Teachers

Meet our fabulous teachers, ordered by grade; Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and Special Education. Please scroll down, check out the photos and read about them all.

Kindergarten

	Elise Bamesberger – Kindergarten Teacher Joint teacher with Ms Robuck. Ms. Bamesberger has been teaching at Marquez since 2001. Before Marquez, she taught Kindergarten in New Jersey. What she loves most about Marquez are her colleagues, the parental support and the ocean view. Ms. Bamesberger has several hobbies: yoga, walking, traveling and shopping. She has walked over 240 miles to help raise money to fight breast cancer! She also used to be a competitive gymnast. Ms. Bamesberger received her B.A. in Elementary Education (minor in Early Childhood) from Salisbury University, and her M.A. from Pepperdine University in Education with emphasis on Psychology.
	Alexys Buckner – Kindergarten Teacher Ms. Buckner joined Marquez as a 1st grade teacher in 2008 after student teaching in the 3rd grade with Mrs. Bihari and Mrs. Timmerman. She received her B.A. from UCLA in 2003 and her credential from CSUN in 2006. Before teaching Mrs. Buckner worked as a pastry chef, but realized it was not the career for her. Although, she still likes baking cakes when she can find the time! When she is not teaching Mrs. Buckner enjoys spending time with her husband and newborn daughter Eleanor. She tries to find a balance between working hard and having fun in the classroom. Mrs. Buckner believes all children have their own unique ways to contribute to the classroom and it is her job to help them reach their maximum potential. She is very happy to be part of the wonderful Marquez Community.
	Randy Hain – Kindergarten Teacher Mrs. Hain came to Marquez in 2008. She graduated from UCLA, and working for many years in the advertising industry. Inspired by one of her daughter’s teachers, who said that the most fun he ever had was volunteering in his own child’s classroom, she returned to school and earned her teaching credential at CSUN. Mrs. Hain now feels very lucky to spend each day learning with her students and believes it is important to make school fun, exciting and challenging for young learners. Mrs. Hain feels very fortunate to be at Marquez where she receives such incredible support and generosity from the Marquez families and her colleagues. Outside of Marquez, Mrs. Hain likes to spend time with her husband, two teenage children and their third rescue dog. At the moment, she is not sure which is more challenging – engaging kindergarten students at school or keeping tabs on two teenagers at home!
	Brooke Newman – Kindergarten Teacher Ms. Newman has been teaching Kindergarten at Marquez since 2002. Before that, she taught for six years at Brentwood Science Magnet, and four years at Robert Hill Lane Elementary School. Her teaching philosophy is that children will rise to meet the challenges you set (and have fun in the process). Ms. Newman especially likes teaching at Marquez because she went to elementary school here. She loves the yearly Kindergarten field trip to Underwood Family Farms, where the kids get to pick strawberries and ride in a wagon. Ms. Newman first started working with kids as a babysitter at 13, and then as a counselor at Y-Camp at Temescal for a couple of years. She loves horses and has two, Rio and Jake, that she considers to be like children to her. She is also a good artist. Ms. Newman received her B.A. from UCSB and her teaching credential from CSUN.
	Michelle Robuck – Kindergarten Teacher Joint kindergarten teacher with Ms Bamesberger. Ms. Robuck has been teaching Kindergarten at Marquez since 1996. She tries to be a nice teacher, “Like a Mommy!” She loves kids. She and her husband, Joe, have two children—Sean and Logan. Joe was the Club Med Circus Chief and trapeze artist when they met. Ms. Robuck used to run the kids programs for Club Med. She also loves to tap dance. Her biggest inspiration was her 2nd grade teacher, Miss Washington. Her first job was babysitting. Ms. Robuck reps Mary Kay in spare time. Ms. Robuck received her B.A. from UCSB and her teaching credential from CSUN.

