Ms. Sasha Clayton is the Principal and Director of Hilldale School. She has a B.A. in Theatre from Drake University and a M.A. in Teaching from Concordia University. She holds her teaching credential for secondary English, Speech, and Theatre. Before coming to Hilldale in July 2007, she was the director of the Metropolis School of the Performing Arts in Arlington Heights, Illinois for four years and prior to that a Kindergarten teacher for the Bernard Weiniger JCC Early Learning Center. Throughout her experiences, she has taught students of all ages. Ms. Clayton believes in challenging students in both product and process and in developing the whole child through access to both high-level academics and the arts. She believes in high expectations and in passionate teaching.

Mrs. Mandy Rizvi is our office manager and also acts as one of our teacher substitutes and as drama teacher and coach. She has a B.F.A. in Theater from the Hartt School of Performing Arts and a M.A. in Theater from San Francisco State University. She has received awards for essays, fiction, and poetry. She taught preschool for five years and has been an administrative assistant for the past four years. Mrs. Rizvi loves theater, art, poetry, writing, drawing, painting, reading, music, and traveling.

Mrs. Cristina Arenas is our Pre-Kindergarten teacher and director. She came to Hilldale in January 2006, when our Pre-K program was begun, and has also worked for and been a favorite teacher in our affiliated preschool, Early Learning Academy, since 1995. She has an AA degree from City College of San Francisco and is certified as a Child Development Site Supervisor. She brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and expertise to our Kindergarten prep program, and the children and parents absolutely love her!

Ms. Nadera Abuita is our Pre-Kindergarten co-teacher. She came to Hilldale in August 2008. She has 31 ECE credits from the City College of San Francisco and is working on her AA in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Abuita has taught preschool for eight years. She has a commitment to excellence and believes in an academic education for our youngest students.

Ms. Kate Laughlin teaches Kindergarten. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and had experience with a gifted education program before coming to Hilldale in 2006. Kate is a caring and bubbly person who gives a great start to our young Kindergarteners. She also believes that consistency, kindness, and challenge will set our children on the right path.

Ms. Christa Forsiak teaches our combined Third-Fourth Grade class. She has a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon and a multiple subject teaching credential from the Dominican University of California. Ms. Forsiak was a substitute teacher for several years and has also been a preschool teacher before coming to Hilldale in 2008. She is organized, patient, caring, and hard-working. She enjoys cooking, reading, going to the theater, hiking, and traveling.

Mr. Dan Cohen teaches Spanish to all of our students, grades K-8. He received a B.A. in Spanish from Kent State University in Ohio and has also studied French, Hebrew, Japanese, and Italian. Dan first participated in a Spanish student exchange program in high school, but his love for languages has brought him to many places around the globe. Dan loves to work with the younger students because of their enthusiasm and their ability to grasp new languages. He believes that learning Spanish should be an interactive and enjoyable experience for students of all ages. He inspires all of our students to not only learn the Spanish language but also to use it and enjoy it.

Mr. Jean-Thierry Mendiola teaches Music to grades K-8. He received a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California and completed graduate work in Comparative Literature at San Francisco State University, but his passion is teaching Music and Drama. He has extensive experience with classical piano, cello, guitar, bass, and drums. He has five years of experience teaching Music, English, and Drama, and has led a band, done major concerts and performances, conducted choirs, and written and directed plays. He believes it is important to teach music history, theory, and music appreciation along with teaching the children how to sing and play music.

Ms. Gwen Thompson teaches Art to our entire student body. She has a B.F.A. in Photography and Digital Media from the University of Houston in Texas. She has been an art educator for four years in schools and museums. Ms. Thompson is passionate about engaging her students and assuring that they are successful in their creative endeavors. She teaches art history along with art theory and art techniques and enjoys connecting art with other core subjects to bring them to life. Some of her students have been winners in local art contests.