John Bajorek    bajorekj@svusd.k12.ca.us & johnnybajorek@yahoo.com
Educator (Drama, Public Speaking, PAL Advisor), Saddleback Valley Unified School District
John Bajorek hates referring to himself in the third person and will stop doing so at the conclusion of John Bajorek's first
sentence.  I received my Bachelor's in Communications from the University of California Santa Barbara and my Master's
from National University.  Contrary to popular belief, some good comes from National.  I am entering my 12th year in
education and my 9th year as a credentialed teacher.  In addition to my teaching duties, I serve as department chair of the
electives, lunch supervisor, and facilitate the after school detention program.  In my free time I enjoy hanging out with my
family, working around the house, riding bicycles, and playing golf (something I don’t do very often anymore).

Dina Cassidy  dcassidy@csulb.edu  or dcassidy@tustin.k12.ca.us
Resource Specialist Teacher, Foothill High School, Tustin Unified School District
Dina received her Masters degree in Special Education and teaching credential from California State University, Long
Beach; and her Bachelors degree in Speech and Language Pathology from the State University of New York, College at
Buffalo.  Her experience includes teaching in both the public school setting and at the university level.  She has taught for
the Tustin School District for seven years as a Special Day Class teacher and Resource Specialist, and at California State
University, Long Beach in the Special Education Program for six years.  Her areas of interest and research include:
collaborative models for general and special education programs, modifying and adapting the core curriculum, and
differentiated instruction.  She is the parent of a two year old daughter and nine month old son.

Carrie Gammel     cgammel@tustin.k12.ca.us
3rd Grade Teacher, Elementary Teaching Asst Prin, Tustin Ranch Elementary, Tustin USD
Carrie Gammel received her B.A. in Psychology and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State
University, Long Beach.  She also earned her GATE certificate and CLAD certificate at UCLA.  Carrie has been a full-
time elementary school teacher for the past eleven years.  Her experience in education includes being a Thinking Maps
Teacher Trainer, GATE Coordinator, BTSA Support Provider, Master Teacher, and Math Coach.  Carrie is interested in
technology and its application in promoting student learning.  When not teaching, she enjoys being at the ocean playing
various water sports including kayaking, outrigger, sailing, and paddle surfing.

Pablo Guzmán          pgtiller@cox.net (preferred) or pguzman@tustin.k12.ca.us
Social Science Teacher/Head Coach Cross Country & Track & Field, Tustin HS, Tustin USD
Pablo obtained a B.A. degree in Social Science and Teaching Credential from Concordia University, Irvine. He taught
Social Studies and ELD at Ensign Intermediate in NMUSD for the first three years of his career, where he also obtained a
BCLAD certificate. He is starting his 13th year of teaching and coaching at his alma mater, Tustin High School, where he
has taught all social science subjects for 9th-12th grades. Pablo has a special interest in working with ELL students. He will
celebrate 20 beautiful years of marriage to his high school sweetheart, Tanya, this December. He enjoys being a very
involved father of two children, Noah (13) and Sofia (5).

Amy Hossfeld    ahossfeld82@hotmail.com
1st Grade Teacher and P.A.R. Coach, Evans Elementary, Garden Grove Unified School District
Amy received her B.S. in Business Administration and Teaching Credential from the University of Redlands.  She has
taught for the past 5 years.  Currently, she is a 1st grade teacher, with previous experience in the 3rd, 4th, and 6th grades.  
Amy serves on the leadership team, as grade-level chair, master teacher, and school site trainer for Thinking Maps and
Differentiated Instruction.  This year she will serve the district as a P.A.R. coach where she will assist under-performing
teachers.  Her interests include making curriculum accessible to ALL students, assisting and improving the practices of new
and struggling teachers, and improving test scores of focus groups.  In her spare time, she enjoys kayaking, stand-up
paddle boarding, and making her new baby girl laugh.  

Garrett Kerr    garrettkerr@hotmail.com
5th Grade teacher & ETAP, Lambert Elementary, Tustin Unified
Garrett received his BCLAD teaching credential from Cal State Fullerton; his BA from Cal State Fullerton; and his AA
from Orange Coast College. Garrett is going into his fifth year of teaching. He has and will continue to teach 5th grade. He
also serves as the Elementary Teaching Assistant Principal and the site technology coordinator for Lambert.  At the district
level Garrett serves on the technology and science steering committees. He does occasional training for the county EdTech
department. Garrett is interested in technology that can be used in the classroom to enhance learning and the enjoyment of
learning. His family is where his true joy lies. An often unknown fact is that Garrett is fluent in Spanish.

