Administration
Michele Krantz
Principal
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Mrs. Krantz earned a BFA degree in music composition form The State University of New York at Purchase and a BA degree in Social Studies Education from The State University of New York at New Paltz. She earned a MA degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge. She was first hired as a history teacher and the ASB director of Sierra Vista Junior High School and then went on to teach government, psychology and video production at Saugus High School. In 2003 she returned to Sierra Vista as an Assistant Principal and then moved to West Ranch High School as an Assistant Principal in 2006. Mrs. Krantz loves spending time with her husband, two daughters, and chocolate lab. Her free time is spent outdoors, reading, playing music, and eating Indian food.
Catherine Nicholas
Assistant Principal
x1111Mrs. Nicholas received her B.S. degree in Biology and her M.S. degree in Educational Computing from Pepperdine University, Malibu as well as her M.A. in Educational Administration from Cal. State Northridge. Prior to coming to Rancho Pico, she taught middle school science and coached Science Olympiad Teams at Placerita, La Mesa, and Rio Norte. Mrs. Nicholas loves working with young adolescents in a middle school setting. While not at school, she enjoys bargain shopping and spending time with her husband and four children.
Sam Yuhan
Assistant Principal
x1123Mr. Yuhan earned his B.S. degree in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned his M.A. in Biblical Studies from Westminster Seminary in California, and his M.A. in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge. His teaching career began in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where he taught science and served as the ASB director at James Monroe High School. Before coming to Rancho Pico, he taught math and science at Arroyo Seco. Mr. Yuhan spends his free time with his wife and daughter (baby boy on the way), as well as his yellow lab.
Faculty
Shannon Anthony
English
Room 209
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Becky Arnold
Special Education
Room 424
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Adam Bratt
U.S. History/Journalism
Room 210
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Mr. Bratt is truly proud to be part of the Rancho Pico staff. The 16-year veteran came to Rancho Pico in 2007 after spending 13 years teaching U.S. History and Journalism at Van Nuys Middle School and Frost Middle School in the San Fernando Valley. He received his B.A. from California State University, Northridge in 1982. Mr. Bratt is a longtime SCV resident who enjoys spending time with his family – his wife of 25 years and two teenage sons. He is an avid baseball fan who lives and dies daily with his beloved (and struggling) Atlanta Braves.
April Carey
Science
Room 404
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Mrs. Carey received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and also in French from the University of Southern California. She began her teaching career at Belmont High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has taught in the Hart School District since 1985 at Saugus, Hart and Valencia High Schools. In 1994 she obtained a Master’s Degree in Secondary Science Education from California State University, Northridge. She won Teacher of the Year honors while at Valencia High School in 2002. Most recently she mentored new teachers in the Hart School District’s Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) program. Mrs. Carey is married to a USC graduate and has two sons and a daughter-in-law who attended UCLA. She also has a yellow Labrador retriever named Buckley. She is very excited about teaching science, joining the Rancho Pico team, and starting up the Quilt Block One exploratory class.
Carine Clewis
Special Education
Room 425
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Nancy Durham
English
Room 407
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Mrs. Durham earned her bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University, and her Master's from Western Michigan University. She has three children, all products of the Hart District; in fact two of her children currently teach in the district! She has been with the Hart District for 24 years, teaching English at Arroyo Seco. She has been both a mentor in the district, and is currently a BTSA support provider. She was the regional teacher of the year in 2002, and is very excited about being a Mustang.
Chris Forbes
English
Room 202
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Christy Foster
Math
Room 405
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Lisa Frenzel
English
Room 214
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Mr. Gately received his BA degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. He started his teaching career in Mathematics in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and he taught at La Mesa since from 2001-2004. Because Mr. Gately is so proficient at teaching math, he was asked to train other math teachers. Asked why he teaches in a middle school, he responded, "It's where all the excitement is!" Mr. Gately enjoys music, road trips and basketball when he isn't figuring out algorithms.
Mr. Johnson completed his BS degree in Political Science, Journalism and Biblical Literature from Indiana Wesleyan University and received his MA degree from the University of La Verne. He has come to Rancho Pico from La Mesa, where he taught World and U.S. History from 1994-2004. Asked why he teaches in junior high school he says, "It's a hobby of mine to ponder the myriad dynamics of teaching junior high students!" Mr. Johnson loves to explore remote and long forgotten places, visit summits of craggy mountains, and reading biographies of those who have done those things.
