7th Grade Humanities & Middle School Lead Teacher, Gerald Reyes
Mr. Reyes is in his fifth year of teaching and his second year at Lighthouse.  He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, a Masters degree in Teacher Education from the Center of Teaching Excellence and Social Justice at the University of San Francisco and a Multiple Subject CLAD credential.  In addition to teaching at Lighthouse, Mr. Reyes is a mentor in the Americorps-Teacher Program and a consultant to the Bay Area Writing Project.  In answering the question why he teaches, Mr. Reyes states, “I’m that poet striving to teach life as a poem with rhymes and lines hand wrapped in ancestral wisdom, dipped in indigenous sweet dreams, alongside a fresh cream of imagination.  I’m that teacher striving to transform education with these poems that we eat, with these lessons that I teach, so hold the youth incarceration, hold the robotic standardization, and please please please hold the bureaucratic manipulation, ‘cause we’re eating this progressive education.” When not chasing dreams, Mr. Reyes has been seen frequenting mics on the Spoken Word Poetry scene, swimming in calm streams beneath golden gates, balling on hoop courts, climbing rocks to blue skies, painting dripping mango hues on canvas and walls, traveling to faraway lands, and running with his dog.

7th Grade Math & Science Teacher, Megan Jensen
Ms. Jensen is in her fourth year of teaching and her first year at Lighthouse.  She received her Bachelors of Science degree from University of California at Santa Cruz in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.  She also conducted graduate research on lemons at UC Santa Cruz. Ms. Jensen holds two credentials:  a California K – 8 Multiple Subject credential and a California Single Subject credential in Biology.  Previous to teaching, Ms. Jensen worked as an outdoor educator, camp director, and researcher. Ms. Jensen states, “My goal as a teacher is to help students gain the social and academic skills needed for them to be successful in the future of their choosing.  I believe students best learn when they are given opportunities to apply their knowledge in real life situations.  I teach at Lighthouse because it fosters the relationships between students, families, teachers and communities that are needed for students to be successful.”  When she is not teaching and learning, you can find Ms. Jensen anywhere outdoors enjoying nature or dancing to some good live music.

8th Grade Humanities Teacher, Becky Burrow
Ms. Burrow is in her eighth year of teaching and her second year at Lighthouse.  Ms. Burrow holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Elementary Education & Multiple Subject Credential with an English Specialization from Sam Houston State in Texas.  In addition, she received her Masters degree in Curriculum and Teacher Education from Stanford University in 2004.  Prior to teaching, Ms. Burrow was as Peace Corps Education Volunteer in the Republic of Kiribati, an English Language Learner Coordinator and Teacher in Houston, TX, an Adventure Based Counselor, and a teacher consultant for the Bay Area Writing Project.  Ms. Burrow states, “My goal as a teacher is to give students opportunities to amaze themselves. I teach at Lighthouse because it is a beautiful hybrid of experiential and academically rigorous education set within a determined and diverse community of parents, teachers, support staff, and students.”  When she is not teaching and learning, Ms. Burrow is a writer and a poet who loves to who loves to grapple with ideas, tinker towards alignment, learn languages, play ultimate Frisbee, rock climb, and anything to do with dancing or music. 

8th Grade Math & Science Teacher, Robert Feldstein

9th Grade Humanities Teacher & Crew Leader, Drea Beale
Ms. Beale is in her eighth year of teaching and her first year at Lighthouse.  She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and a 7 – 12th Grade Social Studies Credential. Ms. Beale states, “My goal as a teacher is to help provide a safe space for students to grow and learn.  My hope is that students will learn about our world, themselves, one another, and become effective at communicating their ideas.  I want to help empower students to make educated decisions and become advocates and activists in their community. I teach at Lighthouse because it is a community full of bright ideas and passionate people.  Parents, students, teachers, and faculty are working together.  Our students at Lighthouse are curious, dedicated, and energetic.  I feel blessed to be a member of the work of the Lighthouse community.  The best practices in teaching and learning are happening in our school, In addition, we are a school where character, kindness and respect are valued.  Lighthouse is a family, as well as a school.”  When she is not teaching and learning, she is adventuring with her chocolate lab, Siddah. Ms. Beale also enjoys watching the Boston Red Sox.  If it's not baseball season, you might find her reading, traveling, knitting, or laughing.

9th Grade Math & Science Teacher & Crew Leader, Hilary Yamtich

Founder & Tech y Tarea Teacher, Laura Kretschmar
Ms. Kretschmar is in her eighth year of teaching and has been at Lighthouse from its inception as a founding teacher.  She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Geology from Middlebury College and a Masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  She has a Preliminary California Single Subject Credential in Geosciences. About teaching and learning, Ms. Kretschmar states, “My goal as a teacher is to give students meaningful opportunities and learning experiences that will challenge, inspire, and most importantly, prepare them for college or a careeir of their choice.  I teach at Lighthouse because I believe through our mission and strengths of all community members, we will make the world a brighter place.”  When not teaching and learning, Ms. Kretschmar likes to hike with her dog Xiao G., travel to visit friends and family, take ballet classes, ski, read, go to the movies, and watch the Red Sox.