Our Faculty

Ms. Julianne Macairan

Administrative Assistant

Ms. Julianne recently graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has previous experience working with children as a behavior technician in the Davis/Sacramento area. This is her second school year as the Mission Hills School Administrative Assistant for the Castro Valley Campus. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and going to the beach. She also loves her 3-year-old calico cat named Zuko, which she found in her backyard.

Junior Kindergarten

Mrs. Divine Diaz

TK Teacher

This is Mrs. Diaz's seventh year at Mission Hills School on the Castro Valley campus. She worked as a Junior Kindergarten teacher for almost 20 years in a private school setting and has a background in Early Childhood Education. Four to five-year-olds are her favorite age group to teach. She loves watching how the students grow, mature, and begin to read. She cannot imagine a more rewarding job. Her goal in teaching is to get children excited about school and make them feel loved and respected.

When she's not teaching, she likes spending time with her little family and exploring new places. Her child attends Mission Hills Middle School in Union City. She loves coffee, the color pink, Math, anything Disney, the SF Giants, SF Niners, Lakers, F1 racing, WWE, dancing, and photography.

Ms. Raquel Sebastian

TK Teacher's Assistant

This is Mrs. Raquel’s second year at MHS, and she’s so excited for the new school year to begin! She’s been working with children for over 16 years, and for the past four years, she’s focused specifically on Early Childhood Education. Right now, she’s working toward her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and will earn her Associate’s degree in Psychology this spring.

Working with young children has always been a passion of hers. She truly believes that every child can do amazing things with the right support and encouragement.

When she’s not at MHS or studying, you’ll likely find her enjoying live music or off on an adventure with her husband and daughter.

Kindergarten

Ms. Terry Remien

Kindergarten Teacher

This is Ms. Terry’s 9th year at MHS Castro Valley; she spent three years as a Jr. K teacher and is now enjoying her fifth year as one of our Kindergarten teachers. Ms. Terry has a background in Early Child Development and over 20 years of experience. She loves to help spark a love for learning, creativity, and exploration in the hearts and minds of the children in her care. Ms. Terry’s goal is to use her many years of experience to create a safe and nurturing environment that supports each child’s

individuality while ensuring they are socially and academically prepared for 1st grade. Ms. Terry enjoys gardening, reading, traveling, and outdoor adventures with her family in her free time.

Ms. Jessica Lenida

Kindergarten Teacher

This will be Ms. Jessica Lenida's second year at MHS! . Ms. Jessica recently graduated from California State University East Bay Hayward with a BA in Liberal Arts, focusing on Early Childhood Education. She is passionate about fostering a nurturing and educational environment. She finds joy in working with children towards their growth, witnessing their curiosity, and helping explore innovative ways to promote knowledge and play. Besides her love for early childhood education, Ms. Jessica loves to catch a Giants baseball game, explore different cities in the Bay Area, or go to concerts with friends and family.

1st Grade

Ms. Mary Torres

1st Grade Teacher

In her 13th year as a Veteran Educator with the MHMS and MHS in Castro Valley Campuses, Ms. Mary continues to love, teach, and guide the students. She brings her expertise, passion, laughter, and creativity to the students, engaging them every step of the way. Ms. Mary holds a BA in Interior Design from the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. She holds her Early Childhood Education credentials from Ohlone College; she has experience teaching middle school Spanish, being a librarian, and working with different age levels from junior K to 5th grade. The multiple courses she has obtained throughout her work with the MHMS and MHS campuses make her portfolio a bountiful box of tools to help and guide students. Ms. Mary has two children of her own: a son, Michael, who is 22 years old, and a daughter, Emma, who is 16, who has attended MHMS for five years since kindergarten.

Furthermore, our MHS Parents know Ms. Mary from junior K-5th grades from her interactive, hands-on, and original after-school clubs; Ms. Mary has nurtured and given the foundation as a cornerstone everywhere possible to the MHS campus since the doors opened to the great community in Castro Valley and all its surroundings.

Ms. Kathryn Haidinyak

1st Grade Teacher

Ms. Kathryn's second year at MHS. She enjoys going on walks with her dog and has a passion for dabbling in interior design. A graduate of Sonoma State with a degree in Liberal Studies, Kathryn focused her studies on child development and learning. While earning her degree, she worked at a preschool where she developed a year-long project called "A Preschooler's Promise." For this project, Kathryn worked with young children, either in groups or one-on-one, helping them develop inspirational messages to share with the students of SSU. The children created the messages, painted the backgrounds, and wrote them themselves—with some help along the way! This experience was incredibly rewarding for Kathryn, allowing her to work closely with young children and learn more about how their developing minds work.

2nd Grade

Ms. Poonam Shriwastow

2nd Grade Teacher

Ms. Poonam is from the beautiful country of Fiji. She holds a Bachelor of Science, a Graduate Certificate in Education, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Biology from the University of the South Pacific. Her majors include Biology, Chemistry, and Education, and she has recently completed her Early Childhood Education (ECE) Units. Before moving to the United States, Ms. Poonam was a high school teacher in Fiji for ten years. She is also a proud mother to her wonderful son, whom she loves and adores.

Teaching is Ms. Poonam's passion. She finds great joy in spending time with children, and her greatest accomplishment is witnessing her students' success. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.

3rd Grade

Ms. Jen Aguilera

3rd Grade Teacher

Mrs. A. (Jen Aguilera) is a Bay Area native who lives in Castro Valley and will experience her first year at MHS.

After graduating from CSU, Hayward in 1993, she has taught Pre-K to 5th grade in California and Oregon.

