School announces incoming faculty
School announces incoming faculty
Parker School administrators announces incoming faculty and staff members for the new school year.
Angela-Dee Alforque is Parker’s new drama and dance teacher. She recently moved with her family to Waimea from Sacramento, Calif. She completed her bachelor’s degree in drama/social science and her master’s in multicultural American history and performance at Sacramento State University, and earned her doctorate in educational leadership at Saint Mary’s College of California. Before joining Parker School, Alforque trained and worked as a singer, actor, dancer, choreographer, director and playwright and served as a theater arts professor at Sacramento City College, the associate director of Sinag-tala Filipino Theater & Performing Arts Association, and as a member of Ebo Okokan Afro-Cuban Drum & Dance Ensemble.
Amanda Dewey was born in Michigan, raised in Colorado, and came to the Big Island in 2000 to study marine science at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Before becoming chair of the math department at Parker School, she served as a curriculum researcher and analyst for UH-Manoa for five years. Previously, she taught math and biology, and was a testing coordinator and project advisor at a public school in Kona. Dewey holds her bachelor’s degree in marine science, a teaching certificate in physical science and her master’s in educational leadership of the Asia/Pacific region.
Josh Shepherd will be teaching lower school music as well as seventh- and eighth-grade history. He graduated summa cum laude with his bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Chaminade University, and also holds post-graduate certification in special education. He comes to Parker School after teaching preschool at Kamehameha Schools in Waimea for five years, and previously working as site manager at Paauilo Elementary and as a program coordinator with the YMCA.
Baruch “Buff” Winderbaum will be teaching middle school history and English. He taught English and history in the Monroe School District in Washington state for several years before moving to Hawaii to join the faculty at Parker School.
Renee Brighter joins the PAU (Parker After-school University, the school’s after-care program) team after working with nine children in a private home school.
Eric Dela Rosa, born and raised in Honokaa, received his associate’s degree in information technology from Hawaii Community College. Before becoming the technology director at Parker School, he held IT positions at various organizations on the Big Island, including Hawaii Community College, Canada France Hawaii Telescope, W.M. Keck Observatory and Cellana, where he was network administrator and, later, IT manager.
Dela Rosa received honors and academic achievement awards at HCC, and a Best Presentation and Project Award at the 2007 SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) conference for his computer science work at CFHT.
Jennifer Richardson will be the new advancement associate in Parker’s Advancement Office. Originally from Colorado, she moved to the Big Island in 2004. She holds a degree in real estate and construction management from the University of Denver, and has had a long career in that field. She is a licensed broker in Hawaii and Colorado and has been named a top sales person and a multi-million dollar producer and has assisted in the development of a nationally franchised buyer’s assistance program. She and her husband have two children, one of whom is a Parker School student.