Director, 3rd - 6th Language Arts, S.T.E.A.M., P.E., Journalism, & Chess Teacher
With a healthy dose of right place/right time, Deric McLean found his dream teaching job at Santa Cruz Children’s School after earning his credential in 2009. After years of taking on more and more of a leadership role, he was extremely honored to be entrusted by the school’s founders to take over the school, with his lovely wife, as school directors in 2015. He holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State University, along with a BA in English from Santa Clara University.
In addition to serving as the director, Deric McLean is the Language Arts teacher for the upper half of the school. Students are challenged daily to grow their reading, writing, and speaking skills while developing a true sense of personal responsibility for their work. Students are taught flexibility and ease with all modes of writing and reading. In addition to reading assignments in every genre and style, students participate in self-organized, and largely student-led, Book Clubs with their classmates. Essays, narratives, persuasive writing, and creative writing units provide SCCS students with writing toolboxes that they take with them far beyond their elementary school years. Students are challenged to find their voice across genres by writing in an environment that is both assignment driven and about constant personal progress. Students are taught to use all tools at their disposal to help them on this quest, from mentor texts to peer feedback, and most importantly: the lost art of revision. This environment has resulted in countless students who continue to write for the pure joy of it. Deric brings this passion and joy for teaching to all subjects he teaches.
School Administrative Director, 5th & 6th Grade Health Teacher
Joanna McLean is happy to point out that she found the job listing and encouraged the bike ride that led Deric to teach at, and ultimately lead, Santa Cruz Children’s School. Of course, she had no idea at the time what an incredible impact being part of such a community would have on their lives. Now, as the Administrative Director of SCCS she has dived into her role head first, and though primarily working behind the scenes, is an integral part of the day to day operations of the school. She has also taken on the role of health educator for the 5th & 6th graders.
A graduate of UC San Diego with a degree in Human Development, she has spent her adult life working with children of all ages, creating and running programs, and mentoring teens and young adults seeking to do the same. She spent many years with the YMCA serving as a residential camp counselor and director, an outdoor educator, and a school age child care director. She also spent several seasons as Operations Coordinator at Camp Galileo in the Bay Area.
2nd & 3rd Grade Language Arts & Math/ K-6th Local Studies/Drama & Dance Teacher
The 2023-24 school year is Andrea's 20th year teaching at Santa Cruz Children's School! Her well organized, creative curriculum invites young children to learn in a cheerful environment. Her students hear stories, respond to literature, and keep journals. They build phonics, reading, writing, and math skills with a variety of activities at a pace that is individualized for each person.
Andrea also created and teaches LOST (short for LOcal STudies), where students learn all about the rich history, culture, and art from all over Santa Cruz County through in-class projects and field trips. This year Andrea willalso be taking on the exciting new challenge of directing our biennial school play! In all of Andrea’s classes, students enjoy learning every day and are able to thrive in an enriching, engaging, and challenging environment. She holds a California State Teaching Credential from Sonoma State with an emphasis in early childhood education.
Kindergarten & 1st Language Arts & Math/ K-6th Social Justice & Science Teacher
Jessica is the Language Arts & Math teacher for the yougest group at Santa Cruz Children's School, guiding our Kindergartners and 1st graders gently and intentionally through the skills they will use for the rest of their lives. Jessica loves teaching Science as well and plans a fun year of hands on learning to explore a wide variety of science concepts. Jessica also plays a key roll in the SCCS mission to raise kind, empathetic, antiracist, and passionate global citizens with a social justice curriculum in her weekly Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion class.
Jessica was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. She grew up in a large family and moved back to the Santa Cruz area after living in Oregon and LA for the past eight years. Following her passion to become a social justice educator, Jessica received her B.S. in Elementary Education at the University of Oregon with a minor in Special Education. She spent four years in Eugene, Oregon working with diverse groups of children in schools and after school programs before moving to Southern California to pursue her multiple subject teaching credential and Masters of Education at UCLA.
3rd - 6th Grade Math/ K-6th Art/ K-6th Mythology & Folklore/3rd-6th Leadership Teacher
Ruby Wong is in charge of the math curiculum for the upper half of the school at Santa Cruz Children's School. She tailors her lessons to each student's level all while keeping math fun! Ruby is also the Santa Cruz Children's School Art teacher, using techniques and styles from around the world to inspire and instruct and has also created her very popular Mythology & Folklore class (affectionately known as "stories" on campus), exploring the world and cultures through their mythologies and folklore and inspiring students to explore their own creativity through storytelling.
A Santa Cruz native, she returned home to follow her passion for STEM education after earning her B.A. at Loyola Marymount University in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Mathematics and her multiple subject teaching credential. Ruby uses hands on and project based learning, and her humor and enthusiasm to help students find joy in math education. She is fueled by her passion for mentoring, social justice, multicultural education, and increasing diversity and representation of women and people of color in STEM professional fields. Ruby also works with the local non-profit, X Academy, as their Program Coordinator and guest lecturer for their Math Circle.
K-6th Spanish & 3rd-6th Instrumental Music
Adriana Villalon has been with Santa Cruz Children’s School since 2014. She teaches Spanish to the whole school as well as strings to the students who choose the violin, cello, or guitar for their school instrument in 3rd grade and up. As a violinist, she has always tried to incorporate music into her teaching when possible and believes that children benefit from musical learning across the curriculum.
Adriana holds a California State Teaching Credential from Long Beach State and has a major in Music Performance. She also has specialized in microbiology and music therapy. She is passionate about weaving global themes across the different subjects such as cooking, singing, Spanish, English, reading, math and science. In addition to her time at SCCS, Adriana has experience as a Kindergarten teacher and over 20 years experience as an instrumental music instructor.
Note: Adriana is currently on a leave of absence. We will miss you this year, Adriana!
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We arecurrently enrolling for the 2024-25 school year. Schedule a tour with the link below. We can't wait to meet you!