MEET PILGRIM SCHOOL’S NEW FACULTY MEMBERS

Secondary

We are pleased to welcome four new members of the Secondary faculty.  Mr. Vladimir Jandov will teach high school yoga, a class for Pilgrim parents and faculty after school, and an after-school class for students aged 7 to 15.  Ms. Eliza Laleian will teach 7th grade English, 8th grade English, World Literature, and American Literature.  Dr. Seyon Park will teach High School Concert Singers, Middle School Music, Elementary Music, and she will also direct the Christmas concert and the spring musical.  Ms. Erin White will teach 6th and 7th grade science and mathematics.

Vladimir Jandov is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor who has been teaching in the Los Angeles area since 2001.  The main characteristics of Iyengar yoga are precision in poses, a focus on alignment, and a specific sequencing of poses.  Methodical in his teaching, Mr. Jandov lays a solid foundation and refines the asanas (poses) progressively, step-by-step.  He continues to deepen his studies on a regular basis by attending workshops with top yoga teachers all around the world.  His sense of humor and sensitivity for each individual shine through as his dynamic teaching style motivates his students to advance beyond their perceived limits.  In addition to offering yoga as a P.E. alternative, Vladimir offers an hour-long class for parents and faculty on Wednesdays at 4:45 for $50 a month or $15 for drop-ins.  After-school classes for students aged 7 to 15 will be available on Tuesdays for approximately $15 per class.

Eliza Laleian joins us as a graduate of California State University Northridge with a Teaching Credential and a Masters of Arts in English.  The focus of her college education has been on British and American literature, with the addition of poetry and creative writing. During her student teaching, she taught English at the 7th and 9th grade levels, exploring the needs of a diverse set of students in the public school system in Glendale.  Ms. Laleian has spent over five years tutoring young adults in English and test-taking skills, working with students of all backgrounds and skill levels.  During her free time, Ms. Laleian enjoys traveling, reading for pleasure, taking pictures, and visiting with friends.

Seyon Park graduated from USC with a D.M.A. and M.M. with a major in Choral Music and minors in Instrumental Conducting, Music History and Early Music.  She is a graduate of the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Hungary, with an Advanced Diploma in Choral Conducting, Pedagogy (Children’s Music Education), Voice and Solfège.  Dr. Park attended Yonsei University in Korea, and received a B.A. in Church Music.  She has taught in Korea, Hungary, and the United States.  While at USC, Dr. Park led the USC Oriana Women’s Choir, USC Concert Choir and University Chorus.  At Wilshire Private School, she directed and established a variety of music programs, including Junior and Senior Choruses, Hand Chimes, Chamber Music Ensemble, and Musical Theater.  She has shared her love of music and instilled within children enjoyment of music and education.  Dr. Park also enjoys sports, golf, hiking and martial arts.
Erin White comes to us from Caltech where she received a BS in Chemistry. During school she worked as a teacher for the Caltech gourmet cooking class and tutored high school students in Chemistry, Biology, and Math.  After graduating, she spent a year working for Caltech's Student Affairs department improving student welfare, running the annual Caltech Olive Harvest, and supervising the cooking class.  Ms. White has completed a fellowship in developmental genetics at Caltech and spent a summer volunteering in the surgical department at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.  Ms. White's academic interests include Economics, which allowed her to write mathematical computer models on Wall Street.  On her own time, Ms. White enjoys gardening, cooking, playing with her dog Bailey, raising tropical fish, and working on her family's organic farm near Monterey Bay.

Elementary

Mr. Christopher Meneses will join Ms. Aimee Diaz  as her teaching partner in Third Grade.  Mr. Meneses is a graduate of UC Riverside, holds a Master’s Degree in Education and a Teaching Credential.  Prior to joining Pilgrim, Mr. Meneses taught for five years in the San Gabriel Valley.  He notes that he has always had a passion for teaching children and forming memorable relationships with his students and their parents.  When not teaching, Chris enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, reading, and web surfing.

Ms. Diaz and Mr. Meneses will team teach the third grade.  Their class will have the opportunity to divide into groups for core subjects to allow for more individual attention.  Both Ms. Diaz and Mr. Menses are excited to teach as a team again, as they did their student teaching and lessons planning together when they were in graduate school.

Ms. Amy Murphy will teach Grade 4.  After graduating from Purdue University with a major in Communications and minor in Organizational Leadership and Supervision, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education and teaching credential from Pepperdine University.  Though Ms. Murphy enjoyed her previous teaching position, she is drawn to Pilgrim’s smaller class size and the opportunity to give each child in her class individualized attention.  When not teaching, Ms. Murphy enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, volunteering with several charitable organizations, going to Dodger games, and baking.

PILGRIM’S LIBRARY CORNER

PARENT RESOURCE ROOM

Pilgrim’s library is not just for students!  We have created a Parent Resource Room in Seaver 318 (next door to the Secondary library).  Come by, get a cup of coffee, and look through the parenting books we have gathered for your use.  You are also free to check them out with our librarian, Marjorie Clifton.  The following is a list of new books that are now available:

• Packaging Girlhood: rescuing our daughters from marketers’ schemes by Sharon Lamb, Ed.D. and Lyn Mikel Brown, Ed. D.
• Saying No is Not Enough: helping your kids make wise decisions about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by Robert Schwebel, Ph.D.
• Free-Range Kids: giving our children the freedom we had without going nuts with worry by Lenore Skenazy
• Childhood Unbound: saving our kids' best selves:  confident parenting in a world of Change by Ron Taffel, Ph.D.