Program Teachers

MICHELLE MAK

LITERACY SPECIALIST

Hello Families.  I am the Literacy Specialist at Chinese Immersion School who has the great fortune of working with our wonderful students and teachers.  
 
A little bit about myself.  I was born and raised in San Francisco.  As a student, I attended St. Mary’s Chinese Day School & Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School before earning my Bachelor’s degree at  UC Davis.  I also hold a Masters in Language and Literacy from San Francisco State.
 
I have been teaching and working with English Language Learners in San Francisco Unified School District since 1999.  My passion, as a teacher, is to pass on my love of reading onto my students.  To help them discover that one special book that will begin their life long journey with books.  
 
During my spare time, I enjoy a good mystery, discovering the newest children’s books, and spending time with friends and family.  Food is another love.  I love a  great cheeseburger, bowl of ramen, slice of prime rib...

WENDY DERE

STREAM TEACHER

Greetings! I am the librarian/STEAM teacher here at CIS, and I run the STREAM program, which integrates Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math. Weekly classes include activities that allow students to tinker and make, while working collaboratively and creatively to problem-solve. This is a new role for me, and I thoroughly enjoy the time that I spend exploring and working with the students each week.

I’m a native San Franciscan and have been teaching for over 25 years. I am a true believer in language immersion education, having witnessed how beneficial such a program can be with my own children. I wish that I had the opportunity to attend a language immersion program while growing up so that my Chinese would be better!

In addition to my work, I am a busy mom of four. Much of my free time is spent with family - shopping, cooking, and eating! We enjoy walks with our corgi - all around the wonderful neighborhoods that the City has to offer.

I look forward to working with all of you and your children throughout the year.

KATHLEEN KELLY

K-3 STEAM Support Teacher (2 days per week)

I have been an educator for over 20 years. I come from a family of teachers. My father was a university art teacher and my sister a media coordinator, both in my home-state of Minnesota. I started my teaching career in London where I lived for about a year before returning to San Francisco where I have been living ever since.  I have taught at all grade levels and for the last couple of years I have been teaching art in several elementary schools throughout San Francisco.

I am the guardian of two adorable cats named George and Didi. I spend my summers in Minnesota in a cabin, surrounded by trees, where I get visited by deer and other wildlife every day!  I have two electric bikes (one of them is in Minnesota) and since I don’t own a car, that is how I get to school, run errands and explore the city.

This will be my first year teaching Computer Science. n a previous life, I did work in the tech industry, doing HTML coding and briefly worked as a project manager, overseeing data architecture.  The tech bust of the early-2000s brought me into teaching, where I have remained ever since. My CS skills are a bit rusty, but I look forward to shaking off the cobwebs and learning new skills along with the students. 

My hope for the school year is that we can all stay healthy, secure and focused on learning.

ROSE WADE

Hey there!  My name is Rose, and I am CIS's garden teacher (flower name - teaching garden was clearly meant to be).  I have always enjoyed working outside, both in my own backyard and in my past experience as a garden instructor, camp counselor, and preschool teacher.  I look forward to teaching about how awesome nature is and how much fun environmental science can be!  Now, let's get excited for the ways (and things) we will grow together this year! 

This page was last updated on October 9, 2022