Ron Woods
MAOS Co-Director
English / Language Arts
Biography
I am a MAOS Concept Design Team teacher representing English/Language Arts. The 2005/2006 school year was my first at Monterey High and within the MAOS program; prior to coming to MHS, I taught English at Colton Middle School. I have been teaching for ten years and I hold both a secondary English and Multiple Subject credential and a Bachelor of Arts from Fresno Pacific University. MAOS offers a unique public school opportunity for both students and teachers; our academy is an intellectually and socially rewarding environment in which to teach and learn.
Jason Nicholson
MAOS Co-Director
MAOS Science + Biotechnology Teacher
Biography
I am a MAOS Science teacher, and started my teaching career at Monterey High in the 2013/2014 school year. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, I originally imagined myself as an artist. However, as a young man I embarked upon a series of travels that introduced me to wilderness. My explorations triggered a keen interest in biological systems, and a desire to identify creative solutions to environmental problems. I initiated my studies at Cabrillo College and then graduated with Honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a Bachelor of Science in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology focused in Conservation Biology. To complement my undergraduate degree, I opted to study abroad at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In South Africa I discovered how important education is in achieving impactful and sustained change. This experience ignited my passion for teaching science. I returned to California and achieved a Master of Arts in Education from UCSC. I now hold Single Subject credentials in Biological Science, Chemistry, & Geoscience; certification in Advanced Placement Chemistry; as a well as a Career Technical Education Credential in Health Science & Medical Technology, with a focus in Biotechnology.
Therese Mayone
MAOS Administrative Coordinator
Biography
Therese is the MAOS Administrative Coordinator and has been working with the MAOS program since 2004. She received a Bachelor of Arts from UC Davis and has lived on the Monterey Peninsula since 1988, working in the education field for MCOE and prior to that in office management for the Pebble Beach Company.
Steven Piña
MAOS MATH TEACHER & Activities Director
Biography
I graduated from Monterey High through the MAOS program in 2012. I started teaching at Monterey High in the 2019-2020 school year. Since high school, I always imagined myself working for Apple in some capacity. Throughout college, I worked at Apple Retail, ultimately as a technician, until I decided to switch careers and become a teacher. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Marketing from CSUMB. I completed my teaching residency through Alder GSE in conjunction with the University of the Pacific to earn a Master of Arts in Education. I was named Resident of the Year for my graduating class.
Nikki Ahrenstorff
ib Specialist
Biography
I am so honored to be a part of the MAOS family and community. In 2007, I graduated from Monterey High and MAOS, and it was through the MAOS program that I fell in love with education. During my time in college, I was a swim instructor (some of the students I taught are now MAOS students) and an after-school tutor and coordinator for the Village Project in Seaside. I received my Masters and my teaching credential from the University of Southern California and I have been lucky to teach at Monterey High School for the entirety of my career. I started teaching seven years ago and have taught 9-12 grade language and literature at all academic levels, including MAOS classes. I am now the IB Specialist at Monterey High School and work with MAOS students, particularly those students in the IB Diploma Programme.
susan castello
MAOS SCIENCE TEACHER
scastello@mpusd.k12.ca.us
I am a MAOS science teacher, and I have been teaching at Monterey High School since 2015. I grew up in a small lakefront town in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, and I have always felt a special connection with nature. As a child, I spent most of my time climbing trees, looking for salamanders in streams, and going fishing with my dad. I remember waiting every month to receive my new National Geographic Wildlife Fact Files in the mail and organize them in my binders. (Shoutout to you if you remember these from before we had the internet!) I earned my degree in biological sciences and education at New York University in 2007, taught at a school in New York City for four years, and moved to the Monterey area in 2011. I took some time off of teaching to run a healthy school lunch program that focused on providing access to local, quality food and health education to elementary schools in the area. Upon my return to classroom teaching, I have worked as a mentor for new science teachers, and I am continuously finding new ways to challenge myself and my students in exploring scientific ideas, techniques, and skills.
Ryan Harber
MAOS English TEACHER
Michelle Zaragoza
MAOS Science TEACHER
Kelly Hertlein
MAOS Counselor
khertlein@mpusd.k12.ca.us
831-392-3801
Biography
I was born and raised in Tustin, a sunny suburb in Orange County, California. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2009 from Fresno State University and participated in Division I athletics on the women's volleyball team. I received my Master of Arts in Education and School Counseling Credential in 2012 and an Administrative Credential in 2018. After 7 years of counseling at the middle school level, I'm thrilled to be at Monterey High and with the MAOS Academy.