Dan Weslow – Principal & High School Humanities
Dan graduated UCLA with a B.A. in History. Immediately thereafter, he joined the faculty of Crossroads School for the Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica, CA in 2002 where he taught middle school Core and coached several sports team, leading them to the playoffs each year. Dan also has experience teaching history in public schools for which he holds a California Single-Subject Teaching Credential. Dan earned his M.A. in Education from Pepperdine University and is currently earning his doctorate in education where his focus of study is on the transition between middle and high school. As Principal of New Heights Prep, Dan feels that building strong relationships with faculty and families to maximize student learning is the most rewarding part of the job.

Katie Goodman – Assistant Principal & Middle School Math
Katie served in public and public charter school education up until 2006, becoming a multiple-subject teacher at The Accelerated School in South Central Los Angeles. Katie had been highly effective at preparing her students for later success in Algebra. She has worked intensively to develop New Heights’ outdoor education, service learning, and human development programs. Katie received both her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Pepperdine University, and holds a California Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential. In 2008-2009 school year Katie will be Assistant Principal where she will oversee the middle school and continue her unparalleled work in preparing students for the high school transition.

Leon Martell – Performing Arts & Middle School Core
After receiving his MFA from the University of Iowa, Martell co-founded the “Duck's Breath Mystery Theater” which has performed on stage across the country and for National Public Radio, PBS, and FOX Television. He has written some thirty plays, winning multiple Dramalogue and L.A. Weekly Awards. For thirteen years, Martell worked with the Padua Hills Playwrights Festival as a writer, actor and director. His recent works include: Inflatable Ocean - the Lost Tear of Santa Monica, a performance art piece done in collaboration with artist/musician (and fellow NHPS teacher) Valerie Tymoczko (fall 2005), Leon has taught writing, acting, and theater history since 1982, notably at UCLA Extension - (1997 Creative Writing Instructor of the Year), The American Academy of Dramatic Art, the Lee Strasberg Institute, The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts in Culver City, and New Roads School in Santa Monica. At New Heights Prep, Leon anchors the Arts department, the Fall and Spring Productions, and Science Sketch Night alongside visual artist and musician, Valerie Tymoczko, with whom he has worked extensively in recent years. Leon also teaches within the middle school Core program.

Valerie Tymoczko – Visual Arts & Creative Writing
Valerie Tymoczko is New Heights Prep's resident artist extraordinaire. Valerie received her B.A. in Studio Art with a minor in Music from Hunter College in New York City, and her Masters in Fine Arts from the Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles. Valerie's artistic work spans numerous disciplines including sculpture, photography, music, and performance art; her most recent public art installment at the Santa Monica Airport (Spring 2007) “Propositions to Fly,” was inspired by wings and wing-powered energy. In addition to her experience as a private instructor of music and visual arts, Valerie has taught an array of Arts and English courses at Crossroads and New Roads Schools in Santa Monica, as well as at First Academy in San Gabriel, CA. Since joining New Heights in the fall of 2006, Valerie has collaborated extensively with her colleagues across multiple disciplines and on an array of integrated arts projects. In addition to her role within NHPS' middle school arts rotation, Valerie also teaches our high school Arts Portfolio Preparation Class for upperclassmen interested in arts colleges. She also teaches a senior English course in Creative Writing.

Andre Wiseman – High School Math
Originally from Detroit, Andre obtained his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University and his M.S. in the same field from Stanford University. After graduation, Andre decided to make his home in California, working as a design engineer at Hewlett Packard in Silicon Valley. Breaking the mold of the traditional mathematician/engineer, Andre made a career move to the entertainment industry in the 1990s, serving in an array of roles, including talent manager, producer and chief financial officer for several small firms. Throughout life Andre has taken a keen interest in the education of young people, beginning with his work as a tutor of minority students in engineering at MSU and continuing as a mentor to at-risk youth in South Central L.A. Andre has also served as a youth track and football coach, in addition to teaching youth chess at several area elementary schools. At New Heights, Andre teaches the advanced high school math classes and has become the master of “Mathcasts” - in which animated math concepts can be downloaded to students' computers and iPods!

Bradley Sparks – Computer Technology & Digital Arts
Like several of his colleagues, Brad's path to New Heights was a meandering one. After completing a double degree in Film Studies and Communications from the University of Michigan, Brad taught briefly in the Ann Arbor public schools. From there, Sparks headed to New England where he taught various technology courses at the Worcester Academy, including AP Computer Science, Web Design, and Digital Video Production. While at Worcester Academy, Brad also served as a “dorm parent” and coached teams in basketball and tennis. Brad left Massachusetts to attend film school at the much balmier University of Miami, from which he earned his MFA in 2006. Brad brings his creative energies to New Heights' technology programs, which include units in basic video editing as part of the core proficiency program, as well as a programming, web design, and film and literature course.

Tom Jelsma – Middle & High School Math
After receiving his B.A. in Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University, Tom worked as a peer tutor and intervention advisor at Northview High School in Covina, CA. At Northview, his passion for teaching was discovered when he designed curriculum for intervention and tutoring sessions, and after only a few months became a leader in the Peer Tutoring Program. From there, Tom remained at Northview and became a full-time Geometry teacher where he was known for his enthusiasm and creativity in and out of the classroom, and the relationships he established with his students. At New Heights, Tom is instrumental in providing students with a strong math foundation and assisting in the physical education and athletic department.

