Faculty and Staff

Join Our Team

Administration

Tim Drury

Executive Director

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:timdrury@blueoakcharterschool.org

Classroom Teachers

Cheryl Grant

Kindergarten - Maple Rose

Cheryl Grant ~ Kindergarten Teacher Bilingual BA in French and German, University of Alberta, Canada 1992; California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, CSU Chico 2001; Waldorf Teacher Education Diploma, Rudolf Steiner College 2015. Upon earning a degree Cheryl spent her days teaching English in Japan and traveling throughout India, Thailand and California. In California she met her husband, Michael, and here they settled and eventually grew into a family of five. Her children, Emma and Quinn are Blue Oak alumni, and Margareta is a Blue Oak Student. While in the credential program, Cheryl discovered the wisdom of Waldorf education, and has been committed to this movement since. She came to Blue Oak in 2003 as a substitute teacher, Kindergarten Aide, After-school care provider, and dedicated parent, and soon after took her own Kindergarten class. In the Kindergarten, Cheryl is passionate about preserving the magic and wonder of childhood, and strives to bring love, warmth, beauty and joy to her children and the program. Cheryl enjoys spending time in nature and her rose garden, camping, yoga, singing, and visiting family in Canada and Costa Rica. (Joined BOCS 2003)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:cherylgrant@blueoakcharterschool.org

Sheila Moss

Kindergarten-Huckleberry

Sheila Moss

Kindergarten-Huckleberry

Sheila Moss ~ Kindergarten Teacher BA Interdisciplinary Studies, Western Governors University (WGU) 2016; California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, WGU 2016. Sheila has a lifelong love of nature, music, dance, languages, and arts. She has traveled in Europe, Asia, Mexico, and Central America, taught English in Nepal, and worked for 20 years in the nonprofit sector. She first fell in love with Waldorf Education in the eighties, and has completed many Waldorf courses in Chico, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and the Bay Area since 2007. During her six years working as a Kindergarten Aide at Blue Oak, her wonderful colleagues inspired her to become a teacher herself. She taught Kindergarten for three years, and now, as a Grades Teacher, Sheila strives to create a joyful, loving, and inclusive learning community, where every child feels seen, and keeps their sense of wonder and love of learning. She lives in Chico with her son Jay, a college student and happy Blue Oak alumnus, and their cat, Juniper. (Joined BOCS 2008)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:sheilamoss@blueoakcharterschool.org

Kate McDonald

1st Grade

Kate McDonald

1st Grade

Kate McDonald ~ 4th grade Teacher BA in Liberal Studies with an Art Concentration at Cal State Northridge, and later went on to receive a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Cal State Channel Islands, and a Waldorf Teacher Education Diploma from Rudolf Steiner College. Before settling into her career as a classroom teacher, Kate taught Environmental Education in the Outdoor School setting for eight years, and taught at a play-based preschool for four years. Kate has completed a full trip through the grades with her first class and is currently in her first year with her second class. Kate is a mother to Odin, who will be entering TK at Blue Oak next year. She loves to sing, play with her dogs, ride her bike, and eat happy vegan goodness! She is also obsessed with plants! (Joined BOCS 2011)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:katherinemcdonald@blueoakcharterschool.org

Hunter Hamblin

2nd Grade

Hunter Hamblin

2nd Grade

BS in Nutrition and Food Science with an emphasis in Nutritional Management, CSU Chico 2015; California Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential Program, CSU Chico 2018. Hunter’s admiration for her teachers throughout her educational history and Hunter’s love of life-long learning guided her decision of becoming a teacher. Hunter has 9 years experience in food service where she would proudly prepare, serve, and educate those around her in facilities including retirement homes, summer camp kitchens, school cafeterias, and the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion (CNAP). When Hunter is not at school, she is most likely camping, cooking, baking, coloring, sewing, golfing, pretending she’s a mermaid in local creeks, practicing lettering, going on neighborhood walks, reading, and spending time with her partner and best friend. (Joined BOCS 2019)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:hunterhamblin@blueoakcharterschool.org

Brittany Jones

3rd Grade

Brittany Jones

3rd Grade

Brittany Jones ~ 1st grade Teacher BA in English, CSU Chico 2007; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, Simpson University 2009. Brittany first learned about Waldorf education through a presentation during her teaching credential program. She instantly felt it was her calling to be a Waldorf teacher and dreamed of one day having her own class in a Waldorf school. During Brittany’s first year at Blue Oak, she was a 4th grade long-term sub. She then looped down and has taught her current class since the 1st grade. Brittany is a mother to Bennett (6), Fallyn (3), and Winter (1). She has always had a strong connection with animals and has two rescue dogs and one rescue cat at home. Brittany enjoys poetry, crystals, thrifting, decorating, looking at the stars, visiting the ocean, and camping with her husband and children. (Joined BOCS 2013)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:brittanyjones@blueoakcharterschool.org

