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Putting teachers at the center of education policy
My name is Kalen Gigler. My Bachelors is in Psychology. I also have teaching credentials in elementary (K-8), high school math, high school English, and a reading specialist credential. In addition, I have my Masters in Education with an emphasis in reading and English language arts. I became a teacher because I started substituting after I earned my Bachelors, and I really enjoyed working with the older kids. Also, I had two teachers in high school that really helped me to become who I am today and whom I still keep in contact with. I value these relationships tremendously and I’m not sure how my life would have turned out without these two teachers.
The students we teach today will one day be the key holders of our society, and as a teacher, I can help them to benefit the earth rather than hinder it. I do believe that the teaching profession is one that must be constantly developed as times and society change daily, and we must meet our students where they are rather than teach to the past. Also, teaching can be a very difficult and stressful career, and teachers need to be supported in a myriad of ways so that they don’t get overwhelmed and so they can continue to step forward and develop positively in the profession.
In my personal life, I am very happily married to my husband. We enjoy playing with our two dogs, hiking, swimming, taking care of our want-to-be “farm”, and reading, among other activities.
Meet our 2015 Professional Development Policy Fellows
Pending
Pending
Shahinaz Nassar
Wailuku Elementary School
My name is Shahinaz Nassar and I am from the island of Maui. I teach 4th grade at Wailuku Elementary School. This is my 10th year of teaching. Prior to teaching 4th grade, I taught SPED, reading and math pull-out intervention, and ELL. I have a Master’s degree in Elementary Education K-6, and I am also a National Board Certified Teacher. After my 3rd child, I decided to become a teacher. My passion to teaching grew when I began to volunteer at my daughter’s school when she was in kindergarten. I have two daughters and one son, and they are all in public schools. Therefore, getting involved in education is very important to me. I strongly believe that teachers are leaders who should be allowed to voice their opinions freely and be an active part of the decision making process in order to properly lead all students to success.
Brandy Davis
James Campbell High School
Brandy Davis has an enthusiasm and passion for education, literature, and language/culture training. She has a diverse educational background including a study abroad experience at the Université de Paris, a Master’s degree in Teaching English from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and a Bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Fullerton. She moved to Hawai’i in 2009 and began teaching at James Campbell High School in 2010. For two and a half years she taught American and British Literature to high school seniors while concurrently developing the French Language and Culture Program. As of January 2013, she only teaches French due to high enrollment. From 2011 to 2013, she wrote and implemented a curriculum for an American Literature course designed to develop student’s awareness of self-concept in order to allow student’s the ability to articulation their self-perception through literature. She is also a trained-mentor teacher for“Teacher Induction and Mentoring” Program.
Meg McCormick
SEEQS
Meg McCormick is a passionate special educator who obtained her bachelors and masters degrees from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. She studied Psychology and Elementary Education and student-taught at the Mission Hill Charter School, completing her thesis there on "The Power of Play". She moved to Hawai'i with the Teach For America program and taught at Wheeler Middle School for 5 years in both inclusion, resource and elective teaching positions in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. She was the 2012 Central District "Teacher of the Year" and a National Milken Educators of Hawaii "Complex Area Teacher of Promise". Meg also co-founded the non-profit organization Learning First in an effort to put educators at the center of education policy. Meg currently is unifying her love of sustainable living practices with her passion for teaching and learning at The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability (SEEQS), a second year public charter.
Sheri Arima
Honolulu District
Aloha, my name is Sheri Arima. I have been a teacher in Hawaii DOE for the past 26 years. I am currently a 619 Coordinator in Honolulu District, also known as a special education resource teacher for preschool. I have been in this position for the past 10 years. Prior to that, I was a special education resource teacher in Leeward District for 5 years. Before that, I was a special education teacher at August Ahrens. I obtained my bachelors degree in social work at UH Manoa. After a few years working in that fieild, I went back to the UH of Manoa to get my certificate and master's degree in special education. As an educator, I have participated in many professional conferences in and out of the state. The last two summers, I had the opportunity to attend the National Associaltion of Educating Young Children's professional Development Institute which supports teachers on how to do professional development. I am also on the early learning action strategy group focusing on high quality early learning programs in Hawaii. This group is also looking a developing a professional development institute for the early childhood community.
Tracy Monroe
Ilima Intermediate
Vickie Kam
Ilima Intermediate
Dan Noia
Kaiser High School
I have been teaching for almost 10 years. I currently work at Kaiser High School. I teach 11th grade English (both AP and non AP) and I am also the Head of the English Department. Before Kaiser, I worked at Waianae High School. I taught 10th – 12th grade classes and AP Language and Composition and Literature and Composition. I was also a member of many committees and school groups which focused on curriculum and teacher training. Before teaching in Hawaii; I taught in New York City, Japan, and China. I am also heavily involved with Cub Scouts as a Den Leader (my son is a Cub Scout), Committee Member, and Disabilities Committee with local Boy Scouts of America. I have a BA in English from Marymount Manhattan College and an MA in English Education from New York University.
I began my teaching career as a New York City Teaching Fellow in 2007 after graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in English and French. I taught a first grade inclusion classroom in the Bronx for two years while studying general and special education. After completing my Masters degree, I moved to Lana'i, Hawaii where I taught elementary special education students in a variety of settings. From there, I worked as a fifth grade special education teacher at a charter school in Boston, Massachusetts. I returned to Hawaii two years later, in 2013. My first year back, I picked up where I left off, teaching elementary special education students in the resource room setting. While I enjoyed building relationships with my students and problem solving ways to help them learn best, I was ready for a new challenge. I became a first grade general education teacher the following school year, in 2014. It has been a very exciting year, watching my students develop into young readers and learners. I am looking forward to witnessing another group of young learners grow next year!
Alana Walls
Lana'i High and Elementary School
Kalen Gigler
Baldwin High School
My name is Joseph Porec and I am a tenth grade Honors English teacher at Pearl City High School. I have been teaching at PCHS for six years. I am currently a school level faculty rep for HSTA, as well as the SCC chairperson for this 2014/2015 school year, data team facilitator, and SLC team leader. My educational background consists of having a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from University of Hawaii, along with minors in Spanish and Peace and Conflict Studies. I have earned a Master’s degree in Natural Resources and Peace from the United Nation’s, Universidad de Paz, in Costa Rica and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English from the University of Phoenix. In my free time, I enjoy reading, surfing, hiking, fishing, traveling and going to the beach with my wife, son and daughter. I come from a family of teachers, whereas my Father was a teacher for 35 years, my sister teaches in California and my wife is currently a second grade teacher. I love working with the students and cannot understand how the worst part of the teaching profession is sitting through the PD that is administered. I would like to use this given opportunity to enhance professional development within our profession in an attempt to improve teaching practices within the state of Hawaii.
