the same city. Additionally, she has worked as a preschool teacher and fundraising chair at Miraloma Cooperative Public School, a teacher for English language learners at Transworld School, and a production executive in the film and television industry for more than a decade. She holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Canberra.

Christopher Wachter is our Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher. Prior to joining CDS in 2015, Christopher was a language arts and math teacher at St. John School in San Francisco. He also has teaching experience abroad, having worked as an English as a Second Language Instructor for high school-aged students in Pokhara, Nepal. Christopher earned a master's degree in teaching from the University of San Francisco and also holds bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University in psychology (child development) and literature. In 2018, he received the first annual Molly Huffman Award for Teaching Excellence as the teacher whose work best exemplifies the core educational values of CDS: engaging students in critical and creative thinking, inspiring the joy of learning, challenging and inspiring students to do their best work, exhibiting high personal and professional standards, and engaging actively in professional development.

Jeri Countryman, Director of the Innovation Lab, brings to CDS a rich and diverse background in technology, innovation, and design thinking. Previously, she was a senior project manager at Chabot Space & Science Center and has served as a curriculum and technology consultant for various educational organizations. Jeri earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Simmons College, a master’s degree in interdisciplinary computer science from Mills College, and a master’s degree in education from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Jeri is a parent at CDS.

Matt Goldberg is serving as our interim Middle School Art teacher in Fall 2018 while Colleen Flayler is on maternity leave. For the past two years, Matt has been the Resident Art Teacher at Town School; he also serves as a teaching artist for various institutions, including Clay Days, an adult education program which he founded. He won the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from SFAI in 2015 and has designed more than two dozen art exhibitions in the past five years.

Katie Hart, who joined us in 2018 as our Early Childhood Program and Lower School Art teacher, holds a master’s degree in urban education from Holy Names University, a bachelor's degree in visual arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a California Clear Single-Subject Art Teaching Credential. She is a practicing artist and has more than a decade of experience teaching art to students across all grades from kindergarten to high school. Before coming to CDS, she served for eight years as the K-6 art teacher at Lighthouse Community Charter School in Oakland.

Jackie Katz joined CDS in 2017 as our Middle School Drama Teacher, having formerly worked as a teaching assistant at the California College of the Arts, a lead teacher with the Renegade Girls Club after school program, an Education Coordinator at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and a facilitator of Visual and Social Practice Art at Centre 3 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (her hometown!). Jackie has also been a volunteer teacher in refugee centers in Toronto, New York, and the Bay Area for over 12 years. She is the founder of Play:ground, an adventure playground on Governor’s Island in New York, and of Stellarvisions, a creative arts program that has been implemented in multiple cities. She holds a bachelor's degree in theatre studies from Dalhousie University and a master's degree in social practice and public forms from California College of the Arts. She is fluent in Hebrew and learning Arabic. 

Robin Ostenfeld Adams, Farm & Garden Manager, joined CDS in 2015 with more than ten years of experience teaching in inquiry-based and materials-driven environments. Previously, Robin has served as a fourth and fifth grade science teacher, service learning coordinator, and an adjunct professor. In addition, Robin was an instructor for several summers in the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, working with K-8 teachers from Bank Street College of Education in an immersion program that focused on science education and sustainable communities. An east coast transplant, Robin earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Fordham University and a master's degree in museum education from Bank Street College of Education. Away from school, Robin enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, surfing, and hiking with her dog, Olivia.

Lisa Roberts holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Prior to joining CDS in 2016 as our Middle School Music Teacher, she taught fourth and fifth grade music in the Cupertino Union School District and, prior thereto, taught music and vocal music for four years in several public schools in Virginia, including serving as a long-term substitute middle school and high school string teacher. She holds a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Music, a Virginia Pre-K through 12 Vocal/Choral Music Certification, a Pennsylvania K-12 Music Certification, and an Orff-Schulwerk Certification. Lisa is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies. 