David Goodman – Physical Education Middle & High School
David graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a B.A. in History, but his true passion is teaching physical education classes and coaching tennis. As a four-time All American on the Azusa Pacific University tennis team, he was ranked number one on the team and received the Outstanding Player Award from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. David brings his athleticism, experience teaching an array of sports, and will provide students key information on how to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle in physical education classes and athletics at New Heights.

Alison Wedding – Middle & High School Latin
Alison graduated Cal State Long Beach with a B.A. in the Classics, and holds a California Single Subject Credential in Latin. She has taught with the Garden Grove Unified School District and most recently was a Latin teacher at the Crossroads School Summer Program. Alison brings to New Heights a love for language and literature and looks forward to expanding the foreign language department. Her implementation and excitement regarding participation in the National Junior Classical League by NHPS will be another way to allow students the opportunity to appreciate the language, literature, and culture of Ancient Greece and Rome.

Ruby Assis – American Studies & Writing Coach
Ruby graduated UCLA with a B.A. in English Literature, and earned her M.A. in the same field from Loyola Marymount University in Spring 2007. Ruby has researched, conducted interviews, and written papers covering the experience of Holocaust survivors. Two of these works, “The Process and Product of Survivor Testimony,” and “Witnessing the Witness: a Phenomenological Narration,” she presented at the Western Jewish Studies Association Conference. Ruby is a firm believer in the integration of Social Studies and Literature and looks forward to enriching the writing of high school students and preparing them for college.

Aram Mandossian – Musical Arts
Aram graduated from Cal State Northridge with a B.M. in Music Composition, and has completed graduate studies in musicology at the University of Southern California. In addition to his part-time role as a music instructor at NHPS, he works as a professional composer writing original music for films and video games (find out more about Aram's music @ www.aram-mandossian.com). Aram has also instructed students privately in piano, guitar, and drums, and he also has experience conducting instrumental ensembles.

Lilit Boynagiryan – High School Spanish
A native of Armenia, Lilit spent her years in primary and secondary education mastering four languages, Armenian, Spanish, Russian, and English. After graduating from Cal State Northridge with her B.A. in Spanish, she immediately began working on her M.A. in Spanish from Cal State Los Angeles which will be completed in Spring 2009. Lilit has experience teaching Spanish at both the elementary and secondary levels for LAUSD schools and looks forward to incorporating an array of different literary works within the Spanish curriculum.

Vincent Crossley – 8^th Grade Science and Aviation Technology
Vince learned to fly at age 16 in a youth program sponsored by the U.S.A.F. and began flying professionally after earning his bachelors degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. After training new aviators as an FAA Certified Flight Instructor and flying as a charter pilot in the Houston area for a few years, Vince joined the engineering department of ILC Space Systems at the Johnson Space Center and began working on space suits and hand tools for the shuttle astronauts preparing for NASA's first in-orbit satellite capture and repair mission. Over the years Vince has continued training pilots, flying as a corporate pilot, and added additional degrees in computer programming and a Masters in Business Administration. Before joining the New Heights academic team, Vince served nine years as the Senior Computer Network Administrator for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Currently instructing the flight training program at New Heights, teaching 8^th grade science, and providing school administrative functions, Vince continues to plot how to get a baseball team on our campus

Igaal Barak – Founder and Executive Director
Born and raised in Israel, Barak is a graduate of Ort Yad Syngalovski in Tel Aviv, class of 65, the first class graduating with an associate degree in electronic engineering. He than served his country in Army Intelligence attached to Special Forces, and participated in the 1967 war. After he was honorably discharged from the service he held engineering positions in two start-up hi tech electronic companies, and taught math and electronics in a high school for science and technology in Tiberias. In 1972 Barak moved to the US with wife and child, and settled in Houston where he studied engineering at the University of Houston, and worked at the University Of Texas Medical School, designing lab instruments for brain research. Barak than joined Electronic Associates Inc, manufacturers of analogue computers, residual gas analyzers, and mass spectrometers. At EAI he first headed the quality control department at the Houston plant and later the education and training department with the responsibility for world wide training. In 1973 Barak went back to Israel to participate in the Yom Kippur war. In 1980 Barak started his own mechanical contracting business in Houston, performing on State wide projects. During the same period Barak became involved in the oil business in Oklahoma, and earned his pilot’s license. In 1986, because of the real estate and oil markets collapse, Barak moved to Los Angeles and reestablished himself as a mechanical contractor. Between 1986 and 1994 Barak completed successfully numerous substantial building, mechanical, and electrical projects, performed under his own corresponding licenses. In 1994 Barak wrote his first business plan for a school, and introduced it to Dr Paul Cummins in 1995. During the same year he went back to school to obtain his BsBA and MBA. In 1996 Barak became a real estate developer for the purpose of raising the funds required for t he implementation of his business plan. During the same year he established HSIS Schools, an educational nonprofit through which he raised some of the funds by participating in HUD's low income housing programs. In 2000 Barak joined Pepperdine's EdD program and he is now writing his dissertation as a doctoral candidate. In 2003 Barak founded a manufacturing facility for experimental aircraft in Santa Cruz Bolivia. In 2005 Barak founded New Heights Preparatory School in collaboration with Dr Paul Cummins.