Teacher

Teaching Assignment and Description

John Ashley

Coordinator of the Poseidon Academy

Teaches:  11^th Grade Chemistry/Marine Science and Project Science Accelerated

Education:  Bachelors from UC Santa Barbara

Extra Information:  Mr. Ashley loves to surf and can often be found on his stand-up paddle board in IB.  His wife teaches elementary school.

Geo Barker

Teaches:  12^th Grade AP English Literature

Extra Information:  Mr. Barker is the English Department Chair.  He owns just about every color Converse shoes you can find.

Bobbie Bottroff

Teaches:  9^th Grade Biology/Marine Biology

Education:  Master of Education from UC San Diego

Extra Information:  Ms. Bottroff is the Science Department Chair and this is her first year in the academy. 

Ron Cole

Teaches:  12^th grade US Government and Economics and AP US Government

Extra Information:  Mr. Cole is the History

Department Chair and also coaches MVH’s hockey team.

Michael Crawford

Teaches:  11^th Grade AP English Language.

Education:  BA English from UC Irvine and a Masters in Classics of Western Thought from St. John’s University.

Extra Information:  Mr. Crawford’s wife, Kara, also teaches English.  They have two sons, Kalab and Benjamin.  Mr. Crawford really likes breakfast burritos.

Amber Croymans

Teaches:  Health

Education:  Bachelors from CSU Long Beach

Extra Information:  Ms. Croymans loves teaching her Poseidon Health classes!

Horacio Guajardo

Teaches:  Chemistry and Bilingual Biology

Education:  BS in Oceanography from UABC’s College of Marine Science, Masters of Marine Cultures from Texas A&M University

Chad Kavanagh

Teaches:  9^th Grade English and English Accelerated

Extra Information:  Mr. Kavanagh is an avid surfer and also coaches waterpolo and swimming for MVH.

Laura Lopez

Teaches:  9^th Grade ROP Computers

Robert Medrano

Teaches: 9^th Grade World Geography

Nic Nicoloff

Teaches:  10^th Grade AP World History and US History

Extra Information:  In his free time, Mr. Nicoloff enjoys traveling with his family.

Mario Olmos

Teaches: 9^th Grade Biology/Marine Biology and 12^th Grade Marine Science Project

Extra Information:  Mr. Olmos loves teaching students about marine science.  He also enjoys playing his guitar  and spending time with his family.

Robert Peterson

Teaches:  11^th Grade AP US History

Extra Information:  Mr. Peterson was the MVH teacher of the year in 2007-2008.  He also coaches the Academic Decathlon team.

Chantal Sakkal

Teaches:  11^th Grade English Honors

Education:  BA in English from San Diego State University and Masters of Education from Point Loma University.

Extra Information:  Ms. Sakkal is originally from San Francisco, but she loves San Diego.  Students know her for her dorky facial expressions and “cooky” laugh.

Cherylyn Sias

Teaches:  10^th Grade World Geography and AP World History

Extra Infromation:  Mrs. Sias is a graduate of MVH!  She is a National Board Certified Teacher and was our Teacher of the Year in 2008-2009. 

Courtney Van Hall

Teaches:  11^th Grade English

Education:  Masters of Education from UC San Diego

Extra Information:  Ms. Van Hall also coaches volleyball for MVH.

Marti Welch

Teaches:  10^th Grade English Accelerated

Education:  BA in Psychology from San Diego State University and Masters of Education and Masters of English from National University.

Extra Information:  Ms. Welch has a pet rat and is learning how to skateboard.  She would like to be fluent in Spanish and French.