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Teacher Bios - 2007
Denise Giotta, 2-day Preschool Teacher and 5th Grade Teacher
(12 years at Mulberry)
Denise has been teaching for more than twenty years. She has spent many years working with infants and preschoolers in a variety of settings and has also worked with elementary age students.
Denise received her Bachelors degree in Social Science with a concentration in Child Development from San Jose State University in 1987. She also earned an adult education credential and is working on completion of her K-12 credential.
Denise is a well-respected parent educator and teaches parenting classes for Mulberry as well as other organizations.
She lives in San Jose with her husband and three children who are all Mulberry alumni. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and going to the beach.
She loves to teach and believes she learns as much from her students as they learn from her. "Teaching is a gift in so many ways and teaching at Mulberry is extra special. Mulberry is a place that honors the child and the learning process."
Leslie Barr, 3-day Preschool Teacher
(20 years at Mulberry)
Leslie has been a preschool teacher at Mulberry since September 1987. She started as 4-day teacher, then taught morning and afternoon 3-day programs and Thursday Adventures, and for the last 3 years, she has taught the 3-day morning class.
She received her Masters in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, a B.A. in French from George Washington University and her Children's Center Permit from San Jose City College and West Valley College.
Leslie uses a constructivist approach in teaching, where children's experiences build upon each other. Through play in a multi-sensory environment where they are allowed to make choices, children can take risks (without fear of failure) and experiment with process and materials. She sincerely believes social and emotional development is key to future success as contributing members of the human race!
Leslie loves reading, knitting, working out/hiking, cooking/baking, and, of course, children! She has two boys: Chris was a history major in college and now works as a personal trainer/posture therapist; Rob was a physics major who currently teaches physics AP and robotics at Bellarmine College Prep. Both boys went to preschool at Mulberry. Chris attended Kindergarten at Mulberry too.
Paula Ramos, 4-day Preschool Teacher
(9 years at Mulberry)
Paula has been working at Mulberry in a variety of capacities. During her first three years, she worked with the Mulberry parents, co-teaching the T.E.A.M series ( a class that prepares parents for their participation at Mulberry). For the last 5 years, she has enjoyed teaching in the preschool. In addition, this past year, she accepted a position with the evolving reading support program, leading small groups in reading and writing.
Paula began her career with a B.S. in Business Finance, minoring in economics. However, the birth of her first child ignited her passion for child development, leading her to further her education. She earned her ECE units and became certified to teach parent education for the YWCA community and social services. She earned a certificate for working with victims of domestic violence and received a part time Adult Education Credential. Recently Paula was recognized by her peers and the parents she teaches for her outstanding work with children and received the California Council of Parent Participation Nursery School's Teacher's Award.
Paula believes that children construct their knowledge from their interactions with the world around them. Her curriculum is designed for a child focused, play- based environment. She meets children where they are in their developmental process, and provides meaningful activities that they can grasp and take in. In addition, the low parent/child ratios in a co-op provide ample opportunities for one-on-one interactions that scaffold learning to the next level.
Paula currently lives in San Jose, with her husband, three teen age/young adult children, and pet dog. Her interests include exercise, continuing her education, and supporting her children in all the wonderful activities and endeavors in which they are involved.
Virginia Solano-Bean, Junior Kindergarten and Toddler Teacher
(10 years at Mulberry)
Virginia has over 27 years of experience in the classroom. In 1979, she began her teaching career at Cupertino's De Anza College Child Development Center in the Lab School. She has taught at Foothill College Children's Center, San Jose State University's Lab School, Head Start, and State Preschool at San Jose Unified School District's Broadway High School Young Mother's Program. She earned her Lifetime Children's Children Center Permit from De Anza College and her B.A. in human development with an emphasis in early childhood education from Pacific Oaks College.
In Virginia's junior kindergarten, parents and children embrace the "You Can't Say You Can't Play" philosophy as they focus on social skills in and out of the classroom. Junior kindergarteners are encouraged to transition from learning through free play to becoming learners who include "structured teacher work". Junior kindergarten is a place to explore strengths and develop coping skills to nurture areas of growth both socially and academically.
Virginia shares her downtown vintage Victorian-style home with her husband, Chuck, her son, Carlos (a Mulberry alumnus) and her beloved beagle, Daisy. In her free time, Virginia enjoys gardening and spending time with family and friends.
MaryAnn Solano, Kindergarten Teacher
(5 years at Mulberry)
MaryAnn began her classroom experience as a sign language interpreter and instructional aide for disabled students at San Jose City College. She was also an interpreter/personal assistant for a Deaf professor on campus. Prior to teaching at Mulberry, MaryAnn taught kindergarten and first grades at Valle Vista School in the Mt. Pleasant School District in San Jose.
