Teachers & Staff

Principal
Kathy Flores graduated from California State  University, Northridge, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies (Elementary Education) and Multiple  Subjects Teaching Credential. She received her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from National University. She has been in education since 1988 and at Westwood Charter since 2013. She was selected to represent Los Angeles in the 2022-2023 cohort of The Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished Principals. 

Support Coordinator

Jeannie Miceli graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She went on to receive a Master's degree in Educational Psychology from Loyola Marymount University and a Master of Arts in Education Administration from California State University, Northridge. She has been in education for more than 20 years and at Westwood Charter since 1996.

 

Curriculum Coordinator

Delaram Saidnia graduated from the University of California Los Angeles where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Religious Studies. She went on to receive her teaching credential from Cal State Northridge. She was a substitute teacher for several years before joining the WWC staff in 2006.

Judy Chang received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine and then went on to receive her Master's degree in Education and Teaching Credential from UCLA.  She has been teaching since 2008 and feels fortunate to have joined the Westwood Charter family in 2012.

Elisa Crispi graduated from Evergreen University with a Bachelor's degree in Education and received her Master's degree in Education from Antioch University. She has been teaching for 15 years. She taught Kindergarten for eight years in Inglewood and has been teaching 1st and Kindergarten at Westwood Charter since 2005.

Carly Curry graduated from UCLA in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, and then received her Master's degree and Teaching Credential from UCI in 2021. It has always been her dream to teach Kindergarten and she is thrilled to begin her teaching journey at Westwood Charter.

Stephanie Higa received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Master's degree in Education, and Administrative Credential from California State University-Long Beach.  She also received her National Board Certification.  She began her teaching career in 1993 and has been at Westwood Charter since 2001.

Patty Kranker received her Bachelor of Arts degree, Master's degree, and teaching credential from California State University-Northridge.  She began her teaching career in 1993 and has been teaching at Westwood Charter since 1995.

Patricia Miller graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in Education and English Literature. She received her Juris Doctorate at the University of Miami, and is an Attorney in CA & FL.  She completed her Gifted & Talented Education degree at UCSD.  She happily joined the Westwood family in 2018.  She has taught TK for 15 years and adores teaching the youngest learners. She loves helping students develop meaningful service-learning projects that integrate community service with instruction and reflection.  

Kaylyn Wilke graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. After that Kaylyn taught Kindergarten for three years in the Chicago Public Schools district. Kaylyn just moved to California last year and is very excited to be joining the Kindergarten team at Westwood Charter Elementary School!

Amy Beer received her Bachelor's degree from the University of California-Santa Barbara and her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at California State Northridge. She has been teaching at Westwood Charter since 1992.

Carrie Fisher received a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Boston University, a Master's degree in Bilingual Education from USC, and a second Master's degree in Educational Administration from Cal State, Northridge. She has worked at various LAUSD schools as a teacher and coordinator since 1988.

Kelly Oschack received her Bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and her Master's degree from California State University-Northridge. She received her Teaching Credential from Southern Illinois University.  She has been teaching at Westwood Charter School since 1996.

Therese Rumi has enjoyed being part of the Westwood Charter community since 2000 and has been in elementary education for over 20 years.

Sue Childs received her Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of California-Berkeley and her teaching credential from the College of the Center for Early Education. She worked in museum education for 12 years and began teaching elementary school at Westwood Charter in 1996.

Kelly Ciurczak received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Theatre and her Master’s degree in Teaching from USC (fight on!) This is her first year in a traditional classroom, after working with homeschool pods during the Covid-19 pandemic. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find her singing with her a cappella group and playing with her 3-legged kitten, Rapunzel! 

Rylee Croce received her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon, and then went on to receive her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Master’s Degree in Teaching from Pepperdine University. She is thrilled to be a part of the Westwood Charter community.

Diana Greenstein received her Bachelor's degree in Health Policy and Administration from Penn State University and Master's degree in Education from East Stroudsburg University. She began her teaching career in New York in 1993.  She has been teaching at Westwood Charter School since 2000.

Esther Cho Esther Cho received both her Bachelor of Science and her Multiple Subject Teaching credential from California State University, Northridge. Before joining the Westwood Charter family, she worked as a Behavior Intervention Implementation (BII) provider but is now excited to be a part of a dedicated and passionate team of educators.

Annalee Kennedy received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in the field of Communications Studies. She worked in the publishing industry for eight years prior to teaching. She received her teacher's credential from California State University-Northridge and has worked at Westwood in some capacity since 1993.  She has two boys with her husband, Kelly.