Ms. Krumrich earned her B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Exercise and Sport Science and Health Education, with a concentration in Adaptive Physical Education. She first came to the district in 2002 where she was hired at La Mesa Junior High School to teach 7th and 8th grade physical education. In 2004, she came to Rancho Pico to help open its doors and take advantage of the opportunity to develop a brand new physical education department. Currently, she is earning her Masters Degree from the University of La Verne in Administration. She enjoys teaching junior high because she believes it to be the one unique place where a positive influence could make a great difference. Ms. Krumrich enjoys being active and spending time with family and friends.
Gail Lanza
Special Education
Room 403
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Chris Lee
History
Room 610
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Lori Ann Levy-Holm
Art
Room 409
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Mrs. Levy-Holm received her BS degree from Temple University. She has studied art and art history in Italy and England and has served two formal apprenticeships to production potters. Mrs. Levy-Holm has been a studio artist for the last twenty years.
Catherine Madsen
Special Education
Room 422
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Mitzi Mandel
Mathematics
Room 607
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Irmina Manzano
Special Education
Room 418
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Mrs. Manzano has been a long time resident of the Santa Clarita Valley since her parents moved here in 1978. She has graduated from local schools such as Emblem Elementary, Arroyo Seco JHS, and Saugus HS. Mrs. Manzano received her BA in Interior Design from CSU, Northridge. She also completed her Education Specialist Credential from CSU, Northridge. Mrs. Manzano’s work experience include being an instructional assistant at Sierra Vista and then becoming a special education teacher at Redview Prep and Placerita. In the past seven years, she has taught SDC at Stevenson Ranch Elementary School. Mrs. Manzano comes from a baseball family. Her husband and her three sons all play ball. So when she’s not working, you can bet she’s at a baseball practice or at a game. When she has freetime, she enjoys shopping or home decorating
Julie Marchuk
Special Education
Room 428
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Rebecca Martin
History
Room 408
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Mrs. Martin received a B.S. degree in Political Science from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and her Masters Degree in Public School Administration at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She just completed in the spring of 2006, an Ed.S. degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Instructional Leadership from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 1983 Mrs. Martin started her career teaching social studies in Alaska (where she grew up) and later worked as a high school assistant principal. In 2002 she moved to Virginia where she taught social studies at an inner-city middle school before moving to the Santa Clarita Valley in the summer of 2006. Mrs. Martin is married and has a daughter and a son. Watching basketball takes up a lot of her after school time as her daughter plays for a local high school and her husband is a college basketball coach.
Linda Myers
Mathematics
Room 212
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Ms. Myers received her degree in Mathematics at the University of Redlands. She Taught at the high school level for several years, then decided to try junior high and absolutely loves this age. For a time, she raced mountain bikes professionally and won two national titles in the downhill event and one medal at the World Championships. She also broke a few bones. Ms. Myers has been a real estate agent (6years), operated a property manegment company for 10 years and raised two wonderful children. Now she is honored to be part of the Rancho Pico Junior High team, Quest. Her passions are spinning at the Spectrum gym, reading, Celtic things including Scottish Gaelic, family, teaching and film. She teaches Algebra and Filmmaking.
Nick Ritchie
Science
Room 611
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Mr. Ritchie obtained his BA degree in Earth and Space Science (and also General Science for Secondary Education) from Pennsylvania State University. He brings excitement to Rancho Pico from the east coast. All of his free time is spent with his wife, dog and friends. He loves to listen to music, play soccer and surf. This is his first year in California, and when asked how he likes it here he stated, "The weather is awesome but there isn't much grass." He has also said, "My wife is my first love, but science is a close second."
Rochelle Slayback
English
Room 609
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Mrs. Nelson gradutated with a BA degree in English and a teaching credential from California State University, Northridge. She began her teaching career in Glendale. This is her first year teaching in the Santa Clarita Valey, and she is thrilled to be at Rancho Pico Junior High. She believes that this campus filled with students of this age displaying this amount of passion and energy for life is THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. If you don't find Mrs. Nelson in her English room, try PE or the Dance Club. Her outside hobbies include golfing, water skiing, snow skiing, and hiking with her family and her friends. She is also the mother of two frisky Jack Russell terriers - whom she believes are closely related to junior high kids!