1st Grade

	Lindy Bazan – 1st Grade Teacher Ms. Bazan was born and raised in Southern California until age 12 when her family moved to Texas. She came back in 1984 attend UCLA. She received her B.A. in World Arts & Cultures with a Dance Concentration in 1990 and graduated from UCLA School of Law in 1994. During school, she worked as the Camp Director at Rustic Canyon Recreation Center. Instead of practicing law, she continued in the field of recreation as the Executive Director of Pali Camp. In 2001, Ms. Bazan made a career change and became a teacher. She came to Marquez in 2008, after teaching 4th grade for seven years at 42nd St. Elementary and also teaching SAT courses. She enjoys creating a classroom community that shares a lot of joy and laughter, while building relationships, and making wonderful memories along the way.  On a personal note, Ms. Bazan lives in Westwood with her Border Terrier, Dolly. Her hobbies include marathon walking, agility league with Dolly, hoop dancing, auditioning and competing on game shows (5 so far, including Wheel of Fortune and The Pyramid), road trips to Colorado for Dolly’s veterinarian care, and watching her favorite television shows. She volunteers on the UCLA Alumni Association’s Freshman Scholarship Committee and the AEPhi – Phi Chapter Advisory Board. Ms. Bazan is active in UTLA, serving as West Area Treasurer, Steering Committee Member, and on the House of Representatives.  She is also proud to save lives throughout the year by donating blood platelets at the Cedars-Sinai Blood Bank.
	Mary Ann Lessin – 1st Grade Teacher Ms. Lessin has been teaching 1st grade at Marquez since 1996, and was an aide here for 12 years before that. Her favorite part of teaching is just being with the kids. Ms. Lessin’s hobbies are gardening and reading. She and her husband have a son and daughter, both out of college. The person she most admires is her mother because she was always there for everybody, she was an all-around great person and everyone loved her. Ms. Lessin received her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from UCSB, and her teaching credential from CSULB.
	June Lew – 1st Grade Teacher Mrs. Lew began teaching first grade at Marquez in 1998.  Before joining the Marquez family, she taught kindergarten and first grade at Westwood Charter school.  She received her BA and teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University.  It was there that she learned to always “stand in the place of the child”.  She says reading and writing are similar to riding a bike.  The moment a child “gets it” only happens once.  She loves being able to see that year after year.  She says, “First graders are so cute and full of fun!”  The things they say and do make her smile and giggle.  Mrs. Lew enjoys going to craft fairs and art shows.  She is always looking for new and fun projects for the children.  Mrs. Lew has a wonderful husband and two beautiful children.  They enjoy going on adventures together and playing with their two sweet dogs and one blue beta fish.
	Lisa Timmerman – 1st Grade Teacher Ms. Timmerman has been teaching at Marquez since 1997. She loves the children and the families who work so hard to make this a wonderful place. She also enjoys the people she works with because they are so talented and creative with a desire to teach children. Ms. Timmerman believes all children can be successful if you provide a positive working environment. All children learn differently and have their own talents. Let them feel comfortable and successful and respect their individuality. Make it fun!!! Ms. Timmerman loves ocean swimming, running, hiking and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Brian, have two daughters, Leah and Quincy, a golden retriever, a cat, and a bunny. Ms. Timmerman received her B.A. in Radio/Television/Film (Media Management) and teaching credential from CSUN.