Cheryl Smith

 

 

 

Chung Lee Wu graduated from the University of California-Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and received her teaching credential from California State University-Northridge. She has been teaching at Westwood Charter School since 2000.

Yvonne Yean received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology from UCLA, and her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Master's degree in Elementary Education from Pepperdine University.  She has been teaching at Westwood Charter since 2001.

 

Christina Close graduated from UCSB with a Bachelor's of Science in Physical Geography, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and Master's degree in Education. In her 17 years of teaching, she has taught grades K - 6th in Santa Barbara and Inglewood.  She is very happy to be part of the Westwood family as a teacher and plans to be a part of this community for years to come.

Stella Nagac D'Arceaux received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California-Santa Barbara and then went on to receive a Teaching Credential and Master's in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University. She first came to Westwood Charter as a substitute teacher and decided it was the place to be! She has been teaching 4th and 5th grade here since 1997.

Holly Ellman received her Bachelor's degree in Deaf Studies and a Teaching Credential from California State University-Northridge (CSUN). She returned to school at CSUN and received a Master's Degree and Credential in Education Administration. She has been teaching since 1994, but has been happiest since coming to Westwood Charter in 2007.

Barbara Garringer graduated from Grinnell College with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and received her teaching credential from California State University-Northridge. She has been teaching at Westwood Charter School since 1999.

 

Dina Hyatt graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology.  She continued her education at California State University, Northridge to receive her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.  She has taught at several schools in LAUSD since 2004 and is excited to teach at Westwood Charter. 

Mandy Pierce has enjoyed teaching 2nd grade in Los Angeles for seven years. She initially taught in South Los Angeles and then went on to join the Westwood Charter Community, where she feels happiest. She earned her Bachelor's degree in English from U.C. Santa Barbara and later received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Cal State Northridge.

Amanda Tanaka received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in the field of Journalism. She went on to earn her multiple subject teacher's credential from San Diego State University in 2004, and a gifted education certificate from Hunter University in New York City in 2006. She began teaching in 2004, and was thrilled to join the Westwood team in 2008. Westwood Charter is truly her happy place, and she is looking forward to the future with her favorite community!

Chantel Moghtader
Resource Specialist

 

Karen Green
Art, 2-5

 

 

Kelly Riggle Hower
Art, TK-1

Kelly Riggle Hower graduated from Whitman College with B.A. Sociology and English degrees in 1982, from Antioch University Settle with a MA Ed in 1992, and from Antioch University Seattle with her Teacher Certificate in 2001. She is currently in the Antioch University L.A. MFA Poetry program. She taught a looping Kindergarten/1st grade classroom in the Seattle Public Schools for 17 years, bringing art, nature, music and poetry together in projects for her students. Her art focus with children is process-oriented with projects where the children can feel ownership, and it includes stories and techniques she learned in her Peace Corps work in Sierra Leone, West Africa and Tonga in the South Pacific.

Elizabeth Ostrom
Garden, TK - 5

 

 

Curtis Stevens
Physical Education, TK - 5

Curtis Stevens has been at Westwood Charter since 2009. He received his Bachelor of Arts in physical education and teaching credential at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. "Coach" Stevens has been with L.A. Unified for many years and has been a coach for various sports teams since 2000. He also worked as a social worker for five years in San Diego prior to teaching.

Yurie Yoshida
Orchestra, 4-5

 

 

Music Rhapsody
Primary Music Specialist

 

 

Assistant Principal, Elementary Instructional Specialist (APEIS)
Kimberly Christian

Support Personnel
Jeremy Kaplan – School Psychologist

Theresa Garcia – School Administrative Assistant
Ederlyn Caballes – Office Technician
Suzanne Kato – Office Technician

Rogelio Perez  –  Plant Manager
Edward Myvett – Building and Grounds
Karen Salazar  –  Building and Grounds

Hanson Kandouw – Cafeteria Manager
Raada Mansour - Cafeteria Worker
                             

Elisabeth Kenney - Campus Aide

Keiko Yabushita – Library Aide
 

Special Education Assistants
Zelly Moran
Maria Morinello
Imelda Orozco
Maria Vargas

 

STAR
Jarid Stevens – STAR Director

Youth Services (YS) Coaches
Byron Herrera

Itinerant Support Providers
Adriana Rogers  – Nurse
Erin Marsh – Speech and Language Services
Natalie Spiteri – Physical Therapist
Brenda Escobar – Adaptive PE
Ariel Etehad – Occupational Therapy