Mr. Smith recieved his BA degree in Political Studies from the Master's College in Newhall and previously taught U.S. History at Placerita Junior High School. He enjoys teaching middle school students because he enjoys the challenge of helping them learn to thinik and reason. Mr. Smith spent eight years in the Marine Corps Reserves. In his free time he enjoys watching Notre Dame football and Indiana basketball, reading, working out, playing chess, writing, following politics, traveling and spending tme with his girlfriend.
Kristine Spector
Science
Room 211
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Mrs. Spector graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.S. in Health Science and a minor in Physical Science. She taught 9th grade science and health for seven years at South High School in Torrance, CA. where she grew up. She is enthusiastic about teaching science to 8th graders. She feels that a positive environment enhances learning. Mrs. Spector and her husband have two daughters (8 and 5). They spend plenty of time at the pool in the summer and enjoy walking their new puppy Rosie.
Cathy Stone
P.E.
Room 810
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Clark Trowell
History
Room 201
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I have been teaching for many years!
I received my Bachelor's degree from Cal State Sonoma,with a double major in Political Science and Psychology, while minoring in Physical Education. I have a Masters from Prescott/Columbia and an Honorary Doctorate in Education from Stanford University. I was in the Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War.
This is my second year at Rancho Pico after living and teaching on the Eastern Sierra side of California- Mammoth Lakes/Bishop.for 28 years.
When I am not teaching school, I am playing outside or working for the National Park Service. I run, bike, hike, climb and ski.And Read.
Cindy Wilken
English
Room 602
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Mrs. Wilken is a graduate of CSUN with an elementary ed. credential as well as an English Secondary credential and has been teaching since 1993. She has two beautiful daughters ages 9 and 6, and loves spending time skiing with them. She met her husband, Phil, when they were in high school and have been together since. she has two dogs and enjoys taking them for walks around the neighborhood. Her favorite place, however, is the beach. She loves to write poetry and short stories about her daughters. She also likes to listen to music and go to concerts
Staff
Mrs. Castagna attended Brigham Young University and began her second career in 1998 at La Mesa as an instructional assistant. Her most recent assignment has been at the Academy of the Canyons, where she helped open the doors with Mr. LeBarron. Mrs. Castagna's first career of choice is to be the wife of her husband of 28 years and the mother of four successful Hart High School graduates. Mrs. Castagna loves to learn new things, travel, read and make crafts.
Mrs. Larkins received her BA in Art from California State University, Northridge. She has been working in the Hart District since 1997, most recently as the Registrar at La Mesa Junior High.When asked why she enjoys junior high, she said, "I enjoy the positive energy that comes from the students and the teachers." Mrs. Larkins enjoys traveling, hiking, golf and spending time with her family.
Mrs. Mellinger completed her BA degree in Anthropology at California State University, Northridge, and she has two teaching credentials. She is currently working on an MA deagree in Education. She is very familiar with the Hart District since she has been with us since 1981. Her most recent employment was at Arroyo Seco Junior High, where she taught History beginning in 1987. Mrs. Mellinger says, "Junior high students are just fun to be with (on most days)! I enjoy the energy of this age group!" She loves to travel and has been all over the world. Her husband built an airplane and she is his co-pilot. She enjoys riding horses and reads when she has the time.
Cathy Royal
Assistant Principal's Secretary
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Mrs. Royal worked at Canyon High School before coming to Rancho Pico. She is married and has three daughters. She loves spending with her daughters, traveling to interesting places and watching sunsets at the beach. She is currently working on her AA degree in Computer Applications Technology at the College of the Canyons.
Linda Sarian
Counselor
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Ms. Sarian received a Bachelor's degree in Biology, a Life Science Teaching Credential with a Math Supplementary, and the Education Specialist Credential all from California State University, Northridge. Over the course of 14 years, Ms. Sarian taught Science and Math, as well as Resource Math, at Pacoima Middle School and High Desert Junior High in Acton. Ms. Sarian received the Credential and Master's in School Counseling from University of La Verne, and was a Counselor for two years at Pacoima Middle School before coming to Rancho Pico. Ms. Sarian loves to play, and her favorites are running, tennis, golf and boogie boarding. More things to love...animals, music and dark chocolate.
Thushrtha Shankar
School Psychologist
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Revised: 9/23/08