Jennifer Lambert     jllamber@iusd.org
1st/2nd Grade Teacher, Woodbury Elementary School, Irvine Unified School District
Jennifer Lambert graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Arts in
Elementary Education.  She is currently the Title I and School Site Council Coordinator at her school site.  Jennifer also
serves on the Leadership Team and is the school's LAN tech.  This year, Jennifer will be implementing a student leadership
group at her school site based on the program, Rachel's Challenge and in an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle for
children, she is organizing the OC Kids Run at Woodbury Elementary.  She specializes in website design and integrating
technology into the curriculum.  Jennifer has two young children.  She enjoys reading, running, and swimming with her kids.

Mary Ellen Park, M.A.   park_ma@auhsd.k12.ca.us ; ellenchicks@aol.com
Teacher, Ball Junior High School, AUHSD
Mrs. Park received her M.A. from National University, B.A. from CSU, Fullerton, and A.A. from Cerritos College. She is
the English Department Chairperson, AVID Coordinator, member of Ball’s leadership team and ICE team. Her experience
includes 7 years in private and public education. During her tenure at Ball, she developed a writing elective for AUHSD,
served as Honor Society advisor, team leader for E2T2 computer program; she founded the Trabuco Elementary P. T. O.,
was a founding member of the Canyon Chapter of National Charity League, served as paid-call firefighter, and community
activist having been both elected and appointed to various political positions. She is the mother of two grown children, an
avid reader, and member of the B.R.O.A.D.S. book for 27 years.

Jeff Peters    Jptwin2@hotmail.com or jpeters@harborday.org
Fourth Grade Teacher, Harbor Day School, Independent/Private
Mr. Peters is beginning his sixth year as one of our fourth-grade teachers here at Harbor Day. He has been teaching for
eight years, both here in southern California and in New York. Originally from Long Island, Mr. Peters received his
Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, New York, studying both child development and speech
communication. Mr. Peters has also had the opportunity to coach our sixth-grade flag football team, sixth-grade boys
basketball team, and sixth-through-eighth grade track team. Mr. Peters is married to the love of his life, Karin, a
kindergarten teacher in Ocean View School District. They just had their first child in July.  In his free time, Mr. Peters
enjoys traveling, working out, reading, and camping.

J. Stella Plunkett     plunkdogg@yahoo.com
Faculty Member and Department Chair, World Languages, Foothill High School, Tustin USD
Ms. Plunkett received her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Teaching Credential at California State University Los
Angeles.  Her experience includes 18 years of teaching in public and private educational settings.  Ms. Plunkett also served
as Director of Marketing for three corporations where she developed a marketing program for Partnering with Non Profit
Organizations.  She created and implemented new employee training programs as well.  Ms. Plunkett is committed to
serving her community through her volunteer efforts.  She served for 20 years with a food bank and more recently with a
therapeutic horseback riding center.  Ms. Plunkett is an avid skier, hiker and mountain bike rider who loves the outdoors
and shares these activities with her son and dogs.

Julie Siff     juliehirschey@hotmail.com or jsiff@iusd.org
1st Grade Teacher, Woodbury Elementary, Irvine Unified School District
Julie Siff is currently pursuing her credential in educational administration from California State University, Fullerton.  Her
previous education includes an M.S. in Literacy Education from Syracuse University and a B.S. in Elementary Education
with an Early Childhood Annotation from the State University of New York at Geneseo.  Her experience includes 6 years
of teaching, 5 of which have been with IUSD.  Presently a first grade teacher, Julie has taught 3rd grade, a 5/6 combination
class, and was a 3/4 Reading Specialist.  Coming from a large family of runners (9 siblings in all), Julie participates in many
local races and will be running her 6th half marathon in October.

Laura Stern    laura.stern@sausd.us
Mathematics Teacher, Century High School/ Santa Ana Unified School District
Laura obtained her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies and a multiple subject teaching credential from California State
University, Fullerton.  After a few years in the private sector, teaching sixth grade, she pursued and attained a single subject
teaching credential in Foundational Mathematics through self-study.  She is currently beginning her third year teaching
Algebra and Geometry at Century High School in Santa Ana, and absolutely loves her job!  Laura is involved with Small
Learning Community leadership and can be seen running across campus sporting a seasonally themed costume and a big
smile.  Laura has realized that she may not have a lot of talents, but she has a strong passion and drive for her profession
and for helping her students achieve success.  

Marc Stern    sternm@svusd.k12.ca.us
Social Science teacher/Soccer Coach, Trabuco Hills High School, Saddleback Valley USD
Marc Stern received his teachers credential from California State Fullerton; his B.A. from San Diego State University. He
is currently teaching Social Science classes at Trabuco Hills High School, and is the Assistant Boys Varsity Soccer Coach
there as well. His experience includes 6 years as a full time instructor and two years prior as a substitute teacher. He is
currently in charge of Freshman Orientation at THHS. He continues to travel and loves Europe and South Africa, where
most of his family still lives. He is the world largest soccer fan, and is looking forward to South Africa hosting the World
Cup in 2010, where he plans on following the United States on their ambitious journey to win the trophy.  
Fall 2009 - Irvine Tier I Team
Dr. Linda Orozco