2nd Grade

	Wendy Connor – 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Connor started teaching in 1987, and came to Marquez in 1999. As a Literacy Coach for the past three years, she’s assisted teachers with our school-wide Language Arts program, organized the Periodic Assessments and reviewed the results to make a plan to meet the needs of all students. She’s worked with students from K-5 in small groups, whole classes and individually. She enjoys working with kids who are learning new things. Her favorite part of teaching is when a student unlocks reading for the first time—it’s magical. Marquez is wonderful because of the collaborative teachers, incredible parents and enthusiastic kids! She believes every child can learn—and it’s her job to make sure they do! She loves knitting and has been on television four times.  She also dreams of having a second career as a Lactation Consultant. She and her husband, Rich, have two boys, Kevin and Thomas. They have no pets because she’s allergic to them all. Ms. Connor received her B.A. in Liberal Studies (option in Elementary Education) and teaching credential from San Diego State University.
	Dana Fein – 2nd Grade Teacher Mrs. Fein has taught 2nd grade at Marquez since 1999. She follows the philosophy that “learning is socially constructed” (thanks to Vygotsky). As a result, her classroom includes lots of talking, hands-on activities, and recording of ideas and thinking. Mrs. Fein strives to create a mini-world in the classroom where everyone accepts each other. She focuses on each students strengths, building on them to help the students achieve. Mrs. Fein’s hobbies are reading, hiking, dancing and traveling. In her past life she was a professional ballet dancer and toured America, Europe, Central America and the Middle East. For those who “know” and care, Mrs. Fein made it to the top of Half Dome. She and her husband, Sumner, have three sons who went through the Palisades complex schools and graduated from University of California, at Berkeley, Davis, and San Diego. Mrs. Fein became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2004. She received her B.A., teaching credential and Masters in Education from U.C.L.A.
	Mitchhell Jacobs – 2nd Grade Teacher Mitchell Jacobs joined Marquez in 2006. Since beginning his teaching career in 2003, he has taught first, third and fourth grades. His favorite thing about teaching is watching the students master new knowledge and their progress during the year. His teaching philosophy is that instruction must be differentiated to meet each students needs. Mr. Jacobs enjoys reading, skiing, sports and cooking. His biggest inspiration for teaching was his 2nd grade teacher who inspired him in math and made a point of letting each student progress at his or her own rate.  His wife was brave enough to allow him to make the change and it allows Mr. Jacobs to be more involved in his sons’, Zachary and Brennan, activities including coaching AYSO. Prior to teaching, he was a lawyer for six years involved in litigation. He‘s found teaching to be much more rewarding and satisfying. Mr. Jacobs received his B.G.S with concentrations in Philosophy and Anthropology from University of Michigan, a J.D. from Loyola Law School, and M.A. in Elementary Education and Professional Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and CLAD from Pepperdine University.
	Julie Yoshida – 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Yoshida has been teaching grades K-2 at Marquez since 1993. The students are her favorite part about teaching at Marquez! They are so enthusiastic to learn and do their best to succeed. They are creative and thoughtful of the world around them. They make her smile each day. Once they come into the room, the rest of the world disappears. Her teaching philosophy is to be child centered—to take each child and learn about their strengths and needs to create a comprehensive curriculum. This not only strengthens the academic skills, but also tries to prepare students to work together and become good citizens. She also tries to create a caring, learning environment, where students can learn to take risks and extend their boundaries and grow as successful students. Ms. Yoshida likes listening to music, Karaoke, reading, playing with her two dogs, watching TV, learning to cook and knit, and making cards. You may not know that she began taking Japanese Classical Dance lessons when she was three and has received her stage name. Ms. Yoshida received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA, and M.Ed. in Elementary Education and M.A. in Administration from CSUN.

