Junior Kindergarten - Sandy Acosta
sandy_acosta@ghs.edu

Prior to teaching for Golden Hills School, Mrs. Acosta taught for nine years in a first grade classroom in the Cupertino school District.  Then she went on to teach a kindergarten class for two years at a small private school in the Bay Area.  Locally, Mrs. Acosta has run a successful tutoring business for 12 years while concurrently serving as a Kindergarten teacher for Phoenix schools.

Kindergarten - Kim Oberstadt
kim_oberstadt@ghs.edu

Mrs. Oberstadt has been teaching at Golden Hills School since 2002. She received her multiple subject teaching credential from National University, Sacramento, CA.  A graduate of Union College in Schenectady, NY, Mrs.
Oberstadt holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. She is currently our Kindergarten teacher at Golden Hills School.

First Grade - Viola Gragg
vi_gragg@ghs.edu

Mrs. Gragg has been our first grade teacher at Golden Hills School since 2001.She graduated from New Mexico State University with a Masters Degree in Teaching. She also holds a teaching credential.

Second Grade - Bev Werling  
bev_werling@ghs.edu

Mrs. Werling began teaching second grade at Golden Hills School in 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She was awarded a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Sacramento. She has prior teaching experience in second and fifth grades.

Third Grade - Donna Rogers
donna_rogers@ghs.edu

Mrs. Rogers began teaching third grade at Golden Hills School in 2003. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from San Jose State University. She was
awarded a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Concord, CA. She has prior teaching experience in first, third and fifth grades.

Fourth Grade - Christine King
christine_king@ghs.edu

Ms. King graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting). She received her teaching credential at The College of Notre Dame in Belmont, CA. She has prior teaching experience in both first and third grades. Ms. King is currently working on her Reading Specialist Credential.

Fifth Grade - Lisa Parvin
lisa_parvin@ghs.edu

Mrs. Parvin has been a teacher at Golden Hills School since 1996 for grades kindergarten, first, fourth and fifth. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation. She also
holds a teaching credential, as well as a reading specialist authorization.

Middle School - Geoff Kauppinen
geoff_kauppinen@ghs.edu

Mr. Kauppinen has taught at Golden Hills School since 2000. He graduated from U.C. Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science in Law and Society. He also holds a teaching credential and an athletic coaching certificate.

Computers/Middle School English/Math - Audrey Brandt
audrey_brandt@ghs.edu

Mrs. Brandt has taught at Golden Hills School since 1998. She graduated from Cal State Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. She also holds a multiple subject teaching credential, a certificate for instruction of gifted and talented children, certification as an education network specialist and is a certified teacher trainer for computers.  Mrs. Brandt has been acknowledged by Who's Who Among America's Teachers for the past two years.

Middle School Science/Math - Deb Shepard
deb_shepard@ghs.edu

Mrs. Shepard has taught at GHS since its inception in 1994. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science from National University - Sacramento and a multi-subject teaching credential.

Physical Education/History - Jeff Lathrop  
jeff_lathrop@ghs.edu

Mr. Lathrop began teaching at Golden Hills School in 2004. He received a liberal studies Bachelor of Arts Degree from Sacramento State University and earned
his Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from Chapman University. He has seven years coaching experience in different sports here in El Dorado County.

Middle School English/History - Alice Wright

Mrs. Wright received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah, with a major in elementary education and minors in English and music. Postgraduate work has continued with studies at San Francisco State, Davis, and Eastman school of music. Mrs. Wright has been at Golden Hills School for ten years, working with students from kindergarten through eighth grade.  Most of her work has been in Middle School, teaching Language Arts (English) and History (Ancient, World and U.S.)

Middle school Language Arts/Yearbook coordinator - Connie Durante
connie_durante@ghs.edu

Mrs. Durante began teaching at Golden Hills School in 2004. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She holds a teaching credential and has experience teaching middle school and high school Language Arts, as well as computer applications at Intel Corporation.

Middle School Mathematics - Gayle Nygaard
gayle_nygaard@ghs.edu

Mrs. Nygaard has been teaching at Golden Hills School since 2004. She is also an adjunct mathematics professor at Folsom Lake College. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mrs. Nygaard is a Bronze Tablet
Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics. She holds a single subject teaching credential in mathematics (CA and IL) with special credentials for computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology.

Spanish - Gloria Chicca
gloria_chicca@ghs.edu

Ms Chicca has been teaching at Golden Hills School since 2003.  Ms Chicca graduated from San José State University with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a minor in Spanish.  She has a Multiple Subject teaching credential and has taught 1st -8th grade.

Resource - Dianne Pascoe
dianne_pascoe@ghs.edu

Mrs. Pascoe began teaching at Golden Hills School in 2005.  She graduated from California State University, Northridge with a BA in Child Development.  She has both a multiple subject credential as well as a learning handicapped credential.

Teaching Assistant - Tammy Perry
tammy_perry@ghs.edu

Art - Lorene Fox

Drama - Brook Ringger

Mrs. Ringger received her Bachelor's degree in Music Dance Theatre from Brigham Young University.  She has performed throughout the nation professionally in a variety of roles.  With her husband, she has recently started Ringger Studios through which she currently teaches voice lessons, does choreography, and teaches singing and dancing groups.

Middle School Music - Rob Ringger

Mr. Ringger has been teaching music professionally since 1996 in a variety of settings.  Rob plays and teaches bass guitar, piano, guitar, drums and ukulele.  
With his wife, Rob has recently started Ringger Studios through which he works teaching private lessons, school groups, and doing music recording and production.

Elementary Music - Mike Shields
mike_shields@ghs.edu

Mr. Shields began teaching music at the elementary school level in 2001, and currently teaches at several elementary schools and pre-schools each year.  
He has been a professional musician since 1972, playing throughout the western United States in bands and as a solo act. He has released two CDs of original material.  He plays keyboards, guitar, and harmonica as well as sings.  In addition, Mr Shields gives private instructions in piano and guitar.