Lissa Crider
Lissa Crider started working as Lick-Wilmerding’s librarian in 1994. She helped to envision and design Lick’s new McCullough library, which opened in 1997. “The thing I like most [about working at Lick] is when what I teach is valuable to the students,” say Crider. Her work as a librarian is primarily to give students the most resources possible, which includes ordering books, teaching students how to cite sources, and organizing and explaining research databases. Crider works closely with individual teachers and students, teaching teams, and whole departments, coplanning and teaching. She especially enjoys working one on one with students on their research projects. “Whenever a student comes in, wherever they are in the research process, I am there to help them,” says Crider. “Being able to do so many things in a service job where you get to help students and faculty all day just really makes my day.” This June Crider will move to Bend, Oregon with her husband where they will focus on physical activities, such as mountain biking. Crider is also looking forward to spending more time gardening, creating a community garden on their land.
Solana Diaz
Solana Diaz is taking a one year leave of absence from Lick-Wilmerding’s food program, of which she is the director. Diaz joined Lick-Wilmerding’s food program in 2001 and was an important member in developing Lick’s current lunch program and its amazing, creative, and healthy menu. Diaz comes up with ideas and implements them for all Lick menu items. During her year off, Diaz is planning to travel to Ireland, where she will attend a one week program at the world renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School, a long-time dream of hers. She is also considering a cooking residency in Oaxaca, Mexico, and in the Bay Area will continue to work as a private chef in the evenings. Diaz plans to return to Lick following her leave of absence and continue to inspire the Lick community with creative and healthy food, incorporating inspiration from her international experiences.
Marley Pierce
Marley Pierce is the Center for Civic Engagement Program Manager at Lick. The Center focuses on learning outside the classroom, particularly through service. This past year Pierce taught the class “Intro to the Prison Industrial Complex.” Kiera Collins ‘17 says, “I feel so lucky to have been able to take Marley’s prison industrial complex class. She is so amazing at creating space to talk about very difficult and complex topics and always encouraged us to get out of the classroom so we could see how the things we were learning about play out in real life. She is deeply passionate about social justice and her students and is such an amazing person overall (she also always has the best memes).” The class published a stunning zine. In the Center Pierce works closely with Christy Godinez and Alan Wesson.
Ryan Fernando
Ryan Fernando, Lick’s web editor, will be leaving the school at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. Fernando has enjoyed his time here, citing LWHS’ strong sense of community and how his fellow faculty members feel like family. Fernando has worked closely with Eleanor Sananman. Lick’s Communications Director. While the entire school community is grateful for the work Fernando has done on the school website and beyond, The Paper Tiger Online is particularly thankful for the many hours Fernando has spent helping to create and continuing to support the PaperTiger Online website. He worked on the logo, set up the newsletters, designed the mobile platform and performed many other tasks. Without Fernando, the Paper Tiger Online would not be what it is today. He has worked at Lick for two years. Fernando is accepting another web designer position.
Natalie Freed
Natalie Freed began teaching at LWHS in 2013 because she loved that the school has continued their design/shop program, unlike many other schools across the country. Freed was also intrigued by how friendly the faculty and staff were. After arriving at Lick, Freed created and developed the framework for the computing program. The school already had programming for electronics classes, but she helped extend the computing program to not just focus on physical computing, like with electronics, but also on user-interface design, software development, and computational design. Freed teaches Design and Technology, and Computing 1 and 2, which she created. Recalling her favorite things about teaching at Lick, Freed praises her fellow faculty members for being “really really amazing and supportive. Not having a formal teaching background, I was amazed by how much I was welcomed, and how they helped me catch up on a lot of things.” Moreover, she “has been blown away by the students and how amazing, creative, independent and responsible they are. Students surprise me all the time in all kinds of ways. It has been incredibly fun working with them.” Freed is moving to Austin, Texas with her partner, and will continue a lot of the freelance work she has hitherto pursued on the side, like curriculum writing for data and computational literacy. Freed also hopes to make more art, another passion of hers, in Austin.
Rebecca Hong
History Chair Rebecca Hong came to Lick in 2008 after teaching at the University of Michigan and The Bush School, a K-12 independent school in Seattle. She was attracted to LWHS’s mission of socio-economic diversity and by its dynamic faculty. Hong was also intrigued by the school’s “advanced conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion.” At Lick, Hong was excited about the creativity she was allowed in the classroom as she felt encouraged to try out new ideas when teaching. This creativity and freedom led Hong to feel “like I could be myself in the classroom, in a way that I’d never really felt.” She says her conversations about teaching with her colleagues have been fascinating and have helped her become a “much more skilled collaborator, leader and follower.” Hong emphasizes how her position as a person of color has influenced her experiences at LWHS. She remarks that “the challenges of historically white institutions have impacted Lick like they have all independent schools.” While she does not claim to have experienced all of the challenges that stem from being a person of color at LWHS, Hong says her own feelings and experiences have “compelled me personally to be more outspoken on issues, and more involved in difficult conversations around equity.” Hong will continue her dedication to these difficult conversations at her new job as The Director of Institutional Equity at The Spence School, an independent all-girls K-12 school in New York City. She says her position is designed to “lead the school in the further development of institutional conciousness of equity issues.”