3rd Grade

	Alison Bihari – 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Bihari has been teaching 3rd grade at Marquez since 1996. Her favorite part of teaching is that every day is different and unpredictable. She also loves the energy and curiosity that children have. She loves Marquez because she has such good memories of attending elementary school here! She thinks it’s a beautiful school (when it’s not under construction). She also likes the team effort between the parents, teachers and administrators. Her teaching philosophy is that every child has a talent, every child is capable and there’s more to education than reading, writing and arithmetic. She likes to garden, but lately spends most of her time playing with her son and daughter. You may not know that she was an insurance agent before she became a teacher. Her biggest inspiration is her mom and Melinda Binder for the same reasons—they’re wonderful, committed teachers and friends (her mom is a retired principal and currently a special education consultant), and they’re always positive. She received her B.A. in Liberal Arts and her teaching credential from CSUN.
	Laurie Farrell – 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Farrell has been teaching since 1990 and has been at Marquez since 1999. Her favorite part of teaching at Marquez is the freedom to inject creativity into the curriculum. She genuinely appreciates having the latitude to enrich and teach beyond the state standards. Her philosophy is to have fun. When she started teaching she told herself that if the fun stops then she needs to stop teaching. (She tells her students that her motto is “NO fun in third grade!” However, THEY tell her that she’s not very good at living up to her motto.) Ms. Farrell’s hobbies are sports—at present she’s golfing, playing tennis, and skiing (the wet and frozen kind). In high school, she lettered in badminton. Her husband and she have a son, Cole. They also have two dogs, Kona (a big chocolate lab) and Lucy (a curly coat retriever). Ms. Farrell became National Board Certified in 1999. She received her B.A. in Communications from Pepperdine and her teaching credential from UCLA.
	Clare Gardner – 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Gardner began teaching at Marquez in 1998. She loves working with children, and especially loves teaching because it combines instructing, loving, helping, listening, playing, creating, dreaming.  The camaraderie amongst the teachers was what attracted her to Marquez.  She also loves the childrenʼs eagerness to learn and the support and involvement from the wonderful parents. She believes that it is a teacherʼs job to help satisfy the innate curiosity of children by providing a rich learning environment, stimulating their interest, and helping them learn how to learn. She believes in helping create life-long learners that will love learning (and school) by making it, fun, exciting and fulfilling, as it should be. Ms. Gardnerʼs biggest inspiration is her mom, a teacher who was one of the most selfless people sheʼs ever known. Her mom was always giving to others. Ms. Gardner loves to read, walk and spend time with her children. She also loves photography.  She and her husband, Michael, have a daughter, Meilani, and a son, Kai. They also have two, Jessie and Penny.  Ms. Gardner received her B.A. in American Literature and Culture (with a specialization in Diversified Liberal Arts) from UCLA and teaching credential from CSUN.
	Lily Reeves – 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Reeves has been teaching at Marquez since 2000. Her favorite part of teaching is to see the kids’ faces when they get excited or enthusiastic over a project or when they do well on something. Marquez is unique because of all the wonderful parents who help out and the fabulous enrichment classes. The teachers are all fabulous and professional and really care about what they’re doing. Ms. Reeves’ teaching philosophy is that learning should be enjoyable and fun. She tries to incorporate that into her classroom. She also believes that when a child works hard and accomplishes a task, their self-esteem increases from within. She wants her students to want to succeed for themselves. She is an avid tennis player and plays league tennis every weekend; loves to ski; tries to get out dancing whenever she can; recently took up golf; goes to the gym; loves to read; and travels in the summer. Some people may not know that Ms. Reeves was on Hollywood Squares a couple years ago and won. Her maiden name was originally Ibrahimoff but was changed to Wilson when her dad became a citizen. She has two daughters: Kristen graduated from USC with a degree in broadcast journalism and is working for Orange County TV; Carly graduated from UCLA with a degree in theater.  She has a sister, Rita Wilson, who is an actress and a brother, Chris Wilson, who is a chef, musician and artist. Ms. Reeves received her B.A. in French and her teaching credential from CSUN.
	Susan Schwartz-Lack – 3rd Grade Teacher Mrs. Schwartz has been teaching since 1980 and has been at Marquez since the Fall of 1986.  Her favorite part of teaching is watching the kids grow,  discover and learn, and observe their sheer enthusiasmabout anything new. Mrs. Schwartz loves teaching at Marquez because Marquez is filled with intelligent and happy children who love to learn,and have parents who truly value education.  Mrs. Schwartz’s hobbies include her family, watching her kids play sports, playing volleyball and practicing yoga, knitting, and reading. Mrs. Schwartz received her B.A. in Child Psychology and her teaching credential from UCSB.

