Administrative Team Background
  Photo coming soon  | Edward ("Ed") Walters Head of School B.S. - Biology & Psychology, InterAmerican University
Master of Education - Science, Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA) Additional Language - Spanish (fluent) Ed has been a highly regarded educator for over 30 years. He began his career as a science teacher and department head and quickly was recruited to add school finance and management to his responsibilities. During his career, he has held the positions of Business Manager, Director of Strategic Planning, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Operations, and Head of School. He and his family spent 30 years in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, where Ed rose to be a senior faculty member in the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Head of the Science Department at Sewickley Academy, a pre-K-12 school of nearly 800 students. Ed was born in Puerto Rico and is a fluent Spanish speaker. He also is an avid supporter of children's sports programs and was named Coach of the Year six times for his leadership in student soccer and basketball teams. Ed shares his love of science by guiding our students though a wide variety of hands-on science experiments. Casey Cushing Special Assistant to the Head of School/Community Leader B.A. - Interdisciplinary Studies: Writing & Literature &
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with BCLAD emphasis
Teaching Credential - California Additional Language - Spanish (fluent) Casey brings a love of nature and the arts to her teaching. Casey also shares an array of exciting experiences and interests with our Alta Vista community: she is a poet and children's book author and former manager of an organic farm, permaculture designer, and wilderness guide. She is also passionate about movement arts and is trained in yoga and Afro-Brazilian dance. Prior to joining Alta Vista, Casey was an ecology/garden/arts educator as part of A Living Library at Gordon J. Lau Elementary and Denman Middle School. As a founding Alta Vista faculty member, Casey's focus has been on building and enriching our project-based curriculum and Bookends program with a diversity of fun and stimulating activities. Maté Schissler Reading Specialist/Admissions B.A. - Art History, University of Colorado, Boulder Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Ed. Program - UC San Diego Reading Specialist Certification - UC San Diego Summer Program - Art History, University of Alicante (Spain) Prior to joining Alta Vista, Maté spent 12 years at The Gillispie School in La Jolla, where she held a multitude of roles: Reading Specialist, Admissions Director, Yoga Instructor, and Early Kindergarten Team Teacher. Her approach to literacy focuses on providing a supplemental reading program that emphasizes development of the whole child. Maté also has trained and practiced yoga for many years, and one of her many accomplishments has been contributing to the writing and choreography of a middle school yoga curriculum. Lindsey Goldberg Bookends/Garden/Community Service B.A. - Modern Languages & Literatures (Spanish & French), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) M.Ed. - Curriculum & Instruction (Emphasis on Environmental and Art Education), University of Washington Graduate Certificate in Education, Environment & Community - IslandWood (Bainbridge Island, Washington) Certificate in Urban Permaculture Design - Urban Permaculture Design Institute (San Francisco) Lindsey has demonstrated a commitment to our Alta Vista core values - Community, Innovation, Sustainability, Curiosity, Fun - in a variety of environments. She has been a dedicated designer of project-based learning experiences, including as Lead Naturalist Instructor at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island, Washington where she integrated community service, art, sciences and technology into experiential environmental education programs. Lindsey also is a committed supporter of community farms and has worked at Graze the Roof (GLIDE Foundation) and Hayes Valley Farm on not only their gardens, but also community and education programs. Most recently Lindsey worked with SEED (Sustainability. Education. Empowerment. Design.) to partner with San Francisco schools, non-profits, and start-ups to integrate sustainability and service-learning opportunities into their cultures. With her proven green thumb, we can't wait to see what Lindsey has in store for the organic garden at our new site! |