Blue Oak School

 

Your Child's Future Begins Here

Your Child's Future Begins Here.

Welcome To Blue Oak School



Confident. Curious. Creative. We Are Blue Oak.

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Blue Oak School serves bright and imaginative children from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Our talented teachers, motivated students and engaged parents make our school a distinctive learning environment.

Our talented faculty create experiences for our students that advance their understanding and mastery of new concepts both in and outside of the classroom. Blue Oak School focuses as much on the development of each student’s social and emotional well-being as on his or her academic experience, promoting the interests, skills, and resilience that encourage greater success and a love of learning throughout life.

IN A WORD

We asked our students to describe Blue Oak with only one word. What they did next was both truly surprising and breathtaking.

IN THE MOMENT

Prepping a Driver
In the thick of the action, Blue Oak Students prep a driver for more laps at the 24 hours of Lemons Race at the Sonoma County Raceway. Participation in the event is an elective for seventh and eighth-grade students at Blue Oak.

WHAT OUR PARENTS AND ALUMNI SAY

Blue Oak teaches children for the world we will live in during the next 100 years (not the last). Children are engaged, supported and challenged. You have children feeling deeply and thinking critically. We have faculty that sees themselves as collaborators and coaches, not drill sergeants. Children graduate from Blue Oak inspired and confident and in charge of their education.… Read more “Children graduate from Blue Oak inspired and confident and in charge of their education. . .”

The way I’ve been grateful about Blue Oak is that they really gave me a social skill and I have become a confident person where I am sure of myself and I know how to approach any situation. …Having Blue Oak as an option widens your view. I just want everyone to feel the same way I did. I felt… Read more “Julie Figueroa – Class of 2013”

Julie Figueroa - Class of 2013

We are grateful that we found Blue Oak School for our first grader son, who is thriving academically, socially and emotionally under the nourishing and caring guidance of his teachers. Qualified faculty, small size classrooms, individual attention, mixed-class activities, hands-on learning and integrated curriculum at Blue Oak create a safe and engaging learning environment for children. My son is eager… Read more “We are grateful that we found Blue Oak School. . .”

To me, Blue Oak was an opportunity to get to a better place. It’s nice to know there are schools and people out there who are looking to help those who are in need. I am very thankful and appreciative to Blue Oak and the entire community for allowing me the chance to show what I can do and help… Read more “Johanthan Frias Gonzales – Class of 2012”

Johanthan Frias Gonzales

With three kids, our hope for our children is that they develop a passion for life-long learning, are self-assured, creative and overall are just well-rounded individuals. After visiting the school, meeting teachers and talking to students, we knew that Blue Oak would serve as an ideal foundation for our children to grow, gain confidence, learn, and achieve. Blue Oak faculty,… Read more “We cannot speak highly enough about our experience and satisfaction with Blue Oak School.”

Blue Oak made it possible for me to maximize my own talents. Through those different avenues, I was able to discover my talents and passions where I excelled and where I needed to do more work. Blue Oak provided that for me. …so I’m eternally grateful for that. -Joseph Celaya – Class of 2013

Joseph Celaya - Class of 2013

MEET OUR TEACHERS

Margarita Cano Becerra – Middle School Spanish Teacher

Margarita Cano Becerra is a Colombian-born educator and artist who moved to New York in 1985. She holds a master’s in visual arts from Syracuse University, and masters and a Ph.D. degree in Spanish, Latin American Literature and Cultures from Tulane University. Margarita has taught both visual arts and Spanish...
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Julie Inalsingh – Fourth Grade Teacher

Julie Inalsingh earned her B.S from Ohio State University. She was part of a unique teacher preparation program that focused on progressive education practices. She received her Master’s degree in special education from San Francisco State University. Julie taught second grade at Blue Oak School from 2007-2011 and also taught...
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Steph Shieh – Kindergarten Teacher