At San Jose State University, MaryAnn received a bachelor of arts with an emphasis on humanities and the arts, minoring in Deaf Education. There, she completed her teaching coursework and received an additional Educational Interpreter Certificate.
One of MaryAnn's passions is working with English language learners by helping families master skills in reading, writing and oral communication. MaryAnn has also volunteered for the Diocese of San Jose for over twenty years as a catechism teacher and liaison for San Jose's Deaf community. She is currently tutoring language arts and has taught Mulberry summer camps for 6 years.
An avid sports fan, MaryAnn especially enjoys San Jose Sharks (hockey) games. Her hobbies include painting, embroidery and spending all her free time with her 4 legged companion, Chulo the Pomeranian. What MaryAnn loves most about Mulberry is that it is a community of lifelong learners and a place where teachers can teach the way kids learn. It is a place where kids can be kids.
Rita De Rosa, 1st Grade Teacher
(8 years at Mulberry)
Rita earned her Masters degree in psychology (clinical and counseling) from California School for Professional Psychology and her Bachelors degree (major in psychology minor in sociology) from San Jose State University. She completed her credential coursework to date through National University.
Her first teaching position was at National University in statistics, and her second teaching position was at Mulberry as an on-sight sub before becoming the 1st grade teacher. Rita also worked in office management (animal hospital), and electronics assembly (going back to high school days!) prior to teaching.
Rita's volunteer passions have been in crisis counseling with Lifeline International (phone counseling for children in crisis), and YWCA rape crisis counseling (support through police reports, hospital visits, and evidence collection), and the council on aging (providing resources and information, transportation, and companionship to the elderly). In the future, she would like to become involved in bringing animals into the children's hospital wards.
She is also passionate about family and has a very close extended family with roots in New York, where she returns whenever possible. Rita loves both the coast and the city and would rather go out for a day trip anytime over cleaning house. She loves reading, theatre (especially musicals), walking along the beach, and exploring cities. Rita shares a home with her husband, Chuck, her daughter, Nicki, her son, Adrian, and her mother, Barbara.
Jane Murphy, 2nd Grade Teacher
(11 years at Mulberry)
During her first few years at Mulberry, Jane taught a 2nd /3rd grade combination and later taught 2nd grade only. She has also taught a 1st/2nd grade and a 3rd /4th grade combination in a Washington state public school.
Jane graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education with a Minor in Psychology. She also earned a Reading Endorsement.
Jane's believes in living in the moment, being a life long learner and finding the positive in everything you do. She also believes, as her mother says, "everything happens for a reason".
Her passions include ballet, art, baseball, jazz piano, and, of course, teaching. Someday, she would like to travel around the world (like her grandmother did!) Her family includes her husband, Patrick, daughter, Kelly, and sons Maxx and Alex (both Mulberry students) and Giorgio, the family cat. As a family, they like to go to the beach and build sand creations.
Judy Quigley, 3rd Grade Teacher
(19 years at Mulberry)
Judy is a graduate of California State University at Chico and received her credential from San Jose State in May 1987. She worked as a substitute teacher for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Judy began substituting in the 2nd/3rd grade classroom in 1988 and was subsequently hired later that year as the 2nd/3rd grade teacher.
As part of her statement of her educational philosophy, Judy believes "The classroom should be a safe and friendly environment where students can learn, share, have fun, excel and make mistakes without criticism. Additionally, the classroom is a wonderful place to laugh and build self-esteem. Students using all of their senses to increase their understanding of a concept and sharing their work creates a positive learning environment.
Jenny V. Sadler, 4th Grade Teacher
(9 years at Mulberry)
Jenny was born in England and taught at the high school equivalent level for 5 years. In 1975, she and her husband Brian moved to Sunnyvale where they had 2 sons, Robert and Richard. Robert came to Mulberry when it was just a preschool and his class pushed the school through 3rd grade. Richard came to Mulberry and his class pushed the school to include 4th and then 5th grades. Jenny was an involved parent at Mulberry and then began to aide in the 3rd grade where she stayed for 3 years before becoming the 4th grade teacher.
Jenny has loved horses forever and has extensive experience with showmanship including Trail, English Pleasure and Dressage. Jenny has many other hobbies including bee-keeping, spinning, weaving, quilt-making, knitting, sewing, cross-stitch, braided rug-making, watercolors, gardening, geology. She has been involved as a den leader in Cub Scouts and team mom for her son's ice hockey team.
Jenny is a pet-lover and her menagerie has included cats, dog, English mice, English and American budgerigars, hermit crabs, fire-bellied toads, border collie, guinea pig, tropical fish, snakes, lizards and an Arabian horse.
Kara Riordan, 5th Grade Teacher
(14 years at Mulberry)
Kara received her B.A. degree from San Jose State University and received credentials in Multiple Subjects and Instructional Leadership from National University. She has been teaching at Mulberry since 1993 in both 4th and 5th grades.
