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 first 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 2-year-old calico cat named Zuko, which she found in her backyard.

Mrs. Divine Diaz

Jr. K Teacher

     This is Mrs. Diaz's sixth 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 I'm 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, dancing, and photography.  

Ms. Nature Obazee

Jr. K Teacher's Assistant

     Ms. Nature is the Junior Kindergarten teacher's assistant at Mission Hills School Castro Valley. She has been with the Castro Valley campus for two years and recently graduated from California State University East Bay with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. She is passionate about teaching and eager to learn from her colleagues and grow.

Mrs. Carol Abe

Kindergarten Teacher

     With 17 years of experience as an educator and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development, I am deeply committed to fostering young minds and creating a nurturing learning environment. I am the proud mother of two amazing kiddos, ages 17 and 10, and two fur babies. Our home has been in Castro Valley for over 20 years, reflecting my dedication and pride for this beautiful community. I feel truly blessed to be an educator and share in my student's daily growth and development.

Ms. Terry Remien

Kindergarten Teacher

   This is Ms. Terry’s 8th 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's Assistant

     This will be Ms. Jessica Lenida's first year at MHS! Ms. Jessica is a Kindergarten Teacher Assistant and is excited and eager to contribute to young learners' growth. 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.

Ms. Mary Torres

1st Grade Teacher

     In her 11th 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 21 years old, and a daughter, Emma, who is 15, who 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

First Teacher's Assistant

Hi Im Kathryn! I am new to MHS and very excited for this upcoming school year! I love going on walks with my dog and dabbling in interior design. I am a graduate of Sonoma State with a degree in Liberal Studies! While I was in school, I made my main focus to be around children and how they develop and learn. I worked while getting my degree at a preschool, where I would take on a year-long project I called "A Preschooler's Promise." For this project, I worked with kids aged 3 to 5. As a group or one-on-one, we would come up with inspirational messages that we could then give out to the students of SSU. The kids created the messages, painted the backgrounds, and finally wrote them themselves (some had help!). It was such a great experience to work with such young children and learn how their little brains tick!

Ms. Poonam Shriwastow

2nd Grade Teacher

My name is Ms Poonam, and I am from a very beautiful country, Fiji. I completed my Bachelor of Science, Graduate Certificate in Education, and Postgraduate Certificate in Biology from the University of the South Pacific. My Majors are Biology, Chemistry, and Education, and recently, I have completed my ECE Units. I was a high school teacher in Fiji for ten years before moving to the States. I am also a proud mom to my wonderful son, whom I love and adore.

Being a teacher is my passion. I love spending time with children, and my biggest accomplishment is seeing my kids achieve success. In my free time, I read books, watch movies, travel, and spend time with my family.

Ms. Florence Hunt

3rd Grade Teacher

Ms. Sarah Anderson

4th Grade Teacher

     My passion for teaching and drive to make a difference in how children learn have always motivated me to get where I am today. I graduated from Cal State East Bay with a bachelor's degree in Human Development focusing on Child Development, and I have worked with children for nearly 15 years.

     This is my first year teaching at Mission Hills School, and I could not be more excited! I teach because I want to make a difference in how children learn by developing the skills they need to become lifelong learners, and in turn, love learning! Confidence is key in life, especially for young learners. Children need to be empowered and feel confident in their learning. I take on this year with the mindset of "yet": "I don't understand fractions...yet," or "I can't remember the correct word to use...yet." This will help children adopt a growth mindset that allows them to shift to a more positive perspective and outlook on life and learning. I am looking forward to creating an environment where students are excited to learn, not afraid to make mistakes, and where their efforts are acknowledged & praised.

     My greatest gifts are my two amazing children. I have the best of both worlds, a son and a daughter. My son, Matthew, is thirteen years young and just started 8th grade while my daughter, Willow, is just two and a half.

Mr. Will LaMarche

5th Grade Teacher

After spending two years as the PE Teacher and one as the 4th-grade Science and Social Studies teacher, I'm eager and excited to take on a new role as the 5th-grade teacher. 

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

At this point, I'll take on anyone in a Roblox, Minecraft, or Pokemon trivia game.

Some of my favorite things include chocolate chip cookies, watching Survivor, relaxing at home, and spending time with my wife– Ms. Pelin!

Ms. Terilynn Nash

Physical Education

I love fitness, dancing, and singing. I attended Humboldt State University and received my Bachelor's in Science in Kinesiology, where I also studied different types of dance. I'm married and have a one-year-old daughter. This is my first year at MHS as a physical educator, and I'm also a children's ballet instructor outside of MHS. My greatest success as a teacher is seeing many of my students overcome their fears and gain confidence in the things they weren't too confident in!

Mr. Carl Nash II

Music

Carl Nash was born in Oakland and is a pianist in the Bay Area. As a child, he taught himself piano until college. He studied Jazz, Afro-Cuban, and Gospel music for most of his musical career. He is also a producer who scored a documentary on Oakland's cultural history. He teaches piano and performs locally.

Mrs. Veronica Pena

Spanish and Librarian

My name is Veronica Peña, and I was born and raised in Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico. I have been married for 25 years and have three kids. I have worked in this job for almost two years as a Spanish teacher, but I have been working with kids in general for six years. I love my job and working with the kids, as it allows me to teach them new things and let their knowledge and creativity grow. They learn things from me, and I also have a fantastic learning experience from your kids. I hope to continue growing in this job and am excited to see what will come for us.

Mrs. Ish Kaur

Drama

Mrs. Ish is an educator and a theatre activist. She has been teaching drama for 26 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!

Mrs. Maria Morones

Supervisor

     I am a head supervisor and teachers' aide at Mission Hills School. I supervise during all recesses, lunchtime, and before- and after-school care. I have been a part of the Mission Hills School family, both Union City and Castro Valley's campus, since its grand opening. I have fond memories of being a part of Mission Hills School. Watching your kids grow and achieve significant accomplishments brings me joy and sadness.

Ms. Mytzi Perez

Supporting Staff

I have been working at Mission Hills School as an aide for six years, and I enjoy it. I like being with the kids, and I learn from them every day. I also really enjoy being with my family, and I love being with my baby Elius. I am excited to return to work after the summer, and I know it will be a great school year.

Mr. Brandon Harter

Supporting Staff

This is my first year at MHS, and I couldn't be more excited about the experience. In my spare time, you can catch me on a basketball court, hiking on trails, or playing Madden on my living room couch. I have always loved working with kids, and I look forward to making this school year a memorable one!