Steph came to Blue Oak School in 2015, where she discovered the joy of working with Kindergarteners in the play-based program. She completed her post-graduate studies in progressive education through the Progressive Education Lab and her B.A. in Biological Sciences and Education at Wellesley College, where she graduated magna cum...
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Sue Evans- Sixth and Seventh Grade Humanities

We are so very pleased and excited to have Sue come on board to join the Blue Oak team. We will post her picture and bio for you to review soon.
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Marcus Steele – Athletic Director, Lower and Middle School PE Teacher

Marcus Steele has been in education for ten years and teaching at Blue Oak School for the past three years. Prior to joining Blue Oak, Marcus spent two years teaching physical education and mathematics at the American International School in Kingston, Jamaica. His experience in education spans from the elementary...
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Greg Garrison – 6th Grade Math & Science, 7th Grade PE

Greg Garrison, Sixth Grade Math and Science Teacher, joined the Blue Oak community in 2011. Greg grew up all over the United States and settled in Napa when he accepted a position at Blue Oak. Greg has his bachelor's and master's degrees in counseling and teaching gifted students. He holds....
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Kristina Webster – 7th and 8th Grade Math Teacher

Kristina Webster is in her second year at Blue Oak School, and in her 12th year in the teaching profession. She received her undergraduate degree and teaching credential from Sonoma State. She also completed her master's degree in mathematical education from Concordia in Portland. In her spare time, she loves...
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Kim Harrington – Lower School Visual and Culinary Arts

Kim grew up in New Hampshire and earned her design degree from Chamberlayne School of Design in Boston A.A.S and bachelor's degree from New College SF in Humanities. She began her career in education as a preschool and kindergarten teacher in Massachusetts and San Francisco before taking her current position...
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Meredith Wilson – First Grade Homeroom Teacher

Meredith is in her 15th year at Blue Oak School, and in her 25th year in the teaching profession. Teaching is truly in her blood and bones, as she comes from a family of educators - both parents are retired teachers and her brother is currently a 4th-grade teacher. She...
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Melinda Cooke – Middle School Humanities Teacher / High School Readiness Program

Melinda Cooke was born and raised in the Chicago area. She attended University of Colorado, Boulder, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts and then a Master of Arts in Experiential Education. She also met her husband, Paul Cooke, in Boulder, and they both became outdoor educators and have been...
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Paul Cooke – Seventh and Eight Grade Science

Paul Cooke attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he earned a BA in Geography and then a Master of Arts in Experiential Education. He also met his wife, Melinda, in Boulder, and they both became outdoor educators and have been teaching together ever since. He has taught outdoor education...
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Berynes Sosa – Spanish Director & Spanish Teacher  

Berynes joined Blue Oak School in 2015. She grew up in Caracas, Venezuela and after graduating from high school she spent a year in Pennsylvania as an exchange student. Berynes earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from Universidad Central de Venezuela and her master's degree in Publishing from University College London. Berynes taught in Venezuela...
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Susan Garrison – Fifth Grade Teacher

Susan is a Fifth Grade Teacher and joined the Blue Oak community in 2011. Growing up in South Amboy, New Jersey. Susan earned her bachelor's degree from Kean University. She moved to Napa and joined the Blue Oak community in a variety of roles. Susan has been a classroom assistant,...
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Sahar Darwish – Second Grade Teacher

Sahar, Second Grade Homeroom Teacher, is in her sixth year at Blue Oak School and has been teaching for the past 28 years. She began teaching English as a Second Language and Civics at the City Colleges of Chicago. Sahar had the opportunity to design, implement and teach workplace education...
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Kim Markovich – Lower School Music Teacher

Kim Markovich, a native Napan, teaches K – 5 music and mindfulness at Blue Oak School. A member of the founding Blue Oak faculty, she holds her bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado and her master's degree in Music from West Virginia University. Kim has...
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Blue Oak School

Your Child's Future Begins Here

1436 Polk Street
Napa, California 94559
707.261.4500