4th Grade

	Theresa Chaides – 4th Grade Teacher, 4th Grade Sacramento Champion Ms. Chaides has been teaching at Marquez since 2000. Her own 4th grade experience was not very memorable. She hopes none of her students will say that about their time in her class. Her favorite thing about teaching? The kids, of course! Naturally, they want to learn, and Ms. Chaides loves being part of that joy of learning, their discovery, their curiosity. She tries to make learning and discovering a life-long and enjoyable endeavor. At Marquez the opportunities are endless. Her creativity flourishes, her ideas are supported and the people (kids, parents and colleagues) work together. Her hobbies are swimming, hiking and fun. She can be spotted climbing the local mountains or hilly streets. Honk and wave next time you see her. She lives on 3rd St., so the Promenade is a just a stroll away—movies, food, friends, dancing or just people-watching can fill out a fun day. You may not know that she loves Neil Diamond and is an Elvis fan. She also checks eBay almost daily for cool California maps, postcards and pics. Her biggest inspiration is her family. What has come their way in terms of life experiences has made each of them different, yet independent, humorous and caring as well. From this and them, she is inspired. Ms. Chaides received her B.S. in Business Administration and her teaching credential from CSUN. Before becoming a teacher, she was an advertising account manager. She considers her career change to teaching to be one of her best decisions!
	Peggy Palo – 4th Grade Teacher Ms. Palo has been teaching 4th grade at Marquez since 1997. She has her class out every morning stretching aka waking up their left side of the brain to help them focus throughout the day. She especially enjoys the California History curriculum and have visited 19 of the 21 missions. Her favorite part of teaching is constantly learning new things to share with her class, and learning from her students and the process of sharing. Marquez is an amazing place to teach. She loves ocean view and is encouraged and supported by her incredible colleagues. The parent community works hard to provide an environment rich in material resources (thru the supplies that they provide) and human resources (thru the hours they volunteer). She sees herself as a facilitator, creating an environment where learning thrives. Each school day is a constant interaction—learning is everywhere. Her challenge is to orchestrate the day to meet the unique needs of each student, while enabling each to excel. She’s a Californian native, born in LA, and grew up with LAUSD. Her hobbies include photography, dancing and traveling. She’s a loyal UCLA Bruin fan—all sports, but especially football. She’s also a loyal Dodger fan. She is inspired by her three children, Katherine, Daniel and Caroline. It is a joy to listen to their dreams and watch them meet their challenges with courage and faith. Ms. Palo received her B.A. in Communication Studies from UCLA, J.D. from Whittier College School of Law (she passed the CA Bar), her teaching credential from CSU Dominguez Hills and her M.A. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies and Admin. Credential from CSUN.
	Lynne Wilkinson – 4th Grade Teacher, Gate Co-ordinator Ms. Wilkinson has been teaching since 1988, and been at Marquez since 2000. The things she loves most about teaching at Marquez are that the faculty gets along well and the parent involvement and fundraising allow the teachers to have enrichment programs and class-size reduction. She believes students will work to our expectations, so she has high expectations. She loves movies, theater and likes to dance and travel whenever she gets the chance. She also roller-blades, hikes and plays beach volleyball. She’s a true Californian – born, bred and raised here. She has two sisters that live in the area. She received her B.A. in Liberal Studies and her teaching credential from CSUN.

5th Grade

	Michelle Conn – 5th Grade Teacher Ms. Conn has been teaching 5th grade at Marquez since 1996. She loves teaching because the kids are so enthusiastic. She loves Marquez because of the 5th grade’s unique program and, of course, the musicals. It’s a great environment because the staff and faculty all get along so well. She tries to help kids reach their potential academically and instill in them a love of learning, while making it as fun as possible. Her biggest inspiration is her colleagues because they’re so knowledgeable and fun to work with. A little known fact about her is that she does yoga every day and teaches yoga privately. Her hobbies are mountain bike riding, skiing and everything at the beach—boogie boarding, body surfing and all that fun stuff. She and her husband, Daniel, have a son, Billy, who is 17 and a junior in high school. They also have a very spoiled female kitty. Ms. Conn received her B.A. in English and Education from UCLA and her teaching credential from CSUN. She is currently working on a Math credential at Santa Monica College.
	Gillian Keller – 5th Grade Teacher Ms. Keller has been teaching since 1995, and at Marquez since 2004. She believes in a hands-on approach, where children work with many different manipulatives. She likes to teach thematically and develop lessons around a particular topic so the children become very knowledgeable in the area. She loves getting children excited about learning. Ms. Keller has ridden horses her whole life and competed in regional and national finals as a junior rider. She still rides about four times a week and teaches lessons. She is also learning how to surf. She loves reading as well. Her mother’s family is from Bermuda, where she spent her summers growing up. She now lives in Santa Monica with her cat, Bella. Ms. Keller received her B.A. in Psychology and Education and her teaching credential from Mt. Holyoke College, and her M.Ed. from Harvard.
	Jeff Lantos – 5th Grade Teacher Mr. Lantos has been teaching 5th grade at Marquez since 1987. His favorite part about teaching here is bonding with great kids, working with wonderful colleagues, and the helpful parents. His teaching philosophy is to reinforce the reading, writing and math with as much music, art, drama and dance as possible. His goal is to make the classroom a place of delight and joy; then learning will seem an extension of that. When learning is a joy, everyone benefits. Mr. Lantos wrote all the 5th grade plays (music by Bill Augustine), Miracle in Philadelphia (about the Constitutional Convention), Hello Louisiana (about the Lewis and Clark expedition) and Water & Power (about the first workers strike in Lowell, MA). His biggest inspiration was Frank Loesser, a great composer/ lyricist. Many of Mr. Lantos’ songs are modeled after his. He and his wife, LeeAnn, have two children: Matt, who works at the State Department, and Jaime, who works at Sports Illustrated. Mr. Lantos received his B.A. in History from Brown University and his teaching credential from CSULA.
	Eliza Smith – 5th Grade Teacher Ms. Smith joined Marquez in 2004 after teaching since 1995 in another district. She is impressed with how creative her students are. She loves being hands on and working with kids, and loves to learn from kids. She tries to create a warm, friendly classroom environment, and believes in keeping learning fun and engaging. Ms. Smith grew up in the Palisades and lives within a mile of school. She loves reading (she’s in a book club), paddle tennis, yoga, hiking and traveling. Her biggest inspiration is her aunt because she worked in education for 30 years. Ms. Smith met her husband when she was 15 years old. They have a son and a daughter. Ms. Smith received her B.S. in Liberal Studies from Arizona State, her teaching credential from National University, and her M.A. in Reading and 2nd teaching credential from the University of LaVerne.