Kara feels fortunate to be able to teach the way children learn at Mulberry. She feels strongly about being able to use a variety of approaches so that all learning styles are represented and respected in her classroom. She especially enjoys teaching science and math and has been teaching in conjunction with NASA's Jason Project for over 10 years.
She values the relationship-based teaching and the parent participation that is integral to Mulberry's classroom community.
Kara's hobbies include hiking, reading, cycling, yoga and kickboxing. She enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children and cherishes being a sister and friend. The ocean is her favorite refueling spot where she enjoys walking and tide-pooling.
Arlene Zarou-Cooperman, Music Specialist Grades 3-5
(7 years at Mulberry)
Arlene currently teaches Vocal Music to the third, fourth and fifth grades and a Music Appreciation/History class for fifth grade. She also famously conducts Morning Sing, the school's community singing and sharing time held every Friday.
Arlene's educational background includes undergraduate work in social work, music. psychology and career center guidance counseling. A former Mulberry parent and board member, Arlene has spent most of her life in the non-profit sector. Her work in social services has included teaching and counseling with preschool through high school age children, pregnant teens and teens living in group homes or shelters. Additionally, she was a resource teacher for career education and college guidance at a high school in San Mateo Union High School District.
Arlene has served as Director of Outreach Services for First United Methodist Church acting as a resource for the homeless and shelter population and networking with many other organizations to offer necessary services to women and children in downtown San Jose. Additionally, she has worked for the YWCA of Santa Clara Valley as coordinator of Parent Education for the Department of Social Services and the public.
Her volunteer commitments include serving as one of the founding board members of Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose and Chair of the Circle of Grace, a women's social ministry group at her church. Arlene also teaches music and serves as administrative support staff at Skylar Hadden School.
Maureen Driggs, Music Specialist, JK-2
(4 years at Mulberry)
Maureen is a native of San Jose, Her first musical theater experience was with the San Jose Children's Musical Theater when she was 9. She was inspired by John Healy's desire to allow any child, regardless of innate talent, to work on their skills in an atmosphere of respect and friendship. She carried these ideals into her work as musical director with the Mulberry Afterschool Theater and the Theatrical Arts Academy. TAA worked in various elementary schools in the South Bay Area, producing 3-5 shows a year.
She also works as a piano and vocal instructor specializing in beginning students. She directs choirs at Washington Open Elementary School as well as the Post Secondary program in Santa Clara County. She continues to do musical direction for Mulberry Elementary as well as Washington Open Elementary School.
Maureen attended UC Davis and has a BA in Zoology. She also studied costume design and while in college, she worked in show wardrobe at Marriotts"s Great America. She designed and constructed costumes for SJCMT as well as Union High School, later becoming the wardrobe mistress for Gene Patrick Productions traveling across the US setting up Bugs Bunny shows at the Six Flags Amusement Parks. She is currently the wardrobe chief for the San Jose Opera.
Kelly Dearie, Physical Education and Nutrition Specialist;
Music and Movement Specialist
(1st year at Mulberry)
Kelly has been a progressive teacher since 1993 and has experience teaching ages infant to adult. Most of her experience is in preschool teaching. However, she has also taught elementary education, infant sign language, after school care, children's gym classes, swimming, in-line skating and traffic school! She enjoys using fun games, songs and other creative activities to inspire children and make learning fun. Kelly also is known for infusing environmental education into the curriculum as a means of helping children foster respect for their planet and one another, while making real-life connections to what they are learning. This is her ultimate passion because she believes that preserving skill sets and resources that children depend on for a healthy future is everyone's responsibility. In the summer, Kelly writes curriculum and serves on the education council for the Foundation for Sustainable Living, an organization dedicated to protecting our children's future well being.
Katie D'Arcey, Drama Specialist and Instructional Assistant
(Elementary and Preschool)
(5 years at Mulberry)
Katie D'Arcey has been working at Mulberry ever since she starting working at summer camps at the age of 14. The past 5 years, Katie has been an Instructional Assistant in the elementary classrooms. Additionally, she has been an assistant teacher for the 4-day preschool program for the last 2 years. Katie revived Mulberry's After School Theatre program 4 years ago and now produces 2 musicals a year with the K-5th graders along with returning alumni. She has been the Drama Specialist for the past two years, teaching the Wednesday afternoon Drama class.
Katie graduated from American Musical Theatre's Theatre Artist Institute in 2000. She then toured the Bay Area for two seasons in AMT's cast of "Detention," a musical outreach project. Katie has worked for American Musical Theatre, Theatre Arts Academy, Western Stage and has worked on productions at the following schools: Mulberry School, Washington Open Elementary and Alta Vista School. Katie attended West Valley College where she received her 36 Early Childhood Education units.