Faculty Biographies

Elementary

Kindergarten
Terri Toback earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Illinois State University and holds an Illinois State Teaching Credential.  She has been on staff at Baymonte since 1993.  She began teaching kindergarten in the fall of 2000. 

Shanna Murphy graduated from University of California at Santa Cruz with a degree in Economics.  She completed her California Multiple Subject Credential from San Jose State University.  Shanna had six years of experience teaching in the elementary classroom before joining Baymonte’s faculty last year.

First Grade
Kim Thompson obtained her B.S.degree in Education from Northern Illinois University.  She started teaching at Baymonte in 1990.  She taught kindergarten for nine years and directed our Independent Program of Instruction for several years. She has taught first grade since 2003.

Lisa Poston attended Baymonte through her sophomore year in high school.  She is a graduate of UCSC with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.  She received her California teaching credential from San Jose State University and taught kindergarten for one year before coming to Baymonte in 1996.

Second Grade
Debi Wilcox graduated from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, with a Master’s degree.  She taught in a public school for three years before going to Green Valley Christian School where she was a teacher for three years and principal for five years.  She has been teaching at Baymonte since 1998. 

Heather Wick joined us last year having completed her Liberal Studies teacher preparation and California state credential work at Bethany University.  She also holds a Master’s degree in Teaching from Bethany.  Heather was a long-term kindergarten substitute at Baymonte before she started teaching second grade.

Third Grade
Susie Stepka attended Baymonte from fourth grade through ninth grade.  She attended Cabrillo College, graduated from UCSC, and received her California teaching credential from Bethany University.  She began teaching at Baymonte in 1997.

Cassy Hazen received her California teaching credential from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego.  She taught third grade at Lanakila Elementary School in Waipahu, Hawaii before coming to Baymonte in 2007.  Cassy is married to Jeff Hazen, a former Baymonte student.

Fourth Grade
Christie Olson earned her B.A. from George Fox University.  She obtained her California teaching credential and her Master’s degree from Southern California College.  She has a varied teaching background that includes both elementary and college classrooms.  She joined our faculty in 2003.

Elizabeth Kitch attended Azusa Pacific University where she majored in Liberal Studies with a minor in Social Science.  She received her teaching credential from Bethany University.  Elizabeth taught third grade for five years at Baymonte before taking time off to raise her family.  She rejoined our faculty in 2005.

Fifth Grade
Geoffrey Ward has his B.A. in Mass Media/Communications from California State University, Northridge.  He holds a California CLAD Multi-Subject K-12 Teaching Credential earned at the University of Phoenix.  He also holds an ACSI credential and will soon begin his Masters of Arts in Education with a specialization in curriculum and instruction.

Terra Bliss went to California State University, Hayward, for two years and transferred to Bethany University where she obtained her B.A. and Masters Degree along with her California teaching credential.  She worked at Scotts Valley Recreation Department for six years before joining Baymonte in 2006.

Specialists

Physical Education
Debbie Siemsen graduated from Biola University with a double major of Christian Education and Elementary Education.  She holds a minor in Bible.  She received her California teaching credential from Bethany University.  Debbie joined the Baymonte faculty in 1994.

Music
Craig Simmons holds both a B.A. and a Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of Arts.  He has performed with numerous orchestras and has had teaching experience in Santa Cruz County Schools since 1991.  He has been teaching kindergarten through eighth grade music at Baymonte since 2000.

Media Center Director
Catherine Upton earned her B.A. in Art History and her Master’s degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in 1993.  She joined the faculty in 2003.

Independent Program of Instruction
Martha Stow received a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State University.  She taught three years before joining the Baymonte faculty in 1994.  She enjoyed eleven years of teaching second grade and currently oversees Baymonte’s Independent Program of Instruction.

Ellen Arzouni has worked in a variety of capacities at Baymonte since 1994.  She is trained in the Barton System of instruction for children with learning disabilities.

Roberta Handley has been at Baymonte since 2004.  She is also a teacher at Baymonte Preschool Too.

Christina Castagnetto graduated from San Jose State University with her Master’s degree in 2000.  She is a Speech and Language Pathologist.  She joined Baymonte last year after 9 years of experience with San Lorenzo Elementary School.  She works with students at Baymonte one day a week in addition to her private and public practice.