Middle School Faculty & Staff

List of 12 members.

• 

  Jeremy Bartolo 

  Athletic Director & Sub Coordinator

  Bio

  Jeremy is the interim athletic director and substitute coordinator. He brings experience in human resources, staffing, coaching, athletic training, personal training, and management to The Waverly School.

  Jeremy earned associate degrees in history and kinesiology from Saddleback College and attended California State University, San Bernardino, where he played basketball. He later pursued a professional basketball career in the Philippines and China. Jeremy is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and holds an EXOS Performance Specialist certification.
  
  

  Jeremy believes athletics provide students with opportunities to develop teamwork, discipline, consistency, humility, and compassion—skills that extend far beyond the playing field.
• 

  Christine Castor 

  MS Spanish Teacher

  Bio

  Christine teaches Spanish in the Middle School. She studied Child and Adolescent Development at California State University, Northridge, which continues to shape her work with middle school students.

  
  Christine believes that language is an essential part of the human experience and that everyone has the capacity to learn and engage with another language. She encourages students to approach Spanish with curiosity, respect, and a willingness to take risks, reminding them that mistakes are a natural part of learning and that they often know more than they realize. Above all, Christine hopes her students see language as a bridge to the world beyond the classroom—giving them the confidence to connect with people whose experiences and perspectives may be different from their own.
• 

  Toby Chou 

  MS Science Teacher

  Bio

  Toby teaches science and Japanese in the Middle School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in geography and environmental studies with a minor in Japanese studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.
  
  

  Before joining The Waverly School, Toby taught English and American history and culture in Japan's public schools through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. She encourages students to embrace challenges and believes perseverance is one of the most important skills they can develop.
  
  Toby supports her students by letting them know, ​“It’s okay to fail, but never okay to give up…Persevering through chal­lenges is one of the most impor­tant skills students can develop.” Follow Toby’s science blog at science​with​toby​.net.  
  
  

• Erin Mulhern 

  MS Math Teacher

  Bio

  Erin is the Middle School mathematics teacher. She earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and a California teaching credential from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

  Erin brings extensive experience in project-based learning, having taught at two project-based high schools and, most recently, at New West Charter School, where she implemented project-based learning in their middle school mathematics program. She is passionate about creating innovative, inclusive classroom communities that encourage curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
  
  

  Erin is dedicated to supporting students both inside and outside the classroom, helping them build confidence as problem-solvers and lifelong learners.
• 

  Bailey Peraza 

  Learning Specialist, Middle and High School

  Bio

  Bailey is the learning specialist for Middle and High School students. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in child development from California State University, Dominguez Hills and a Master of Arts in special education from Arizona State University.
  
  

  Before joining The Waverly School, Bailey worked as a student advisor at CIP Long Beach, supporting college students with diverse learning differences. She also has experience working with children and their families in home and community settings.
  
  

  Bailey is passionate about helping students develop self-advocacy skills and confidently use the resources available to them. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, baking, cooking, and spending time with her cat, Penelope.
• 

  Emily Shea 

  MS English Teacher

  Bio

  Emily teaches English in the Middle School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Barnard College and a Master of Arts in teaching secondary English language arts from Lewis & Clark Graduate School.
  
  

  Outside the classroom, Emily enjoys creative projects such as writing, crafting, and collage, as well as spending time outdoors hiking, backpacking, and running.
• 

  Alyssa Sherwood 

  MS Farm and Electives

  Bio

  Alyssa is a floating teacher in the Elementary, Middle and High Schools. She has taught visual art, live-action filmmaking, animation and photography at schools throughout Los Angeles.
  
  

  Alyssa earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fine arts from Syracuse University, where she focused on painting and sculpture. She continued her graduate studies in animation at California Institute of the Arts' Experimental Animation program and earned a Master of Fine Arts in animation from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
  
  

  Her animated films have been screened at film festivals across the United States and internationally.
• 

  Maronke Sims 

  Middle School Dean/Middle School Humanities Teacher

  Bio

  Maronke teaches social studies in the Middle School and serves as the Middle School dean. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Northridge and completed graduate coursework in education at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
  
  

  Before joining The Waverly School, Maronke was a lead teacher at Children's Community School and a founding member and rotating chair of the IDEA Group (Inclusive Diversity Equity Alliance), which supported faculty and staff in implementing anti-bias, anti-racist, and equity-centered teaching practices. She has extensive experience in both public and independent schools, as well as in DEIJ leadership and professional learning.
  
  

  Maronke says, ​“As an educa­tor and prac­ti­tioner, I am a fierce advo­cate for equity and inclu­sion and consider it my duty to empower our youngest gener­a­tion to think crit­i­cally about the world around them so they may grow into future change­mak­ers.”  

• Harue Suzuki 

  MS Math Support Teacher
• 

  Beatriz Valls Rodriguez 

  MS/HS Art Teacher

  Bio

  Beatriz teaches art in the Middle and High Schools and Spanish in the High School. Originally from Madrid, Spain, she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and a degree in fine arts from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, Italy. She later earned a Master of Fine Arts in public practice from Otis College of Art and Design. She is currently finishing up her doctorate in socially-engaged art.
  
  

  Beatriz has taught at Otis College of Art and Design and Glendale Community College, where she continues to teach in the studio arts department. She also founded Transartmethods, a creative studio that partners with nonprofit organizations to use art as a tool for social impact, including Access Books, Ready-Set-Read!, and Sages and Seekers among many others
  
  

  Outside the classroom, Beatriz enjoys staying active, exploring Los Angeles, visiting museums and galleries, and spending time with family and friends.
• 

  Sydney Walsh 

  MS/HS Drama Teacher

  Bio

  Sydney teaches drama in the Middle and High Schools. Syd earned a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and English from Williams College.
  
  

  An expe­ri­enced actor, direc­tor, and educa­tor, Syd says, ​“I am constantly inspired by the group work ethic I see and feel in every class at Waverly. Students are inter­ested in creativ­ity and kind­ness, and they work from a place of loving support for each other’s creative processes.” Syd’s son, Harry ​‘19, grad­u­ated from Waverly. 
• 

  Sophie Zanders 

  MS/HS School Counselor, Human Development Teacher

  Bio

  Sophie is the Middle and High School counselor and teaches human development to Middle and High School students. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master's degree in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, and a master's degree in school counseling from the University of Southern California.
  
  

  Before joining The Waverly School, Sophie served as dean of students and human development chair at Tree Academy. She also worked as a dispute resolution consultant and learning specialist, bringing extensive experience in supporting students' academic, social, and emotional well-being.