Teachers

The many teachers and educators at VVES come from diverse backgrounds and are dedicated to serving all the students at our school.

Monique Williams:  Hi, my name is Ms. Williams.  I am the kindergarten teacher in Room 1.  I have been teaching 19 years here at Visitacion Valley.  When I’m not working, I love spending time with my daughter, reading, learning about space and our universe, and learning new languages.

Mary Li: Hi! I am Ms. Li, and I teach kindergarten at VVES.  When I’m not working, I like to watch baseball, read, and take naps.

Judy Tam: Hi, my name is Ms. Tam.  I am the kindergarten teacher in Rm.12. This is my 5th year as a teacher at VVES.  It has been such a blessing to be able to build relationships with families and teach within this community.  During my free time I enjoy watching my sons baseball games, and also my daughters volleyball games.  I enjoy cooking, crafts, drawing, painting, watching movies, and playing board games when I have free time.  I am a big fan of Disneyland and I love roller coasters.

Joy Richardson:  Hi, my name is Ms. Richardson.  I teach 1st grade in Room 101.  I have been teaching for 27 years and at Visitacion Valley for 20 years.  I like to read and I have cat named Chester.

Linda Tran: Hi, my name is Ms. Tran and I teach 1st grade. I’ve been a primary grade teacher for 6 years and at VVES for 4 years. I thoroughly enjoy attending live music concerts, spending time in nature, and enhancing my knowledge on health and wellness.

Maureen Wong: Hi, my name is Mrs. Wong. I teach 2nd grade. I’ve been teaching since 1996 and this is my 10th year working at Little Vis.  I love to go hiking with friends and family when I’m free.  My most favorite places are national parks!

Jennifer Chieng:  Hi, I'm Ms. Chieng. I teach 2nd grade at Visitacion Valley. I have been teaching for eight years and this is my third year at Visitacion Valley. I enjoy hiking, foodie adventure, and hang out with my family and friends. 

Amelia Mopas Santos: Hi, my name is Amelia Mopas Santos. I teach 2nd grade at VVES.  This is my 18th year teaching at SFUSD.  When I am not working, I enjoy jogging and doing barre at home. I love spending time with my daughter and husband, trying out new foods, and watching movies with them. 

Jeneva Diaz:  Hi, I’m Ms. Diaz! :) I teach 3rd grade here at VVES, and this is my second year in this awesome community! I love to go on road trips with my friends to camp and see National Parks. I also love to read, have picnics at the park, and find new places to eat in SF!

Anna Chan: Hi, my name is Ms. Anna. I teach 3rd grade here at VVES. I have been teaching for 9 years, all at Visitacion Valley! I love learning alongside my students. As a lifelong learner, I am learning how to bake, how to swim, and how to be the best teacher I can be!

Cindy Sin-Lee: Hi!  I’m Ms. Sin. I’ve been at VVES for over twenty years teaching second and third grades. Besides work, I enjoy short road trips with family, winding down with Korean soap operas (English Subtitles), and spending time with my siblings’ families.

Katie Lin: Hi, I am Ms. Katie Lin. This is my 5th year teaching at VVES. I teach 4th grade. Doing community service, listening to audio books, and traveling to new places are my favorite things to do! 

Gregory Gallup: Hi, I’m Mr. Greg and I teach fourth grade here at VVES. This is my 3rd here here, and my 19th year teaching in San Francisco! In my spare time I like to do anything outside- bike riding, hiking, camping, and swimming! I also love to travel and read books.

Michael Dakan: To be updated soon.

Gerrard Watts: Hi, my name is Gerrard Watts Jr. I teach 5th grade. I have been teaching for 1 year at Visitacion Valley. In my free time, I'm usually running, reading or performing guitar at a nearby cafe.

Richard Agcamaran: "Hi, my name is Richard Agcamaran. I teach 5th grade. This is my 5th year as a teacher at VVES. Outside of school you can usually find me riding my bike, drinking boba, snacking on food, or hanging out with my dogs Montie and Bruce.”

Lisa Klewicki:   Hi, my name is Lisa Klewicki. I have been teaching since 1996, and this is my second year at VVES. I am a special education resource specialist and I teach in the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. I have two dogs who love going on walks and to the beach with me.  I also enjoy surfing and going on hikes.

Emilia Rivera:  Hi, my name is Ms. Rivera! This is my first year teaching at VVES and I am so happy to be a part of this wonderful community. When I am not working I enjoy spending time with friends and family, trying different foods and restaurants, attempting to cook, and watching TV shows and movies.

Joanna Zheng:  Hi, my name is Joanna Yanhua Zheng. My role is special education paraeducator. I have been teaching for 5 years and at Visitacion Valley for 2 years. When I am not teaching, I enjoy hiking, beach, church and road trips with my loved ones.

Gabriel Schacter-Brodie: Hi, My name is Gabe Schacter-Brodie. I am a student teacher with Ms. Tran’s first grade class. This is my first year student teaching, and my second year at VVES. In my free time I like going on hikes and playing and watching sports.

MaryLouise Batson: Hi, my name is Mary Batson, but everyone calls me Miss Mary. This is my First year at VVES. In the mornings I help support the Kindergarten classrooms and during lunchtime I am a Noon monitor. I live in the community and am super excited to be working with your children! During my free time I like to read and cook new types of food. I also love traveling with my husband and going on fun adventures with my 3 children.

Librarian - Dylan Beighley

Hi, my name is Dylan Beighley. I am the librarian here at VVES. This is my first year at Little Vis, and I am so excited to be here! When I'm not finding books, reading books, or recommending books, I like to cook, listen to music, and spend time in nature. I'm always searching for new recipes and new music, so please don't be afraid to share.

Instructional Reform Facilitator - Shirley Duong

Hi, my name is Ms. Shirley. I am an Instructional Coach. I have been in education for sixteen years and at Visitacion Valley for four years. In my free time, I like to spend time with my husband and one-year-old daughter, visit my parents, and read non-fiction.

Literacy Coach - Kristin Borchers

"Hi, my name is Kristin Borchers (formerly Smith) and I am a Literacy Coach. I love coaching teachers and doing reading with small groups of students. I have been teaching for 14 years and this is my 3rd year at Visitacion Valley. I’ve taught almost every grade!  In my freetime, I love to be outdoors hiking or at the beach with my dog! A fun fact about me is that I worked at Disney World! 

Physical Education Specialist - Jolinko Lassiter

Hi, my name is Coach Lassiter. I teach Kindergarten – 5th Grade Physical Education.  I have been teaching for 11 years and at Visitacion Valley for eight years. I enjoy anything basketball related (playing and coaching), traveling the world, and singing karaoke.

Music Teacher - Edward Landels

Visual Art Teacher - David Starfas

"Hi, my name is David starfas. I teach Art for all grades. I have been teaching for 10 years and this is my first year at Visitacion Valley. When I am not teaching, illustrating, or writing stories, I am exploring Golden Gate Park with my wife and two boys

Mastering Cultural Initiative Teacher - Jeremiah Marshall