News

Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School welcomed several new faculty and staff members for the 2022-23 school year.

Julia Correll teaches Grade 2. She has more than a decade of experience in elementary education, and has lived and taught throughout the U.S. and abroad. After earning a B.A. in English from Beloit College, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where she received an M.A. in educational leadership and an elementary education certificate. Read more about Mrs. Correll.

Nancy Da Silva is the office manager for the After-School Enrichment Program. She previously worked in the front office at Forest Grove Elementary School in Pacific Grove and proudly coached the P.G. Middle School boys volleyball team to a league championship. She has a B.A. in elementary education/early childhood education from Arcadia University. Read more about Ms. Da Silva.

Elaine Fernandez and Monica Silk are part of the PreKindergarten team. Mrs. Fernandez previously taught reading intervention at the elementary school level in her native San Diego, and has taught first and second grade. She has a B.S. in criminal justice from San Diego State University and an M.Ed. and K-6 teaching credential from National University. Mrs. Silk has been a classroom substitute and volunteer at Catalina, and has two children in the school. Before getting into teaching, she worked in the medical profession managing an out-patient surgery center. She holds a B.A. in Latin American and Latino studies from UC Santa Cruz.

Erica George started as director of the After-School Enrichment Program toward the end of the 2021-22 school year. She is also the assistant director of Summer at Santa Catalina and a member of the Upper School’s resident faculty. She holds a B.A. in English language and literature and adolescent education from SUNY Geneseo and an M.A. in international education from New York University. Read more about Ms. George.

Dane Holmgren is a P.E. teacher. Though new to the Lower and Middle School, he has coached the Upper School JV volleyball team and will be their varsity coach this year. He previously taught kinesiology and coached volleyball at Gavilan College. He has a B.S. in kinesiology from CSUMB and an M.A. in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University Irvine. Read more about Coach Holmgren.

Paul Orihuela teaches Grade 3. He previously taught elementary school in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. He holds a B.S. in human development and a multiple subject teaching credential from UC Davis. Read more about Mr. Oriheula.

Jamie Scheid teaches religion in Grades 5-8. She previously served as a part-time ministry coordinator at St. Joseph’s Church in Spreckels, and for nearly 20 years was a full-time mom to two children. She is working on a B.A. in theology, from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. Read more about Mrs. Scheid.

Olivia Schilder is a kindergarten teacher and fresh transplant from Connecticut. She earned a B.S. in communications and media studies from Southern Connecticut State University, then worked in marketing for several years before starting her teaching career. She recently earned an M.A. in teaching from Southern Connecticut. Read more about Ms. Schilder.

Other new faces around campus include Maria Chavez in human resources, Annie Harmon in communications, and Brian Saxton in maintenance.