About Orchard School

Manila has been teaching at Orchard School for over 25 years, primarily in the field of mathematics. She was also the vice-principal and co-director from 1998 to 2014 and took over the principalship in 2015. Before coming to Orchard, she taught at Capitola Elementary School for six years. She holds a B.A. in Photojournalism and a California State Teaching Credential from San Jose State University, where she graduated with distinction. She completed the Marilyn Burns Math Institute, and is a member of both the California Mathematics Council and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In her free time, Manila likes to read, bike, play sports, and spend time with family and friends.

Rosy has been teaching at Orchard School since 2012, and administrating since 2016. She has a B.A. in English Literature, with a minor in French, from Mills College where she graduated with honors, Phi Beta Kappa, and an M.A. in Communication from Stanford University. She fell in love with Orchard School initially as a parent, eventually leaving her career as an award-winning freelance reporter for National Public Radio and the Santa Cruz Sentinel to take the helm of the kindergarten program. She had worked with children her whole adult life, as a nanny, a teacher’s assistant, an elective teacher, and as an active parent in various classrooms for almost 15 years, but it did not become her primary focus until she found Orchard. Her interests lie in spending time with her family and her animals, as well as cooking, eating and traveling.

Angelique is new to Orchard this year and is excited to help out. She moved to Aptos in 2021 and for the last several years has been home with her two young daughters. She has a B.A. in Behavioral Science and has previously worked as an administrative assistant and document control specialist for tech companies in the Bay Area. For many years, she volunteered as a youth leader and participated in humanitarian trips. She enjoys going to the beach, travelling, reading, listening to live music, and spending time with her family and friends.

Lisa joined Orchard in 2024 but has been an educator for over 30 years. She has a B.A. in Social Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a California State Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. After many years teaching in public schools locally, at the elementary and middle-school level, she decided to leave traditional education and get certified as an AMI Montessori guide for children ages 6-12. She says being a Montessorian has been transformational in changing the way she approaches education, allowing a deep respect for each child’s innate curiosity and learning style. Lisa and her husband live in Aptos and are now joyful empty nesters, with four adult children spread across the US. She feels extremely grateful to live in this community of abundance and beauty and is very happy to be a part of the Orchard team.

Joy joined the Orchard team in 2024, as a language arts teacher for the lower grades. This year she will be teaching kindergarten. She is a certified AMI Montessori guide with 20 years of experience teaching at Montessori-based schools locally, including at Tara Redwood School and a preschool in Scotts Valley. Before that, she lived in France for many years, teaching English as a Second Language to adults and later, working with children at a bilingual elementary Montessori school in Paris. She likes being at a school that combines academics with exploration and observation of the natural world, where teachers serve as gentle guides. Joy enjoys spending time with her family, reading, travelling,camping, hiking, and she’s a recent convert to hot yoga.

Kenza joined the Orchard faculty in 2011, first as a kindergarten teacher, later moving on to teach math and be part of the administration team. In 2020, she left to run a learning pod, returning in 2023 to fill her old position as math teacher. Kenza has a B.A. in History from Wellesley College and has completed her teacher credentialing program. She’s experienced in adult education and preschool, is a certified yoga instructor and a Positive Discipline educator. She is fluent in Arabic and French, and can also speak Spanish. She says her main goal as a teacher “is to support a child’s innate curiosity and create an atmosphere in which all of us experience belonging and significance.” She likes exploring nature, cooking and permaculture.

Ty is an Orchard alumni who attended in the 5th and 6th grades. While here, he learned firsthand how important the Orchard experience can be for kids after struggling to fit in at his public elementary school. He has a B.A. from St. John’s College where he studied the liberal arts with a discussion-based format and small class sizes. The curriculum focus included the history of mathematics and science, philosophy, the classics, comparative literature and political theory. Ty joined Orchard’s teaching staff in 2020, initially as an aide and an aftercare teacher. He loves sharing his passion for mathematics with the 4th-6th graders, as well as continuing to teach elective classes. In his free time he enjoys reading, strategy games like chess and poker, and watching sports.

Ella is new to Orchard this year and is very excited to join such a creative and compassionate community. She moved to Santa Cruz in 2024 and has spent the past two years teaching science at Exploring New Horizons Outdoor School, a residential outdoor science camp for 5th and 6th graders. Before this, she worked with young multilingual learners in Philadelphia public schools for five years. She also has experience teaching art to children. Ella has a B.A. in English from Pomona College and an M.S. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She loves eating, reading, music, drawing, being outside, playing with yarn, and spending time with loved ones.