Rhonda Ross, Physical Education Teacher, joined us from St. Paul’s School in Oakland, where she taught P.E. for twelve years. She also served as a basketball and volleyball coach. Before St. Paul’s, she taught P.E. at Chinese American International School. She has a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport sciences with a specialty in exercise science from Colby-Sawyer College and a teaching credential (physical education) from California State University, Hayward.

Kindra Scharich, Early Childhood and Lower School Music Teacher, is a seasoned musician and teacher with more than ten years of experience in a variety of settings. Before joining CDS in 2015, Kindra was a teacher for five years at the New Mozart School of Music in Palo Alto, and she also has worked as a teaching artist with the Los Angeles Opera. Most recently, she was the music director at Woodland School in Portola Valley. Kindra earned a bachelor of music and a master of music in vocal performance from the University of Michigan and holds a post-graduate degree in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Lily Sheridan, Food & Agricultural Sciences Teacher, joined CDS in 2016 with a master's degree in food culture and communications from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Bates College. Previously, she worked for two years as a Food Educator with Cooking With Kids, a Santa Fe, New Mexico nonprofit that uses hands-on learning to educate and empower children and families to make healthy food choices. She has been an active volunteer in organizations such as The Boulder Valley School Foods Project, a nutrition education program; Local Foods for Lewiston, where she was a research partner assisting with a community food assessment to determine the need for emergency food providers; and the Trinity Jubilee Soup Kitchen in Lewiston, where she worked with Somali refugees in an after school homework and literacy education program.

Daven Gee, Technology Integration Specialist, is an experienced educator, administrator and digital media artist. He has a bachelor's degree in public communications and a master's degree in film production. Prior to joining CDS in 2018, he worked with Streetside Stories, co-creating curricula and co-teaching in Bay Area elementary and middle school ELA and ELD classrooms, integrating media arts practices.

Daven is especially interested in strengthening personal voice, community engagement, and social justice through creative expression and media literacy. In addition to pursuing this work as an educator, he has done so with many award-winning documentary films, including Regret to Inform, Blessed Is the Match, Scout's Honor, and the PBS documentary series  P.O.V. and Independent Lens.

Born in Southern California and raised on a farm in Northern California, Daven has long been interested in cross-cultural exchange. He is passionately engaged with family and community in the East Bay and is earning a TESOL certificate (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of California, Berkeley.

Alyce Ide joined the CDS team in 2017 as the Technology Support Specialist with over 15 years’ experience of educational technical support in the Oakland Unified School District, Laney College, and California College of the Arts. She is an Oakland native and holds associate degrees in Asian/Asian American studies and applied design from Laney College.

In her spare time, she freelances as a graphic designer for nonprofits and community service organizations that help low-income and minority groups.

Karla Martínez-Cuéllar, Admissions Assistant, joined CDS in 2016. Karla holds a bachelor's degree in communicative disorders from San Francisco State University and is currently pursuing her master's degree in early childhood special education at San Francisco State.

Karla is passionate about youth, education, and social justice issues. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her 7-year old daughter, husband, and friends in the SF Bay Area.

Cristobal Perez has worked at CDS for eight years. In addition to helping maintain our beautiful CDS campus, Cristobal also works with MC Janitorial Services. Cristobal is a resident of the Mission in San Francisco.

Erin Dayton-Jones comes to the CDS community all the way from Syracuse, New York, where she attended Syracuse University, receiving a bachelor's degree in education and child and family studies. She is an experienced educator and caregiver and loves helping kids work through problems. She is passionate about acceptance, tolerance, and diversity in education.

Julius Cedeno first joined the after school team in 2013 and returned in 2018 after a brief absence. He is a bilingual (Spanish/English) San Francisco native and has coached baseball at Stuart Hall Elementary School. Julius is experienced in infant care, motivating children, and being a team player. He is currently pursuing a degree in kinesiology at San Francisco State University.

George Lopez Jr., Head Receptionist, joined CDS in June 2014 after spending many years in the retail management/customer service and film industries. Originally from Southern California, he moved to San Francisco in 1994 and currently lives in the Lower Haight with his partner. George enjoys cooking, creating art, visiting local museums, and spending time with his partner’s family.