Civicorps Elementary School is led by a talented group of administrators and teachers who demonstrate an unparalleled level of commitment in carrying forth the mission of the school. All teachers and administrators are fully credentialed and designated as highly qualified, according to the No Child Left Behind Federal Guidelines.  Many faculty members hold advanced degrees.

Kathryn Nicol
Principal

Kathryn has been the assistant principal for the past year, and on July1, 2008, she will become Civicorp Elementary School’s next principal.  Kathryn brings to the school vast experience on the elementary school level as a teacher, a coach and as an administrator.  She also is a participant New Leaders for News Schools, a prestigious national program that identifies talented educators and prepares them for principalships.  During the current year Kate has focused on being the school’s instructional leader.  In that capacity she has overseen the refinement of our curriculum, the installation of a comprehensive interim assessment program and is leading our professional development.  Kathryn is a graduate of UC Davis and Drexel University.

Kelly Robinson
Dean of Students
Director, Civicorps After School Program

Kelly has logged more hours at 1086 Alcatraz Avenue than any other person on the planet.  She was, after all, a student here years ago when it was the parish elementary  school associated with St. Columba’s Church.  In addition, Kelly has an ideal background for her current duties.  Before coming to Civicorps she managed and coordinated a major health and nutrition program serving youth in Alameda County.  She has also played a lead role in a year-round youth employment program (where she supervised the placement of more than 1,000 students with local employers) and the Oakland Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.  Kelly is the parent of two current Civicorps students and one alumnus of our program.   She is also a graduate of California State University at San Francisco (BA) and California State University at Hayward (Master of Public Administration). 

Angelina Vergara
Service Learning Coordinator

Angelina comes to us from Lighthouse Community Charter School, where she was a lead art teacher and advisor from 2004 to 2006. She has extensive experience implementing expeditionary-learning modalities for urban youth and with service learning models. Angelina has over 12 years of experience teaching academic subjects, visual and performing arts, and environmental curriculum. Angelina holds a MEdu from the University of San Francisco and a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in fine arts from Loyola College.

Bethann Rea
School Counselor

Bethann joins the Civicorps staff with a lifetime of experience using the arts to promote health and wellness, and over five years counseling experience. She has served as a peer counselor at Oakland Morehouse, a residential educational program; as an Expressive Arts Therapy intern at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco; and as a program facilitator at Youth Spirit Artworks in Berkeley this summer. Bethann received her MA in Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy, in 2008 from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, and holds a BA in Philosophy and a BA in Religion from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Alison Ross
School Office Administrator

Sharon Wharton
After Care Program Assistant

Tamara Muniz
Kindergarten Teacher

Emily is a kindergarten teacher at Civicorps Elementary School, having recently completed her master's degree in early childhood education from Mills College and before that a bachelor's degree in psychology from UC San Diego. Emily has four years of teaching experience. She is fluent in Spanish and holds a bilingual teaching credential.

K.C. Bull
First Grade Teacher

K.C. comes to Civicorps Elementary School with a B.A. in art from Bard College and a teaching credential from Mills College. K.C. helped initiate the Civicorps Elementary School's Peer Mediation program. Previously, she taught art in after-school programs, volunteered for a variety of youth gardening projects, and produced several short film documentaries.

Julia Gelormino
First Grade Teacher

Julia has been with Civicorps Elementary School since 2006. She started as an intern with the Humboldt State University (HSU) Teachers Credential Program. She holds a B.A. in child development and education from UC Berkeley, where she graduated with high honors and was recognized as a distinguished scholar.  She also attended the University of Sydney’s Teachers College in Australia while working in an Aboriginal Australian elementary school. Prior to Civicorps, she was an academic coach for “Destination: College” in East Oakland’s Life Academy High and Think College Now Elementary.

Michelle Millard-Naylor
Second Grade Teacher

Jenny Rikkers
Second Grade Teacher

Jenny comes to Civicorps Elementary School with a rich background in elementary education.  Having obtained her BA in Art from Fort Lewis College and Colorado Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Denver University, Jenny has taught on every grade level from kindergarten to grade five.  Her first assignment was as a teaching assistant in Kindergarten at San Francisco Day School, followed by being a first grade intern at Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver.  Most recently, she taught fifth grade with KIPP Bridge College Preparatory Middle School in Oakland.  Jenny has a passion for travel and international experience.  She has volunteered in a wildlife protection program in Bolivia.  She taught English in Thailand.  She has been a student at Cambridge University in England, and was a student ambassador with the People to People programs in Hungary, Austria and Italy.

Michael Bartone
Third Grade Teacher 

Michael Bartone, who teaches third grade, has extensive experience in elementary education.  A graduate of Elon University (B.S.) and Seattle University (M.Ed), he has taught for seven years (first and third grades) in Georgia and Washington State.  He also has experience in the world of high tech, serving as an educational consultant with Education.com.  In addition to his specified duties at school, he has a passion for different cultures, the civil rights movement, music and travel

Mariah Mills
Third Grade Teacher

Mariah is one of four Civicorps Elementary School teachers to have started here as an intern.  During the 2007-08 school year she was part of the Humboldt State University, Elementary Education Credentialing Program.  With a BA in Liberal Studies from Dominican University and an undergraduate thesis on using theatre arts in the classroom, Mariah brings various experiences to her current duties as a third grade teacher.  She has worked in Hawaii as a substitute teacher and as an educational aide. She has also worked as a play therapist, and for three years was a Peace Corps volunteer in Early Childhood Education in Lesotho.

Melissa Williams
Fourth Grade Teacher

Melissa has a variety and diverse professional background, having direct experience on the elementary, middle and high school levels.  Most recently she worked as a reading teacher on the elementary level at KIPP Bridge College Preparatory School, preceded by working with severely disabled students at Castlemont Leadership Preparatory School and working as a resource specialist at Creekside Middle School.  Since her days as an undergraduate student at University of Virginia, where she received a BA in Religious Studies, she has been active as a community volunteer.  She also received her master’s degree in Elementary Education Curriculum at California State University East Bay.  Melissa is a passionate Oakland A’s fan.  She sings in an a capella group and enjoys playing softball, basketball, volleyball and swimming.

Abdul-Haqq Khalifah
Fifth Grade Teacher

Abdul-Haqq has been with Civicorps Elementary School for five years, two as an intern and the last three years as a full-time classroom teacher. Abdul-Haqq holds a B.A. in urban studies from San Francisco State University and a teaching credential master's degree from the University of San Francisco. He is a member of the Leadership Team and coaches in the peer mediator program.

Gay Pelletier
Fifth Grade Teacher

Constance Moore
Visual Arts Teacher, All Grades

Fay Ferency
Music Program, All Grades