Meet the Faculty
2022-2023
At Waverly, students are led by knowledgeable, caring teachers deeply committed to a developmental approach. With their wide range of influences and belief in integrated learning, Waverly’s elementary teachers create engaging and dynamic classrooms.

Milca Adamczyk
Milca is a 1st/2nd co-lead teacher. Milca has a B.A. in art history with a minor in anthropology, an M.F.A., and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Los Angeles. Prior to coming to Waverly, Milca substitute taught in Spanish Dual Immersion classrooms in South Pasadena USD and was on the faculty of the Creative World Art Camp held at our campus during summer. (Email)

Rebecca Blum
Rebecca is a 1st/2nd co-lead teacher. She received a B.A. from San Francisco State University in psychology and art. With an interest in developmental psychology, Rebecca taught preschool for seven years, followed by teaching the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades in San Francisco, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles. Rebecca has participated in diverse educational training over her 15-year career, including Jewish educator training, Reggio Emilia, Reader and Writer’s Workshop, Responsive Classroom, Bill Davidson Math, and anti-bias training. When Rebecca isn’t teaching, she can often be found baking pie for her small pie company, called Piety. (Email)

Lydia Boateng
Lydia is Waverly’s school counselor. Lydia holds a B.A. in Africana Studies from Binghamton University as well as an M.S. in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Lydia is a native of New York City and a recent transplant to the area, moving from northeast Ohio where she served in multiple roles, including school liaison, school based therapist, and associate teacher counselor. In her roles, she has counseled children and adolescents with mild to severe behavioral, mood, and trauma-stressor related disorders. She has provided individual and group sessions to K‑12 students, supported families with community resources, mental health techniques, and collaborated with teachers and parents on developing behavioral interventions and emotional support for students. She is excited to join the Waverly community where she will be working collaboratively to bring advisory programming to the high school. Lydia loves to serve in her church community, travel the world, and play sports in her free time. (Email)

Maria Brown
Maria is an associate teacher and teaches Spanish in the elementary school. Maria has worked with children for more than 25 years and has been with Waverly since its days as a preschool. Of her work, Maria says, “It gives me joy to watch the children grow year after year and see how they become passionate artists, confident speakers, talented musicians, and kind young adults who love us all for being part of their journey.” Maria’s two daughters attend Waverly: Aaliyah in 9th grade and Natalie in 11th grade. (Email)

Stina Clinton
Stina is a 5th/6th lead teacher. Stina has a B.A. in English and a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Language Arts from California State University, Los Angeles. Stina is committed to creating emergent, project-based social studies units that emphasize multiple perspectives and critical thinking and to engaging her students in service-learning projects. She is passionate about progressive, student-centered education. (Email)

Katie Cohelan
Katie is a 5th/6th associate teacher. Katie graduated from Pitzer College with her Bachelor’s in international studies and from University of the Pacific with her Master’s in Education. Most recently, Katie worked as a lead teacher at Marin Country Day School.

Oonagh Delaney
Oonagh is the kindergarten lead teacher. Oonagh has a B.A. in Theater Arts and English Literature and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Manchester in the U.K., and Early Childhood and Site Supervisor/Program Director Certification through the University of California, Los Angeles. She has over 25 years of experience in education and has been the owner, director, and lead teacher of the highly regarded The Little Preschool in Northridge for 13 years prior to teaching at Waverly. Oonagh’s three sons graduated from Waverly: Sam’20, Patrick‘16, and Eamonn‘15. (Email)

Lexa Grace
Lexa is a 5th/6th lead teacher. Lexa has a B.A. in the arts from The New School University, an M.P.A. Certificate in nonprofit management, and an M.A. in theatre from Villanova University. Having taught in a variety of settings, Lexa has experience with anti-bias/anti-racist curriculum, Readers and Writers Workshop, and Everyday Mathematics. (Email)

Susan Hendricks
Susan is a 3rd/4th lead teacher. Credentialed by the State of California as a teacher (preschool-12th grades) and as a reading specialist, Susan is a conferred Doctor of Education in educational leadership from California State University, Los Angeles, and holds a Master of Science in education specializing in language and literacy from the University of Pennsylvania and a Child Development Program Director Permit from the State of California. Susan challenges her students by first supporting them emotionally. She says,“There is so much flux and transformation taking place socially, emotionally, and cognitively at this point in their development, that my role is to listen, observe, and recognize when and where to push regarding their learning experiences.” (Email)

Bryce Hopkins
Bryce is an associate teacher. Bryce holds a B.A. in strategic communications from Northern Arizona University. Prior to joining us in the classroom, Bryce was a camp counselor in Waverly’s summer camp. Bryce has previously worked as a physical education teacher at Chandler School, and he has also served as a paraprofessional for the La Cañada Unified School District. (Email)

Jennifer Johnson
Jennifer is the learning specialist for kindergarten through 12th grade. Jennifer has a California Teaching Credential, a Master’s in teaching, and certification as an educational therapist. Led to a career in education by a lifelong fascination with the many different ways people think and learn, Jennifer is happiest when around children and teens and believes that most kids are naturally curious and seek challenges to stretch themselves. To support them, she explains,“Often, you just need to give them the time and space to follow their curiosity. For children who may find themselves facing tasks which are too challenging, what is often needed is support in building the skills to feel capable of meeting a challenge.” (Email)

Sahaj Kashyap
Sahaj is an associate teacher. Sahaj has a B.A. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.A. in education administration and a teaching credential from California State University, Northridge. He appreciates working at Waverly because “academics can be approached differently to include all learning styles. The classroom is a chemistry experiment in and of itself. We have distinct personalities and diverse mixtures that lead to unique results and experiences every year.” Sahaj enjoys Hatha yoga, playing basketball, and exploring science. (Email)

Dharinne Perera-Myers
Dharinne is a 3rd/4th lead teacher. Dharinne has a B.A. in human development and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Pacific Oaks College. She will complete a Certificate in Educational Therapy at University of California, Riverside this fall. In addition to teaching in elementary classrooms, Dharinne has developed and implemented equestrian programs for Tom Sawyer Camps and has also served as a Behavioral Therapist in the B.L.A.S.T. Program. Dharinne has a background in Visions Inclusivity Training and Responsive Classroom, and she is committed to child-centered education. (Email)

Brittany Reynolds
Brittany is a 1st/2nd lead teacher. Brittany holds a B.A. in psychology and fine art/art history from Bucknell University, a Multiple Subject Credential from CalState TEACH, an Early Childhood Education Certificate from UCLA Extension, and a Master’s in Teaching with a focus on social justice, multiculturalism, and action research from California State University, Fresno. Brittany believes that all students should be given the space and opportunity to love learning and to realize that there is so much that can be uncovered through the learning process. She says, “The classroom is set up to meet varying student needs in a variety of learning experiences. In this environment, students are given the space and support to take risks, ask questions, and express themselves.” (Email)

Millie Schacher
Millie is an associate teacher in the kindergarten classroom. Millie was previously an elementary school music teacher and long-term substitute at Waverly. She also has previous experience working in summer camps and children’s theater workshops. Millie loves to read, write, explore nature, and create murder mystery parties. Her “foremost hope this year is to instill in our students empathy for themselves as well as others.”

Kelcey Wallens-Logan
Kelcey is a 1st/2nd associate teacher. Kelcey graduated from Barnard College with a degree in environmental science, chemistry, and education studies. Kelcey is an avid knitter, metalsmith, roller skater, rock climber, and (newly!) scuba diver. She plans to pursue a Master’s in education and multiple subject credential and build her skills as a career educator.