Brittany Smith

4th Grade

Brittany Smith

4th Grade

Brittany first realized she had what it takes to be a teacher at the age of twelve when helping as a teachers assistant in the church Sunday school. In 2018 she went on to receive her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Saint Martin's University (SMU) in Lacey, Washington. Shortly after starting her first teaching job in Washington in 2019, life threw her a happy curveball as the love of her life proposed, and not long after she moved to Florida to be with her new husband. Brittany has spent the last five years teaching in a Florida public elementary school setting, doing a little bit of everything, as she has taught grades Pre-k, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Trying this variety of grade levels has strengthened her knowledge of curriculum, grade level academic expectations, and pedagogy. Brittany also loves to learn about other cultures, which inspired an amazing 3-week trip to Japan in 2018. Additionally Brittany has an interest in teaching English as a second language, leading to her acquiring her Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate in 2023. The Waldorf way is relatively new to Brittany though she has found it resonates with her deeply and she is enthusiastic about learning and teaching in this style, especially since it closely echoes much of her own homeschool learning experience. Brittany's childhood as a homeschool student in the beautiful Pacific Northwest helped her develop passions for both foliage and fawna, conservation, and a strong community mindset. She is thrilled to be back on the west coast and has desperately missed real rugged hiking trails. Her hobbies include: exploring the outdoors, reading, singing, painting, and cooking. She is ecstatic about being able to integrate all of these interests into her teaching practices as a Waldorf inspired teacher.

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:brittanysmith@blueoakcharterschool.org

Angela Aguilar

5th Grade TBD

Angela Aguilar

5th Grade TBD

Phone:(530) 879-7483

August Miller

6th Grade

August Miller

6th Grade

Nick earned his B.A. in Social Science with an emphasis in Child Development and Multicultural and Gender Studies as well as his Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at CSU, Chico. He at first thought he would pursue a career in medicine, but when his daughter was born in 2008, he became completely enthralled by the process of children learning and growing. He set out to become a teacher and within two years had his B.A. and teaching credential. He began to substitute in the Chico Unified School District and was introduced to Blue Oak and Waldorf education while filling a long term substitute position in the Special Education classroom. He discovered the wonder of Waldorf education and has since earned his Waldorf Teaching Certification from Rudolf Steiner College. He has taught 11 years as a classroom teacher and three years as a games teacher. He is happy to rejoin the Upper Grades team in sixth grade this year! In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, playing music, hiking, and playing basketball. (Joined BOCS 2012)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:nickmeier@blueoakcharterschool.org

Emma Todd

7th Grade

Emma Todd

7th Grade

Emma Todd brings a heartfelt dedication to nurturing the whole child and believes that education can shape compassionate, capable human beings. She joined Blue Oak Charter School in January 2025 after a decade-long career as a child therapist, bringing with her a deep understanding of child development and emotional well-being. Currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Education, Emma is committed to a teaching path rooted in connection, creativity, and purpose. A proud alumna of both Summerfield Waldorf School and High School in Sonoma County and Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School in Sydney, Australia, Emma has been nurtured by the Waldorf community since childhood. Her appreciation for this holistic approach fuels her belief that Waldorf education uniquely prepares children to meet both today’s challenges and those still to come. Emma finds joy in storytelling, crafting, spending time in nature, and celebrating the rhythm of the seasons with her students. She is also a devoted mother of two, an animal lover, and a firm believer in the importance of community both within the classroom and beyond.

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:emmatodd@blueoakcharterschool.org

Sarah Lee

8th Grade

Sarah Lee

8th Grade

Sarah earned her B.S. Health Science, Health Education in 1999 from CSU, Chico. Upon graduating she did volunteer work which took her all around the globe, from Honduras to Israel. From 2003-2008 she worked at Tri Counties bank in the loan processor. Seeking a more creative and fulfilling career, Sarah decided to go to back to school for her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, which she earned in 2009 from CSU, Chico. She spent half of her student teaching in Dublin, Ireland as part of an exchange program. Sarah was hired as a Kindergarten teacher at Blue Oak School in 2009, when the school expanded to the East Avenue location. Kindergarten was a magical place where she spent her first three years as an educator. Sarah took a first grade class in the 2012-2013 school year, where she has moved through the grades with her class. In that time, she entered the Rudolf Steiner Hybrid Program, and earned her Waldorf Teaching Certificate for Grades teachers. Sarah enjoys mountain biking, being with friends and family, and self-development as a practice, particularly using mindfulness. (Joined BOS 2009)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:sarahlee@blueoakcharterschool.org