In her spare time, Mrs. A. enjoys being outside to work with her hands while creating art and growing food. She is also a certified yoga instructor and safety trainer, which allows her to support the health and welfare of our local community.

She loves animals and is excited to start this year off with a wild animals theme in Room 5. She plans to offer a lot of hands-on experiences for her class and to always make learning as fun as possible.

Mrs. A. is married and has four grown children who also live nearby. She became a grandparent last year and is looking forward to watching her family grow...not just at home, but at MHS.

4th Grade

Ms. Sarah Anderson

4th Grade Teacher

Ms. Sarah's passion for teaching and dedication to making a difference in how children learn have always driven her to reach where she is today. She graduated from Cal State East Bay with a bachelor's degree in Human Development, focusing on Child Development, and has worked with children for nearly 15 years.

This is her second year teaching at Mission Hills School, and she could not be more excited. She teaches because she wants to make a lasting impact on how children learn by helping them develop the skills they need to become lifelong learners, and, in turn, develop a love for learning. She believes that confidence is key in life, especially for young learners. Children need to feel empowered and confident in their abilities. She approaches this year with the mindset of "yet"—for example, "I don’t understand fractions... yet," or "I can’t remember the correct word to use... yet." This approach helps children adopt a growth mindset, allowing them to shift to a more positive perspective on life and learning. She looks forward to creating an environment where students are excited to learn, unafraid to make mistakes, and where their efforts are consistently acknowledged and praised.

Her greatest gifts are her two amazing children. She feels blessed to have the best of both worlds, a son and a daughter. Her son, Matthew, is thirteen and just started 8th grade, while her daughter, Willow, is two and a half years old.

5th Grade

Mr. Will LaMarche

5th Grade Teacher

After spending two years as a PE teacher and one year as a 4th-grade Science and Social Studies teacher, Mr. Will is eager and excited to be a 5th-grade teacher for the second time.

While this role is new for him, working with kids is not—it has become his passion since retiring from his professional baseball career (Detroit Tigers and SF Giants; 2013-2018). Outside of school, he spends even more time running his private baseball business, coaching young kids (ages 8-18).

He’s ready to take on anyone in a Roblox, Minecraft, or Pokémon trivia game.

Some of his favorite things include chocolate chip cookies, watching Survivor, relaxing at home, and spending time with his wife, Ms. Pelin, and his new son Leo.

Electives

Mrs. Veronica Pena

Spanish and Librarian

Mrs. Veronica was born and raised in Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico. She has been married for 26 years and has three children. She has worked as a Spanish teacher for almost two years, though she has been working with kids in general for seven years. Veronica loves her job and enjoys working with children, as it allows her to teach them new things while nurturing their knowledge and creativity. While the students learn from her, she also has a fantastic learning experience through them. She hopes to continue growing in her role and is excited to see what the future holds for both herself and her students.

Ms. Amelia Ortiz

Music

Mrs. Ish Kaur

Drama

Mrs. Ish is an educator and a theatre activist. She has been teaching drama for 27 years, and this is her 10th year in the Bay Area. She has a master's in Theatre. Ish teaches drama electives and after-school clubs in various public and private schools and city recreational facilities in the Bay Area. Her unique process has instilled social and leadership skills in her students, who have taken it further in whatever professions they have undertaken, whether CEOs of tech companies or Nickelodeon and Disney stars. Currently, she is directing Disney's Lion King, Willy Wonka Jr, Pinocchio, Jack and The Beanstalk, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Mission Hills Campus is very dear to her because many of her students have graduated from the MHMS campus, and her son is a proud MHMS student!

Mr. Brandon Harter

Physical Education/Supporting Staff

This is his 2nd year at Mission Hills and his first as the PE teacher. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and stepkids, playing basketball, taking long walks, and watching movies/TV shows. He's a huge sports fan but does not have a favorite team or player. He is very excited for the upcoming school year and looks forward to getting to know all of the kids.

Mr. Joshua Reyes

Computer/ Supporting Staff

Mr. Josh is thrilled to be back for his second year at MHS and can’t wait to keep building a safe, fun, and supportive space for his students. Outside of school, he wears many hats—he’s a dance teacher, performer, DJ, and community organizer. Teaching and working with youth has always been his passion; he finds so much joy and inspiration in their energy and creativity. Whether it’s out on the blacktop, in the classroom, or at the dance studio, Mr. Josh is all about helping his students grow and express themselves.

Supporting Staff

Mrs. Maria Morones

Supervisor

Mrs. Maria is a head supervisor and teachers' aide at Mission Hills School, where she supervises during all recesses, lunchtime, and before- and after-school care. She has been a part of the Mission Hills School family, serving both the Union City and Castro Valley campuses, since its grand opening. She has many fond memories of being involved with the school. Watching the students grow and achieve significant accomplishments brings her both joy and a sense of bittersweet emotion.

Ms. Mytzi Perez

Supporting Staff

Ms. Mytzi has been working at Mission Hills School as an aide for seven years and thoroughly enjoys it. She loves spending time with the kids and learns from them every day. In addition to her work, she enjoys being with her family and especially cherishes time spent with her baby, Elius. She is excited to return to work after the summer and looks forward to a great school year ahead.

Ms. Erica Fulton

Supporting Staff

This is Ms. Erica’s first year at MHS, and she is very excited to be part of the team! She enjoys working with children and has over 10 years of experience in youth programs. Ms. Erica loves the great outdoors, hiking, and camping. She looks forward to this school year and getting to know everyone.

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