CARLSBAD, CA, July 09, 2010
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Pacific Ridge School, an independent, non-profit middle and upper school in Carlsbad with a mission to foster academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, welcomes new additions to its academic leadership for the 2010-2011 academic year. In tandem with its eco-friendly campus expansion and a new high school building slated to open in September 2010, the school has appointed three new academic deans, as well as two new board members.
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The academic deans will be responsible for leading two grade levels, directing the school's programs in mission‐focused areas, and teaching two classes. Effective July 1, 2010, the newly appointed deans will help foster the continued growth of the Pacific Ridge School program, ensuring an integration of programs that focus on the academic support of students.
HANS RICHTER - 7th/8th Grade Dean
Hans Richter brought a variety of leadership experience to Pacific Ridge School when he joined the school's faculty in 2009. He will be leading the ethical responsibility efforts of Pacific Ridge School, working with service learning coordinators and further developing this key component of the school's mission.
Before joining Pacific Ridge School in 2009 as an 8th and 9th grade English teacher, Mr. Richter was the Upper School English Department Chair, advisor to the school newspaper, class Dean, English teacher, and head coach for ice hockey, boys' soccer, and girls' lacrosse at King & Low‐Heywood Thomas School in Stamford, Connecticut. He carries a bachelor's degree in English from Dartmouth College, and a master's in education from Loyola College. Additionally, he pursued graduate coursework through the Klingenstein Summer Institute and Bard College and received Montessori teaching certification from the Association Montessori Internationale in San Diego and Amsterdam.
JENNIFER BJORNSTAD - 9th/10th Grade Dean
As a founding faculty member, Jennifer Bjornstad's dedication to Pacific Ridge School will help her succeed in fostering the "academic excellence" portion of the school's mission. Ms. Bjornstad will oversee school-wide class scheduling, course planning and selection, and academic advising of students.
Ms. Bjornstad joined Pacific Ridge School following years of mathematics teaching at La Costa Canyon, Thunder Ridge, and Highlands Ranch high schools. She graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor's degree in Economics and Psychology and completed graduate coursework in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado, Boulder and San Diego State University.
SCOTT MATTOON - 11th/12th Grade Dean
Scott Mattoon brings an extensive knowledge of independent schools to his new position of promoting "global engagement" at Pacific Ridge School. Mr. Mattoon previously worked for the University of Oregon on "The Oregon Roadmap to Language Excellence," a federally funded world language outreach program. Additionally, he spent eight years as Language Department Chair at Choate Rosemary Hall, a day and boarding school in Connecticut, oversaw its renowned Study Abroad Program, taught French and English, and coached cross country.
Mr. Mattoon has a bachelor's degree in Modern Languages and Literature from Trinity College, a master's degree in French Literature from UCLA, and has completed graduate coursework from Yale University.
ELIZABETH GROSSMAN - Coordinator of Curriculum and Mission Assessment
Pacific Ridge School has enlisted the talents and 18 years of experience of Elizabeth Grossman to work with the leadership team to coordinate the school's WASC accreditation and initiate ways to track the success of students as defined by the school's mission statement during and after their years at Pacific Ridge, a ground-breaking opportunity as a new school. Already an 8th and 10th grade English teacher at the school, Ms. Grossman will now oversee the alignment of Pacific Ridge School's curriculum in each discipline, the tracking of "Expected Student Learning Results", and the development of effective measures of success for the school, all required for WASC accreditation.
Ms. Grossman has a bachelor's degree in Literature and Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and has also completed doctoral coursework at UCSD.
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The Pacific Ridge School Board of Trustees is a group of dedicated and informed community leaders who are passionate about the value of education and have demonstrated success in a multitude of endeavors. This year, Pacific Ridge School is pleased to announce the addition of two new board members.
WILLIAM AYYAD
William Ayyad, a real estate veteran, is the founder of United Development Group, Inc. (UDGI), a San Diego-based real estate investment and development corporation specializing in multi-family housing. A graduate of University of California, Los Angeles, Mr. Ayyad and his family are active in the local community. In addition to serving as a board member on the Rancho Santa Fe Education Foundation Board of Trustees, Mr. Ayyad and his wife, Alchera, founded H&A Partners, a charitable foundation that contributes to charities that assist children with education, housing and other needs. He and his wife reside in Rancho Santa Fe with their two young children.
MARK H. BALLIF
Mark Ballif is a founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Plum Healthcare Group, a private, multi-state provider of post-acute skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. He has 18 years of combined executive, operations, management consulting, and leadership development experience. He is also a member of the National Skilled Nursing Investment Forum Planning Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee for the California Association of Health Facilities.
Mr. Ballif serves on the board of directors of the Arbinger Institute, an international management consulting and professional services firm. He graduated from Brigham Young University and today, resides in Fallbrook with his wife, Julia, and their 10 children, four of whom are students at Pacific Ridge School.
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For more information about Pacific Ridge School, its academic mission, faculty and Board of Trustees, please visit http://www.pacificridge.org.
About Pacific Ridge School:
Opened in the fall of 2007, Pacific Ridge School is a non‐profit, independent middle and high school located in the North County, San Diego. With the distinctive mission of building a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, Pacific Ridge offers a first-rate educational experience to prepare students for college and a purposeful life. For more information, visit http://www.pacificridge.org. Pacific Ridge School does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other administered programs.
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