22-23 School Year Information and COVID Procedures Learn More

Stella High Charter Academy

Discover Our Staff

Discover Our Staff

Alexis
Carrero

Teacher

Alexis Carrero

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Alexis Carrero

Teacher

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Amanda
Lopez

Campus Aide

Amanda Lopez

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Amanda Lopez

Campus Aide

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Andrea
Garcia Chavez

College & Career Counseling Assistant

Andrea Garcia Chavez

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Andrea Garcia Chavez

College & Career Counseling Assistant

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Andry
Alvarez Castillo

Campus Aide

Andry Alvarez Castillo

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Andry Alvarez Castillo

Campus Aide

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Angelique
Lopez

Teacher

Angelique Lopez

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Angelique Lopez

Teacher

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Anh
Pham

Teacher

Anh Pham

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Anh Pham

Teacher

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Anita
Pande

Teacher

Anita Pande

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Anita Pande

Teacher

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Bernadette
McComish

Teacher

Bernadette McComish

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Bernadette McComish

Teacher

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Beth
Pollak

Instructional Coach

Beth Pollak

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Beth Pollak

Instructional Coach

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Bryan
Alfaro

School Data Specialist

Bryan Alfaro

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Bryan Alfaro

School Data Specialist

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Carla
Chavez

Inclusion Specialist Teacher

Carla Chavez

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Carla Chavez

Inclusion Specialist Teacher

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Chelsea
Dunn

Teacher

Chelsea Dunn

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Chelsea Dunn

Teacher

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Christie
Romero

Teacher

Christie Romero

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Christie Romero

Teacher

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Christopher
Simpson

Teacher

Christopher Simpson

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Christopher Simpson

Teacher

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Colleen
Trejo

Assistant Principal

Colleen Trejo

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Colleen Trejo

Assistant Principal

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Curtis
Nash

Dean of Student & Family Services

Curtis Nash

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Curtis Nash

Dean of Student & Family Services

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Cynthia
Astorga

Counselor

Cynthia Astorga

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Cynthia Astorga

Counselor

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Danny
Oliver

Dean of Operations

Danny Oliver

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Danny Oliver

Dean of Operations

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Darryl
Garris

Principal, Stella High Charter Academy

Darryl Garris

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Darryl Garris

Principal, Stella High Charter Academy

Darryl Garris is the principal for Stella High Charter Academy, and he leads the school to ensure all Eagles achieve academic excellence and grow their unique talents so they find joy and fulfillment in higher education, career, and life.

Previously, Darryl served Bright Star Schools as principal of Stella Middle Charter Academy (Grades 5-6) and as assistant principal of Stella Middle Charter Academy. Darryl also taught pre-algebra, algebra readiness, and Algebra 1 at Stella Middle Charter Academy and Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy.

Prior to joining Bright Star Schools, Darryl was a teacher at Dorsey High School as a Teach For America corps member.

Darryl holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in environmental economics from UC Berkeley’s College of Natural Resources. He also holds a master’s degree in urban education, a master’s degree in school administration, and a certificate in charter school leadership from Loyola Marymount University's School of Education.

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David
Liebhauser

Teacher

David Liebhauser

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David Liebhauser

Teacher

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David
Salinas

Instructional Assistant

David Salinas

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David Salinas

Instructional Assistant

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Dominique
Romero

Alumni Support and College Success Community College & CTE Coordinator

Dominique Romero

Contact

Dominique Romero

Alumni Support and College Success Community College & CTE Coordinator

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Edenrose
Preszler

Counselor

Edenrose Preszler

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Edenrose Preszler

Counselor

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Emily
Robles

Paraprofessional

Emily Robles

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Emily Robles

Paraprofessional

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Erik
Espinoza

Athletic Director/Testing Coordinator

Erik Espinoza

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Erik Espinoza

Athletic Director/Testing Coordinator

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Frank
Amezcua

Teacher

Frank Amezcua

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Frank Amezcua

Teacher

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Genesis
Peinder

Teacher

Genesis Peinder

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Genesis Peinder

Teacher

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Genoveva
Cortes

Director, Alumni Support and College Success

Genoveva Cortes

Contact

Genoveva Cortes

Director, Alumni Support and College Success

Supporting: Bright Star Schools alumni, classes of 2010-2022, in graduate school applications and career coaching

M.A., Harvard Graduate School of Education, Class of 2010

B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, Class of 1997

Genoveva Garibay Cortes has over two decades of experience working as an elementary and middle school teacher, K-12 and college administrator, and program coordinator. She was Bright Star Schools’ founding math teacher for Stella Middle Charter Academy in 2003, and currently serves as the Director of the Alumni Support and College Success (ASCS) Program for the organization. Geno developed and launched Bright Star’s ASCS Program to support the organization’s alumni to persist in and graduate from higher education. ASCS tracks, supports, and coaches Bright Star Schools' alumni to get to and through higher education, with a goal of 60% of Bright Star Schools alumni graduating with a bachelor's or associate's degree, vocational certificate, or from a workplace development program within six years of high school graduation. Geno is a former foster youth and the first in her family to have graduated from college. She is passionate about educational equity and reform, and social justice. 