Jane came to Orchard as an employee in 2019 but is very familiar with the school as she was an elementary student here in the nineties, and is also the parent of a current student. She has worn many hats over the years at Orchard from school chef, to kindergarten teacher, to aide, to office assistant to science and elective teacher. This year she’ll be teaching multiple subjects to first graders and helping run the new flex period (a project-based learning time for our oldest students). Jane formerly worked in the food industry after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America Greystone with an A.O.S degree in Hospitality Management. She is a lifelong science enthusiast and literature buff who brings these loves to her teaching every day. Jane also enjoys bird watching, experimenting with food and other mediums, gardening, and spending time with loved ones.

Rock has been teaching at Orchard School for 25 years. He has performed locally and internationally for over three decades with artists including Tandy Beal, SoVoSo, The New Pickle Circus, Linda Arnold, and the Golden State Warriors. He received a Gail Rich award in 2003 honoring his artistic work in the community. He is an avid gardener and bicyclist, and a grandparent to six glorious children.

Valerie has been part of the Orchard community since 2010 when her daughter joined the kindergarten class. She began teaching sewing and movement electives in 2013, and in 2016, she took charge of the fine arts program. She has trained as an artist in various mediums, from watercolor to quilting, around the world from Japan to Paris for over 25 years. She is a certified holistic chef, a certified mentor for young girls coming of age and she recently completed yoga teacher training. Valerie is passionate about African dance, practicing yoga, and traveling, and is an independent artist and business owner who specializes in creating upcycled, wearable art.

Linda has been teaching at Orchard School since 2009, although she had worked as the school’s substitute ceramics teacher for 18 years prior to this. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts from Chico State and began her art career as a watercolorist in Seattle. Her experience includes 10 years teaching ceramics classes to kids and adults through the Capitola Parks and Recreation program. She also designed the ceramics program for Scotts Valley’s parks and recreation program, and taught there for 5 years. Linda studied horticulture and floral design in college and ran her own floral business for a number of years. She also enjoys drawing, painting, photography, weaving and other fiber arts.

Kathleen began as the kindergarten co-teacher in 2016, semi-retiring in 2023, to move into teaching electives. Her educational background includes training at the Waldorf institute of Southern California and the London School of Eurythmy, as well as certifications in storytelling and puppetry, and many classes in early childhood education. Kathleen has worked with families in Santa Cruz in many capacities for over 40 years, including as a kindergarten teacher at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School, and as the founder and teacher of the Magic Garden, a home-based preschool that has since closed. She performs personalized puppet shows in the community using dolls and props that she handcrafts, and also hosts nature-based craft and storytelling workshops for children and adults.

David loves to hike, climb trees, swim in the ocean, go mountain unicycling, dance anywhere, play Capoeira, and get hugs that feel really, really good. He spent over 15 years traveling the world as an actor / dancer / acrobat / mask-maker / musician. It was incredible, but he does not miss living on the road!

David received his BA in Music and Theater from UC Santa Cruz in 2001, attended 1-year physical theater conservatories in Belgium and Italy, graduated from the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance’s 3-year professional training program, and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College. But he credits his most crucial learnings to playing with his daughter Alba and the other incredible children who remind him each day how to live, move, and create from the heart.

Valerie began her Orchard School adventure in 2019 teaching humanities to various grades 1st to 6th through 2024.  Most recently she worked with students and faculty at Pacific Elementary School and Gateway School to integrate creative movement, dance, and theater into their existing program. Valerie is thrilled to back at Orchard teaching drama! Valerie holds a B.A. in Dance and Choreography, and a California State Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. In her early career, she performed and taught dance from coast to coast, settling in the Bay Area with Earth Circus Performance Troupe. Valerie enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and exploring the great outdoors.

Amber came to Orchard in 2022 when an attending family recommended her for the aftercare position. She is an artist who loves working with both children and adults. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Visual Arts and 10 years experience teaching children in after school programs and as an arts facilitator. She has also worked extensively with adults with disabilities. Her interests include being outside, admiring the creativity of others, giggling with her friends, meditation and loving life as much as possible.

Tovia is an alumni parent (2006 and 2010 graduates) who began teaching the photography elective in 2003. She has an A.A. degree from Cabrillo College in Early Childhood Education and a B.A. in Psychology, with an emphasis in child psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also works for a national non-profit that teaches self empowerment, meditation, communication, and leadership around the world. She is passionate about her family, reading and writing, art, picnics in nature, and children.

Leila Mendez

Leila joined Orchard as the aftercare teacher in 2024. She has over eight years experience working with children in afterschool and summer programs, as well as in classroom settings as an aide. She is currently attending Cabrillo College, studying psychology and early childhood development. Leila says one of her favorite things about working at Orchard is getting to build genuine relationships with children and helping to create an environment where kids can feel safe, supported, and comfortable being themselves. When she's not working, Leila enjoys reading, dancing, singing, and fitness, and spending time with her family and her dog.