Meet the team

Before becoming a teacher, Angela spent 10 years in the adoption field as an Adoption Caseworker after growing her family through International Adoption in 2002. She earned her BA in Psychology from Bates College in Maine and went on the acquire a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Boston College. She is currently both a certified teacher and a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. As her daughter transitioned to middle school, Angela decided to change careers and become a teacher. Prior to coming to CACS last year, she worked at Argonne Elementary in several different grades.

She feels strongly that CACS is a perfect match for her skills and interests and has discovered a real joy in teaching middle school students.  When she is not at work, Angela likes to read, spend quality time with her daughter and other family members in the Bay Area, and keep her two cats from ransacking her apartment.

Abby earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with a focus on Biology, earned a supplement in Mathematics, and earned her Multiple Subject credential from California State University Northridge. She is entering her 6th year of teaching middle school Mathematics and Science and has previously worked at a charter school in Los Angeles before moving to the Bay Area. She is excited to be part of a team that emphasizes rigorous curriculum based on the new Common Core Standards, a curriculum that focuses on learning and exploration through project based tasks, and a team that emphasizes the importance of community and social-emotional growth.  

On her free time Abby enjoys testing her creativity as well as exploring and interacting with the different cultures, people, and traditions the world has to offer. Some of her favorite hobbies include: designing and sewing her own clothing, painting and crafts, attending festivals and concerts, hiking and camping, taking what some would say is an unreasonable amount of pictures of her very handsome and charismatic cat Oliver, and backpacking to new and exciting places with great friends.

Maddy McGuire holds a B.A. in Art History, and earned her teaching credential and Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI). Before coming to CACS, Maddy taught 5th grade at Peralta Elementary, a small, arts-integrated public school in Oakland, and the 3rd and 4th grades at Town School for Boys in San Francisco. She brings a love of stories, both real and imagined, and a constant stream of questions and curiosities to her teaching practice. Before finding her home in the classroom, Maddy worked at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, where she developed an interest in child-directed, play-based education. Maddy studied the arts in college, and while she still has a visual arts practice outside of the classroom, her passion for the arts lies in the learning experiences they facilitate for children, and is thrilled to be joining the community at Creative Arts.

Ron earned a BA and MA in English literature and later a teaching credential at San Francisco State University. In 2000, after numerous years teaching in early childhood, he joined the staff of Creative Arts, where he has taught Kindergarten and 1st grade ever since. Ron is committed to fostering a learning environment that grows the whole child, taking into account social, emotional, physical and academic needs. Ron and his wife have two teenage children who attended Creative Arts. In his spare time, Ron enjoys traveling, reading, listening to music and playing basketball.

Katie is a San Francisco native who earned her BA in child and Adolescent Development at SFSU. She’s taught Kindergarten through Fourth grade in Oakland, San Francisco, and San Mateo as well as summer science and math classes and an after school technology course. Katie is passionate about reading instruction and the benefits of being a life long learner. She integrates her prior knowledge as a child development major with extensive experience and ongoing professional development to create and maintain an effective and warm learning environment where all students can succeed.  She has a background in the arts as a poet, actress, theater technician, musician, painter, and all around crafty person. In her free time she likes to play music, make art, swim, surf, hike, rock climb, read, and spend time with her daughter.

Justin holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Denison University and a Masters of Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining CACS he was a Teacher in Philadelphia, a Teaching Assistant in Oakland, an IT Manager, a farm volunteer at the Alemany Farm and built houses with Habitat for Humanity. Justin really enjoys a fun and serious classroom atmosphere - expect equal amounts Captain Underpants and challenging questions. He enjoys riding and tinkering with his bikes, watching bad TV, and brewing good coffee. Most weekends you'll find him with his fiancé and their beagle exploring or at home reading with his cats.

Laura holds a BS in Environmental Science from Santa Clara University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI). Before joining CACS, she worked as an Associate Teacher at Katherine Delmar Burke School. Other past work experiences include directing the after school program at Presidio Hill School and teaching as a naturalist for San Joaquin Outdoor School in the Santa Cruz mountains. Laura enjoys designing and implementing creative curriculum that engages multiple learning styles. Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, camping and traveling, as well as spending time with friends and family.

Joanna joined CACS in 2012 after spending two years as a Fifth Grade Associate Teacher at the San Francisco Day School. Joanna received her BS in Elementary Education and Psychology from the University of Vermont in 2007. She is committed to utilizing the practices of Responsive Classroom as a teacher, to using the arts as both a modality for learning and an engine for differentiation, and to contributing to a school culture that emphasizes community and respect. In her free time, she enjoys riding her bicycle, cooking, reading, and spending quality time with her partner and dog.

Coco earned her BA from University of California, Santa Barbara double majoring in History and Sociology.  She received her teaching credential from the University of San Francisco and is currently finishing her Masters in Education there this Fall.  She is more than thrilled at the opportunity to be teaching at Creative Arts Charter, as she is a huge proponent of project based learning, and believes art and creativity are an imperative part to learning and creating and should be an integral part of all aspects of life.  When not at school, she loves being outdoors, getting lost in music, creating visual art pieces and experimenting in the kitchen.

Before joining the CACS community, Eileen earned her degree in horticulture and became the owner of the first chemical-free gardening business in San Francisco. She came to CACS with her older son, who graduated in 2007, and spent several years volunteering in classrooms and collaborating with teachers on garden science curriculum. In 2001, Eileen joined the CACS staff, working as a substitute teacher, classroom aide, and educator in the Breakfast Club, summer camp, and aftercare. Her hobbies include gardening, jewelry design, hiking, hanging out at the beach with her family, and reading.