Meet Allison Hardesty, a SAGE therapist with a Master’s in Marital Family Therapy and 13 years of experience teaching AP Psychology.
Hardesty hopes to break the stigma about therapy and emphasize that “it’s all about mental wellness and taking care of yourself.” Her goal is to help students succeed not only in school, but in navigating their identity, stress and relationships. Students can visit her in the Wellness Center during school hours or request an appointment via the PVHS website or QR codes posted around campus.
Britney Ewing introduces a fresh perspective to PVHS’s Dance and Yoga programs.
Her interest in dance was sparked after watching her high school’s dance team perform. Later, she danced on South High’s nationally ranked team and double majored in dance and liberal studies. Ewing is excited to “create a dance program of [her] own” and allow students to express themselves through dance. Her goal is to create a positive space for students to learn and grow every day.
“I want them to be continuously inspired by their crafts.”
Marisa Blachy is the new Spanish 1 and 2 teacher.
Growing up, she found that Spanish always came naturally to her. Blachy initially majored in English and got into law school, but decided to follow her passion and study abroad in Spain to pursue a degree in education and Spanish. She has 23 years of teaching experience and is excited to work at PVHS.
“I want to get my students excited and enthusiastic about learning Spanish. I want everybody to love Spanish as much as I do.”
After working as a substitute teacher in the PVPUSD district, Rebeca Webster was impressed by the welcoming, supportive community and wanted a permanent position on campus. Now, she is an administrative assistant for the special education department.
Webster is excited to get involved in the athletic department because she enjoys coaching soccer and “sharing [her] talents with future players.” Outside of school, she also works as a realtor and transaction agent. Webster looks forward to growing at PVHS and seeing where the red tide takes her.
SAGE therapist Francesca Kagy-Lauro planned to become a forensic psychologist, but realized she loved working with youth after interning at an elementary school. She chose PVHS for its friendly environment, close commute and the opportunity to work with older students.
Her goal is to host weekly, themed “Wellness Wednesdays” in the Wellness Center for all students to relax and have fun in a supportive environment. “We’re here for any feeling that may come up. If you just need a place to have space, we can provide it.”
Meet Dr. Kyle Garrity, the new associate principal. His extensive resume includes a Master’s from Harvard University, over 15 years of teaching history, government and philosophy along with experience in coaching athletics.
“I’ve heard really great things [about PVHS]. The students and teachers are very strong and driven.”
He looks forward to supporting PVHS’s theater, music and sports programs. “Encouraging students and teachers to be their best—that’s what I love to do.”
Korean teacher Jihyun Kim brings a holistic approach to language learning. Born in Korea, she studied media and communications before coming to the US and getting her teaching credentials.
Kim aims to provide interactive and culture-rich lessons to broaden her students’ worldviews.
She advocates for all students to learn another language to better understand themselves, others and society. Kim hopes to create a positive learning environment where students and teachers alike can learn from one another.
Vincenzo Tanza is a special education teacher for the adult Transition Opportunity Program (TOP).
Prior to this job, he worked as a special education assistant and behavior interventionist. He also served in the Peace Corps for two years, where he worked in impoverished schools with a focus on special education development, human trafficking prevention awareness and teaching English. Tanza is excited to work with the “extraordinarily welcoming and kind” staff at PVHS and hopes to “expand inclusion opportunities for students with special needs.”
(Photos and Story by Evalyn Yu)