Special Education Teachers

	Moira Mealy – SDC Upper Grades, Room 25. Ms. Mealy has been teaching since 1991 with years at Pali High. She loves photography and to travel—she’s been on safari to Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, as well as Bolivia and Brazil. Ms. Mealy received her B.A. in Liberal Studies, Resource Certificate and Mild to Moderate Level 1 credential from CSUN, and a Multi-Subject and Severely Handicap credential from Cal State LA.
	Dawn Spagna – SDC Lower Grades, Room 19. Ms. Spagna has been teaching Special Day Classes at Marquez since 1999. She started teaching SDC grades 2-3, then taught SDC grades 3-4. She’s now teaching SDC grades 2-5. Her favorite part of teaching is the kids (of course!). It’s all about the kids. They are wonderful little people that have so much to offer. She believes learning can be fun! Motivation, love, patience and really listening to the kids every day is key. Her hobbies are photography and scrap booking. You may not know she spent two months in Israel when she was 16. She has two children, Indigo is seven years old and Sage is five. They have a full house with three cats, four fish and a rabbit. Anyone interested in a bunny rabbit? Ms. Spagna received her B.A. in Education and Communications from SUNY at New Paltz, and her M.A. in Special Ed. from the College of New Rochelle in New York.
	Laurie Saltzman – RSP Room 22. Ms. Saltzman began teaching in 1969 as a speech and language therapist in the NY city school system, moved to the RUSK Rehabilitative Institute in 1970 as a speech pathologist, then to LAUSD in 1971 as a speech & language pathologist, and became an Aphasia teacher with LAUSD in 1974. She started at Marquez in 1987 as a teaching assistant for Ms. Zehr, then became a substitute teacher here in 1988, and became a Resource Specialist here in 1997, working with grades 3-5. She loves the uniqueness of all the children the team effort and warmth of the Marquez staff. She believes it is important to be flexible—every child learns in a different way. She’s lived in the Palisades for 30 years with her husband, a nephrology physician in Beverly Hills. They have three adult sons who all went to Marquez. She has one dog, a Belgian Shepperd named Louie. Her hobbies are fishing and relaxing on her family’s boat, shopping, traveling reading and hiking. You may not know that she was a university homecoming queen. She’s been a part of the Marquez family for 28 years and helped create the mosaic mural in the front of our school and helped sell the original Marquez t-shirts. Her maternal grandfather is a great inspiration to her because he always had a positive outlook, was always smiling, and made everyone feel good. Ms. Saltzman received her B.A. in Drama/ Speech & Language, her M.A. and her teaching credential from NYU.