Drinking Gourd Elementary School |
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How to Reach Us
Staff & Contact Info
Director
and Quail Class Teacher
Trisha Whitney is the Executive Director and teacher of the Quail Class. She founded the Drinking Gourd Elementary School in 1990.
In addition to her work at the Drinking Gourd, she has been the Director and lead teacher of a private school in Virginia, a sign language interpreter for the public schools, and a private tutor.
She has taught her unique methods to other teachers and parents through workshops and magazine articles. She published “Kids Like Us: Using Persona Dolls in the Classroom” in 1999. This book, which is being used by teachers in seven countries, is about teaching social skills and anti-bias attitudes to young children. She is also the author of a chapter of the book “Feminist Parenting.”
Trisha earned a degree, with honors, from California
State University, Fullerton in 1980. Trisha says,”I am proud
to work at a school where the students’ needs always come first.”
Send Trisha an e-mail
North Star Class Teacher
Rachael Sereday is the new teacher for the North Star class. Rachael graduated Magna cum Laude from Eastern Michigan University, and has been teaching 4th and 5th grade for the last 4 years in Desert Hot Springs, California. She has taught a wide range of students with a wide range of abilities, and has worked for the last 3 years as the Gifted and Talented Program teacher. Rachael was a volunteer for Americorps where she implemented and managed Girl Scout programs in inner city schools in Houston, TX. She also volunteered as a child care giver at Mother’s Choice, an orphanage in Hong Kong. Rachael possesses a strong sense of upper elementary curriculum, balanced with creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm for both teaching and learning. Rachael says, “I am thrilled to see that art, drama, science, social studies, and ethics are part of a core curriculum. I am encouraged by an individualized teaching approach and small, manageable classes that develop working relationships between the teacher and student.”
In the Office
Leann is the Administrative Assistant at the Drinking Gourd School. Among many other tasks, she arranges all Open House events and school visits, and handles all enrollment paperwork. If you need to talk with her, Leann is usually available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. Send Leann an email.
School Administration
The Drinking Gourd School was founded in 1991. The
school is a non-profit organization. A Board of Directors, made up of
past parents and supportive community members, oversee the business of
the school.
The school is financed through sliding-scale tuition and generous donations. Tax-deductible
donations also fund special projects and scholarships. Scholarships are awarded,
based on need, whenever the school’s finances or scholarship donations
make this possible. Parents do various jobs at the school to keep costs
(and therefore tuition) as low as possible.