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Grade 5 BIO

Esther Efthymiou

Greetings! My name is Mrs. Efthymiou also known as Mrs. E. This is my first year at Coyote Creek Elementary School and I am looking forward to collaborating with my wonderful fifth grade team. 

I am a resourceful team player with a positive, differentiated, and effective teaching style who is committed to making my classroom challenging and engaging while dedicated to creating stable learning environments and inspiring students to do their best.

Before coming to Coyote Creek, I was working for the San Ramon Valley and Walnut Creek Unified School District. Prior to receiving my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Saint Mary’s College in 2010, I was a manager at an investment company for five years. I graduated from Saint Mary’s College in 2003 with a B.S.E. in Business Administration and in 2006 obtained an M.B.A. from John F. Kennedy University. Talk about a change of careers!

I moved to the Bay Area in 2000 from Malaysia and I live in Walnut Creek now with my husband. My whole family still lives there including my grandparents, parents, an older sister, and two younger brothers – I miss them very much!

Some activities I enjoy are spending time with my family and friends, baking, hosting dinner parties, and traveling. I also love baseball, pizza, tacos, hot sauce, and shoes!

Let's have a fantastic year together!

 

Patrick Micali

This is my fourth year on Coyote Creek's 5th Grade Team and I am excited about all of the things we've got planned for this year.   Fifth grade is a truly special experience at our school.

I moved from Connecticut in 2008, where I was born and raised. After I graduated Springfield College (MA) with a Recreation Management degree in 2001, I worked as a special education paraprofessional at my alma mater, Newington High School, for three years. It was at this point that I fell in love with the classroom and decided to go back to school to get certified to teach. So, I moved to New York City and enrolled at the University of Bridgeport where I received my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. From there, I moved back to Connecticut where I taught third grade at JFK Elementary in Milford before heading out west.

It is an honor to be a small part of this amazing community that exists at Coyote Creek. I am looking forward to another great year with our new group of 5th graders and all the rest of the Coyote Creek family.

Kerrin Nuti

I am excited to be joining the fifth grade team this year!  This is my second year at Coyote Creek, having taught 4th grade last year, and it is my 11th year as a teacher.  I previously taught both 4th and 5th grade at Charlie McKamy Elementary in Dallas, Texas.

I grew up in Walnut Creek and went to St. Mary's Elementary School and Carondelet High School.  I graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor of science in Psychology.  After college, I worked as a buyer for McCaulous department store for 2 years here in the Bay Area and then moved to Texas with my husband.  There I received my teaching certification from Southern Methodist University and began my teaching career.  After enduring eleven years of wild and crazy Texas weather, we moved back to the Bay Area in 2008 and are thrilled to be back home!

Away from the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our 2 young children.  I also like shopping, running, swimming and reading.  I'm looking forward to an exciting and memorable year at Coyote Creek!

 

Brian Olkowski (Grade 4/5)

I have taught 4th through 6th grade at three different schools. My career started after attending Humboldt State University where I received my B.A. and teaching credentials. I began my teaching journey with a 5th/6th grade combination class at Highland Elementary School in Hayward, CA. The following four years, I had 5th grade classes, and then, life brought me to Portland, OR for a year. This was my first time teaching 4th grade. I had a wonderful year at Fir Grove Elementary School in Beaverton, OR. After this year, I returned to the San Francisco Bay Area where I started teaching at Coyote Creek. This is truly an amazing place to work. I have taught 4th, 5th, and a 4th/5th combination class with our wonderful Coyotes.

In addition to teaching, theatre is a huge passion of mine. I see shows all the time, do some acting, and also direct children¹s shows. I have directed the Coyote Creek Drama Club every year since I have been here. It grows bigger and bigger each year. I also recently started a non-profit children¹s theatre company, Tri-Valley Young Performers Academy http://www.TriValleyYPA.org. We have sessions throughout the year, including a summer performing arts camp.

Along with teaching and theatre, I am also a massage therapist. I became a cmt during my first year at Coyote Creek completing over 720 hours of instruction at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville. Part of this included being the massage therapist for the Broadway Tour Mamma Mia.

 

Elise Tran

I am excited to be part of the Coyote Creek community. Prior to coming to Coyote Creek, I taught fourth and fifth grade at Lorin Eden Elementary in Hayward for six years. After graduating from UCLA, I received my credential and Masters in Education from UC Berkeley. I love to travel in my spare time and learn about new places, people and cultures.

My travels have inspired me to create curriculum that exposes my students to the world around them.