Doug Hellikson
Doug Hellikson began teaching in Lick’s Technical Arts Department in 2012. Teaching Design and Technology, as well as various wood courses, Doug has left a profound impact on his students. Sarah Dean ‘18 recalls how she always used to apologize when she believed she had made a mistake. She remembers how “Doug eventually pulled me over and said ‘Sarah, take all your guilt, and throw it away. When you apologize, you give away your power.’” She believes he “has empowered me to be more confident in myself and my abilities and for that I am truly grateful.” David Cook ‘18 shares that Doug taught him the importance of learning above all-else, recalling that Doug would emphasize that “the end product is not as important as what you actually learned, the intangible lessons.” Doug also taught Cook to approach problems creatively, which he says has helped him in math, English, and history. Doug has left lasting life lessons with his students, and will be missed by the community.
Alex Jospé
Alex Jospé started working in Lick’s English department in 2006 and has been the chair of Lick department for three years. “I have truly enjoyed working with Lick students, faculty, and staff who have inspired me in so many ways,” he says. Jospé taught the senior seminars Pacific Islands Literature and the Immigrant Experience for many years. He has taught English English 1-4. Jospé with Suzanne Shimek and retired College Counselor Jim Bell designed the sophomore ethics curriculum. “Mr Jospé engages our class with his animated and spirited teaching style. I enjoy his class because he emphasizes his commitment to supporting his students through the writing process and is always open to hearing our ideas,” says Liv Jenks ‘19. Jospe has lead a vibrant, creative, rigorous, diverse and collaborative English department — a community that loves to explore, learn, and share their passion of reading, thinking and writing.
Anna Lea
When Anna Lea moved to San Francisco and started looking for teaching jobs, she knew she wanted to work at Lick. She was impressed by Lick’s motto, “head, heart, hands,” and excited to work in what she saw as a maker space. Lea started in a temporary position in 2011, but became a full time math teacher. Lea has enjoyed “being surrounded by talented colleagues and students” and is constantly impressed by “people’s abilities to work hard and try new things.” Lea says her favorite memory at Lick was when she “did the worm onstage at a community meeting.” She has enjoyed building things in the woodshop, as well as helping to start sewing club. “Complex” is the word Lea uses to describe her experience at Lick; she has learned a lot about herself as both a teacher and a person, especially through professional development opportunities in areas similar to what is covered during Walk With a Purpose. Lea is getting married this summer and plans to move to Argentina for a year, where she will take Spanish lessons and then bike through the country, ending somewhere in the Patagonia region. But before she leaves for Argentina, Lea will be working to put together a body of work for her first art show, which will open at Ruby’s Clay Studio on October 18th. “The theme of the show is still in its infancy,” says Lea, “but will involve both ceramics and sewing, two passions. of mine.”
Anthony Reyes
Anthony Reyes taught Spanish 4 this year at Lick. He previously taught and coached soccer at the Urban School for 10 years, and went on to spend a year in Colombia. Before coming to Lick this year, Reyes worked as an independent contractor, translator, tutor and part time teacher in San Francisco. “I appreciate [Reyes’] enthusiasm, he’s always up and walking around and making sure we’re engaged,” says Lily Krausz ‘17.
Erika Solis
Erika Solís came to Lick-Wilmerding in 2003, having previously worked at a public high school in San Antonio, Texas. “The mission of the school was a great match with my values,” says Solís. “ From the start I was thrilled to work in a thoughtful, creative educational institution with such amazing students and faculty.” Solís has most enjoyed working with the students and faculty at Lick and has especially valued professional development opportunities, which she says have “contributed to my growth as an educator and counselor.” Solís also remarked, “I have fond memories of assembly performances, retreats, and have established lifelong friendships with colleagues here. I also hold in mind many student journeys, both academic and personal, that I have been honored to witness over the years.” She also appreciates the food services program. After leaving Lick, Solís is planning to spend time parenting and focusing on professional development related to early childhood until her child, Sofi, goes to preschool. Solís will miss the Lick
By Eddie Dilworth ’19 and Sutter Morris ’18
^^True
His name is actually ‘Antony’ not ‘Anthony’ and he also taught spanish 2
True^^