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Georgina
Perez

Campus Aide

Georgina Perez

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Georgina Perez

Campus Aide

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Gustavo
Herrera

Teacher

Gustavo Herrera

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Gustavo Herrera

Teacher

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Heidi
Bretado

Inclusion Specialist Teacher

Heidi Bretado

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Heidi Bretado

Inclusion Specialist Teacher

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Idalia
Farias Izaguirre

Campus Aide

Idalia Farias Izaguirre

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Idalia Farias Izaguirre

Campus Aide

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Ivy
Do

Teacher

Ivy Do

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Ivy Do

Teacher

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Jarol
Dubon Argueta

Campus Aide

Jarol Dubon Argueta

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Jarol Dubon Argueta

Campus Aide

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Javier
Caldera

Teacher

Javier Caldera

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Javier Caldera

Teacher

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Jennifer
Shetland

Teacher

Jennifer Shetland

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Jennifer Shetland

Teacher

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Jessica
Fernandez

Teacher

Jessica Fernandez

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Jessica Fernandez

Teacher

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Jessica
Romero

Instructional Assistant

Jessica Romero

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Jessica Romero

Instructional Assistant

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Jesus
Ramirez

Assistant Principal

Jesus Ramirez

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Jesus Ramirez

Assistant Principal

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Johanna
Lopez

Office Manager

Johanna Lopez

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Johanna Lopez

Office Manager

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Johanna
Madrid-Gastelum

Dean of Culture and Restorative Practices

Johanna Madrid-Gastelum

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Johanna Madrid-Gastelum

Dean of Culture and Restorative Practices

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Jonathan
Meneses

Instructional Assistant

Jonathan Meneses

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Jonathan Meneses

Instructional Assistant

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Jose
Cabrera

Instructional Assistant

Jose Cabrera

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Jose Cabrera

Instructional Assistant

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Juana
Garcia

Maintenance

Juana Garcia

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Juana Garcia

Maintenance

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Kestler
Mencos Alonzo

Campus Aide

Kestler Mencos Alonzo

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Kestler Mencos Alonzo

Campus Aide

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Kimberly
Sanders

Culture and Restorative Practices Specialist

Kimberly Sanders

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Kimberly Sanders

Culture and Restorative Practices Specialist

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Krystle
Menduke

Dean of Academic Supports

Krystle Menduke

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Krystle Menduke

Dean of Academic Supports

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La Tasha
Poster

Teacher

La Tasha Poster

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La Tasha Poster

Teacher

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Liliana
Lopez

Teacher

Liliana Lopez

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Liliana Lopez

Teacher

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Luis
Garcia

Maintenance

Luis Garcia

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Luis Garcia

Maintenance

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Magaly
Fernandez

Instructional Assistant

Magaly Fernandez

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Magaly Fernandez

Instructional Assistant

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Maigon
Buckner

Assistant Principal of Culture

Maigon Buckner

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Maigon Buckner

Assistant Principal of Culture

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Marvin
Casasola

Campus Aide

Marvin Casasola

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Marvin Casasola

Campus Aide

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Melissa
Gonzalez

Counselor

Melissa Gonzalez

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Melissa Gonzalez

Counselor

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Miguel
Fuentes

Instructional Assistant

Miguel Fuentes

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Miguel Fuentes

Instructional Assistant

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Miriam
Hernandez

Paraprofessional

Miriam Hernandez

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Miriam Hernandez

Paraprofessional

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Monica
Gonzalez

Dean of Student & Family Services

Monica Gonzalez

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Monica Gonzalez

Dean of Student & Family Services

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Oscar
Moreno

Teacher

Oscar Moreno

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Oscar Moreno

Teacher

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Preeyam
Roy

Teacher

Preeyam Roy

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Preeyam Roy

Teacher

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Ranica
Hortelano

Campus Aide

Ranica Hortelano

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Ranica Hortelano

Campus Aide

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Ricardo
Gomez

Instructional Assistant

Ricardo Gomez

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Ricardo Gomez

Instructional Assistant

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Rigo
Torres

Lead Campus Aide

Rigo Torres

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Rigo Torres

Lead Campus Aide

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Said
Cambray

Teacher

Said Cambray

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Said Cambray

Teacher

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Samuel
Perez

Attendance Coordinator

Samuel Perez

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Samuel Perez

Attendance Coordinator

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Sandra
Nevarez

Behavior Implementation Interventionist

Sandra Nevarez

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Sandra Nevarez

Behavior Implementation Interventionist

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Shelby
Goodrich Jr

Teacher

Shelby Goodrich Jr

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Shelby Goodrich Jr

Teacher

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Stephanie
Martinez

Instructional Assistant

Stephanie Martinez

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Stephanie Martinez

Instructional Assistant

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Susan
Wilson

Teacher

Susan Wilson

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Susan Wilson

Teacher

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Timothy
Morales

Teacher

Timothy Morales

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Timothy Morales

Teacher

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Wendy
Pineda

Counselor

Wendy Pineda

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Wendy Pineda

Counselor

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Zayra
De Leon

Instructional Assistant

Zayra De Leon

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Zayra De Leon

Instructional Assistant

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In our small, joyful schools we provide students with excellent academics, holistic and inclusive support, personal attention, and rich life opportunities beyond the classroom so they thrive from kindergarten through high school.