Founding Teacher, Lead Teacher & Kindergarten Teacher, Heather Thompson
Heather Thompson, a founding K/1 teacher at Lighthouse, has taught primary students for six years in Oakland and in Donna, Texas. She holds a Masters degree in Education in Language, Literacy and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley and has presented professional development workshops for Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound and for Teach For America. She eagerly returns to the classroom each September because of the brilliant and funny things that her students say and because she loves the challenge of organizing and inspiring learning in children.

Kindergarten Teacher, Michelle Kellman
Michelle Kellman is thrilled to be a part of the Lighthouse learning community and get to relive the joy and wonder of kindergarten! Before coming to Lighthouse, she taught grades K through 3 in Oakland Unified School District for seven years. She also spent a year working as a learning specialist with students with reading difficulties. Ms. Kellman's current focus is developing her ability to
teach students for whom English is a second language.

Founding Teacher & 1st Grade Teacher, Helen Spruill
Helen Spruill is teaching Kindergarten at the Lighthouse Community Charter School. Ms. Spruill brings eight years of elementary teaching experience in urban districts in both the Bay and Los Angeles areas. She also spent a year teaching English Immersion Kindergarten at The American School of Durango in Durango, Mexico and is working toward fluency in Spanish. Ms. Spruill is a trained Reading Recovery Teacher and is currently completing a Reading Specialist Credential and a Masters Degree in Education at the University of California-Berkeley. Ms. Spruill was a 1995 Teach for America Corps Member in Compton, California.

1st Grade Teacher, Noelle Apostol

2nd Grade Teacher, Tamara Arroyo

2nd Grade Teacher, Jenny Rikkers

Instructional Aide, Gina Ortiz
Gina is an Instructional Aide for kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade.

Instructional Aide, Lola Prieto
Lola is an Instructional Aide for kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade and is a Lighthouse parent.