Cornelia Connelly School - About Us - Faculty & Staff Directory

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Cornelia Connelly School's faculty members receive numerous awards, lead academic and counseling programs and often are featured in newspaper and magazine articles as inspiring and innovative teachers. Their professional development activities include studying abroad, serving as AP Exam readers, attending conferences, and leading by example through community service.

In September 2011, Stanford University notified Connelly teacher Evelyn Dinnen of a tribute from the University Office of Undergraduate Admission and from Connelly alumna Katherine Scavo '11, who is a freshman at Stanford. Katherine wrote: "I have never been taught by anyone like Ms. Dinnen: Able to talk about the ideas of Thoreau and Twain and ending lectures with discussions on today's politics. stepping into her classroom feels like walking into a sanctuary, an open forum to freely voice our opinions and challenge ourselves and others to become critical thinkers. Ms. Dinnen not only strives to open her students' minds to the world of literature, but also to nurture her students to become independent women who follow their passions."

Most recently, this past summer, several faculty members participated in noteworthy endeavors.

James Alvarado received a scholarship to attend the American Academy of Rome's Classical Summer School program. The six-week program, designed for graduate students in the Classics and high school Latin teacher, focuses on the development of the ancient city of Rome from its earliest settlement to the time of Constantine. A goal of the course was to develop skills to analyze and interpret archaeological sites and artifacts. As a recipient of the Classical Society Scholarship, Mr. Alvarado kept a journal while attending the courses and he had the privilege of being published in the group's annual newsletter.

Shanti Ernest served as the Director of Camp Cornelia in the City in New. Jacqueline Ryan was a chaperone in the one-week program and two Connelly students served as camp counselors. Camp Cornelia in the City brings together high school students from the Holy Child Network of Schools in the United States to form a group of strong student leaders who help prepare The Cornelia Connelly Center's incoming fifth-grade class for school. The high school students plan activities including prayer, academic work, book discussions, art, athletics and group-building exercises. Counselors and chaperones lived in the dorm-like facilities.

Shanti Ernest and Jacqueline Ryan attended the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute's Leadership Lab 2011. The weeklong course offers intensive study and discussion designed to empower secondary school teachers to create dynamic and divers student leaders. The teachers studied current theories about adolescence and adolescent culture, focused on various learning styles and how to empathize with the social pressures students face. They also studied how to indentify teachable moments and give more effective feedback to students.

Martha Serrano attended a two-day symposium by the Center for Research on Girls at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio where author and clinical psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair spoke. The sessions focused girls and well-being and girls and science and technology.

Cornelia Connelly School was selected as one of 10 schools for a Global Solidarity School Pilot Program and sent two representatives to Malawi, Africa in the summer to study and observe the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) outreach and assistance with water, health, food, security and peace-building, before bringing the mission back to Connelly's classrooms and community.

Catholic Relief Services launched the Global Solidarity Schools Initiative in 2010 - a year of development - after years of research and feedback from diocesan staff, principals, presidents, faculty and youth. The program strives to engage the whole school in order to live in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable around the world.

Connelly is one of only three schools in the United States chosen to journey with the Global Solidarity program to Malawi in July. Assistant Head of School, Martha Serrano and Matt Marshall, a social science teacher, traveled with the group of seven educators to eight villages, observing their schools, water systems and living areas. Serrano and Marshall will develop workshops for faculty and staff, classroom activities and advocacy, fundraising and action on the issues they learned about. The goal is reach out, not just the students and the school, but to the community with actions that show solidarity.

The program enhances the school's existing commitment to community service, said Head of School, Sr. Francine Gunther. "Cornelia Connelly School is extremely honored to be chosen for this program. It will give our students and faculty the opportunity to expand our vision, and help to give us an in-depth understanding of our responsibility to our global community."

Administration

Sr. Francine Gunther, SHCJ, Head of School
fgunther@connellyhs.org
Ext. 218
B.A., Rosemont College
M.A., George Washington University

Martha Serrano, Assistant Head of School
mserrano@connellyhs.org
Ext. 217
B.A., Siena Heights College, MI.
M.T.H., Aquinas Institute of Theology
M.A., Loyola Marymount University

Marcia J. Ryan, Director of Finance
mryan@connellyhs.org
Ext. 226
B.S., University of Nebraska

Shanti Ernest, Dean of Students, Math
sernest@connellyhs.org
Ext. 214
B.S., Bangalore University, India
M.A.E., Curriculum and Foundations, Chapman University

Admissions/Tuition Assistance

Abby Knight, Director of Admissions & Tuition Assistance
admissions@connellyhs.org
Ext. 234
B.A., University of San Diego

Business Office

Marcia J. Ryan, Director of Finance
mryan@connellyhs.org
Ext. 226
B.S., University of Nebraska

Sheryl Kerwitz, Assistant Director of Finance
skerwitz@connellyhs.org
Ext. 225

Advancement

Cerise Valenzuela Metzger, Communications & Alumnae Relations Coordinator
cmetzger@connellyhs.org
Ext. 230
B.A., California State University, Fullerton

Aykesha Walker, Development Associate
awalker@connellyhs.org
Ext. 248
B.A., California State University, Northridge

Building and Grounds

Randy Decker, Director of Facilities
Ext. 212

Francisco Giles, Facilities Assistant
Ext. 212

Margaret Carlberg, Gardens Beautification Coordinator
mcarlberg@ix.netcom.com
Ext. 274
B.S., University of California, Los Angeles

Administrative Assistants

Maria Teresa Avila, Executive Assistant to Head of School
mavila@connellyhs.org
Ext. 216

Amanda Taylor, Registrar
ataylor@connellyhs.org
Ext. 228
B.S. University of California, Davis

Technology

Larry Seely, Director of Technology
lseely@connellyhs.org
Ext. 211
B.S., Whittier College

Student Services

Heather Daugherty, Director of Library Services
hdaugherty@connellyhs.org
Ext. 213
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz
M.L.I.S., University of California, Los Angeles
Credential, California State University, Long Beach

Timmerie Henry, Director of Athletics
thenry@connellyhs.org
Ext. 220
B.S., California State University, Fullerton
Teaching credential

Jacqueline Ryan, Director of Student Activities
jryan@connellyhs.org
Ext. 219
B.A., California State University, Fullerton
Credential, California State University, Fullerton

Cathy Townsend, Director of Campus Ministry & Service Programs
ctownsend@connellyhs.org
Ext. 227
B.A., California State University, Fullerton
M.A., Loyola University, New Orleans

Andrea Velasquez, College Counselor, 11th- & 12th-grade Academic Counselor
avelasquez@connellyhs.org
Ext. 222
B.A., M.A. Loyola Marymount University

Karen Welch '79, Personal Counselor
kwelch@connellyhs.org
Ext. 231
B.A., California State University, Fullerton
M.A., Trinity College of Graduate Studies
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Faculty

James Alvarado, Fine Arts/ Foreign Language
jalvarado@connellyhs.org
Ext. 259
B.A., M.A., California State University, Long Beach

Michael Ambrose, Math Department Chair
mambrose@connellyhs.org
Ext. 258
B.A., Whittier College
M.A. California State University, Fullerton

Evelyn Dinnen, English Department Chair
edinnen@connellyhs.org
Ext. 268
B.A., M. A., Loyola Marymount University

Shanti Ernest, Dean of Students, Math
sernest@connellyhs.org
Ext. 214
B.S., Bangalore University, India
M.A.E., Curriculum and Foundations, Chapman University

Timmerie Henry, Health/Physical Education
thenry@connellyhs.org
Ext. 220
B.S., California State University, Fullerton
Teaching credential

Gloria Kam, Foreign Language
gkam@connellyhs.org
Ext. 282
B.A., Loyola Marymount University

Judith Leslee, Religious Studies
jleslee@connellyhs.org
Ext. 283
B.A., Loyola Marymount University
M.A., Santa Clara University
Certificate, Los Angeles Archdiocese

Matthew Marshall, Social Science
mmarshall@connellyhs.org
Ext. 249
B.A., St. Lawrence University

Nicholas Olszyk, Religious Studies Chair
nolszyk@connellyhs.org
Ext. 235
B.F.A., Chapman University

Joseph Paguio, Director of Music
jpaguio@connellyhs.org
Ext. 246
B.M., University of Southern California
M.M., University of Southern California
M.M., University of Southern California

Anthony Pittman, Science
apittman@connellyhs.org
Ext. 278
B.A., University of California, San Diego

Cathleen Rauterkus '95, Social Science Department Chair
crauterkus@connellyhs.org
B.A., Chapman University
M.A., Villanova University
Ph.D., University of California, Riverside

Jacqueline Ryan, English
jryan@connellyhs.org
Ext. 219
B.A., California State University, Fullerton
Credential, California State University, Fullerton

Diane Seely, Foreign Language Department Chair
dseely@connellyhs.org
Ext. 272
B.A., California State University, Long Beach
Credential, foreign language (German); California State University, Fullerton

Bonnie Steeber, English
bsteeber@connellyhs.org
Ext. 215
B.A., University of California, Irvine
M.A., University of California, Irvine
Ph.D., State University of New York, Binghamton

Pamela Toomey '72, Fine Arts Department Chair
ptoomey@connellyhs.org
Ext. 267
B.F.A., University of California, Irvine
B.S., University of California, Irvine

Nicole Tormey, Math and Science
ntormey@connellyhs.org
Ext. 252
B.S., California State University, Fullerton
M.S. California State University, Fullerton

Cathy Townsend, Director of Campus Ministry & Service Programs
ctownsend@connellyhs.org
Ext. 227
B.A., California State University, Fullerton
M.A., Loyola University, New Orleans

Helen Wagner, Science Department Chair, Math
hwagner@connellyhs.org
Ext. 271
B.S., Rutgers University
Credential, California State University, Fullerton

Board of Trustees 2011-2012
Brenda Soto Bryan -- Board Chair
Andrea Drexelius
Priscila Forbes
Joseph Gill
Tinnie Grewal
Marcia Halligan
Bill Larkin
Al Marino
Brian Peck
Sr. Patricia Phillips, SHCJ
Aracelly Rodriguez
Israel Rodgriguez
Luis Saavedra
Rae Stambuk
Joel Stone
Bruce Stuart
Susan West
Sr. Francine Gunther, SHCJ - Ex-officio member

"The dedicated and supportive teachers and faculty, the energetic and welcoming students, the openness and comfort of the campus, I knew Connelly was the school for me."
Katherine, Class of 2011

"I had a pretty remarkable experience at Connelly. I think it was the catalyst for my university acceptance. I owe the rest of my life decisions and career choice to that experience at Connelly."
Sally Polk-Garcia '73

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