Specialty Teachers

Amy HilQuist

Games Teacher

Amy HilQuist

Games Teacher

Sarah Eblin

Handwork Specialty Presenter 1st - 8th

Sarah Eblin

Handwork Specialty Presenter 1st - 8th

After taking all of the art related classes at her local community college, Sarah chose to seek knowledge in a less traditional way. With her love of learning new handwork skills driving her, she attended seminars, workshops and private classes, read stacks of books, found elders to learn from, and never allowed her hands to stop ‘making’. She furthers her education on her own in her spare time; sometimes failure is the best teacher. When Sarah is not working on her own projects, she is teaching others, be it volunteering in her childrens’ schools, teaching after school classes through CARD, or as of the 2018 school year, teaching handwork to the middle school grades at Blue Oak. Sarah believes that fostering a love and appreciation for handwork and other arts is just as important as mastering the skills needed to create. She also teaches social emotional skills and runs the PIP program at a local elementary school. Sarah is a mother to a 4th and 6th grader, and finds her own children to be her most challenging handwork students. She loves coffee, corny jokes, and inspiring others to be creative. (Joined BOCS 2018)

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2024
Email:saraheblin@blueoakcharterschool.org

Abigail Segobia

ELA/Math Teacher

Abigail Segobia

ELA/Math Teacher

Emily Swanson

Music Specialty Presenter 1st - 8th

Emily Swanson

Music Specialty Presenter 1st - 8th

Instructional Aides and Paraprofessionals

Shawn Von Rotz

Instructional Aide

Shawn Von Rotz

Instructional Aide

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:shawn@blueoakcharterschool.org

Cristina Solis-Herrera

Paraprofessional

Cristina Solis-Herrera

Paraprofessional

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2049
Email:cristinasolishererra@blueoakcharterschool.org

Elizabeth Nail

Paraprofessional

Elizabeth Nail

Paraprofessional

B.S. in Agricultural Business, CSU, Chico 2004; M.A. in Agricultural Economics, Washington State University 2005. After graduation, Elizabeth spent years working in product control and production scheduling at Foster Farms in central California before deciding to take a step away from full-time employment to focus on her then growing family. She joined Blue Oak first as a parent in 2016 and then as a staff member in 2018. Elizabeth has worked as a classroom aide in kindergarten and first grade and as math support aide for grades 1-8. She most enjoys helping students get engaged in their learning and excited about how they can apply new knowledge outside of the classroom. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her family, reading, camping at the beach, and the occasional woodworking or home improvement project. (Joined BOCS in 2018)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:elizabethnail@blueoakcharterschool.org

Michelle Breeze

Paraprofessional

Michelle Breeze

Paraprofessional

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2049
Email:michellebreeze@blueoakcharterschool.org

Amy HilQuist

Paraprofessional

Amy HilQuist

Paraprofessional

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2049
Email:amyhilquist@blueoakcharterschool.org

Support Staff

Maggie Buckley

Executive Assistant/HR Coordinator & Office Manager

Maggie Buckley

Executive Assistant/HR Coordinator & Office Manager

Maggie earned her Bachelors of Science in Business and Human Resources. She is a friend to all creatures big and small. She likes to read contemporary fiction, go on long walks with her pug Gus, and cook with her teenagers. Her husband is a teacher and they enjoy sharing funny kid stories after a long day of work. Both of her sons attended Blue Oak School from Kindergarten until graduating 8th Grade.

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2006
Email:Maggie@blueoakcharterschool.org

Kelley Chandler

Attendance Clerk/Behavior Support/Festival Support

Kelley Chandler

Attendance Clerk/Behavior Support/Festival Support

Kelley graduated from Chico State in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Graphic Design, with a minor in Sociology. During her undergrad, Kelley wrote as an Opinion columnist for Chico State's newspaper The Orion, and was an active member of Lambda Theta Nu, Sorority Inc., a Latina-based sorority. The most memorable part of her undergrad was leading the annual Latina Youth Leadership Conference promoting higher education and leadership in our Latinx youth, and performing for her sorority's step and stroll team. Kelley joined Blue Oak Charter School in the Fall of 2018, working as the Attendance Clerk and now Festival Support. In her life outside of work, Kelley has coached girls basketball at the local and national level for twelve years. She also enjoys being an auntie to her niece and nephew, being in nature with her puppy Lucy, attending Trivia Night with friends, spending time at her family's cabin in Tahoe, and getting lost in arts and crafts while listening to Taylor Swift.

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2002
Email:Kelley@blueoakcharterschool.org

Kellie Machi

Registrar

Kellie Machi

Registrar

Kellie Machi joined the staff at Blue Oak School in 2018, working in the front office. Since the 2018-19 school year, Kellie has been our school Registrar. Kellie and her husband found Blue Oak School when they moved to Chico from the Bay Area in 2016 and were seeking enrollment for their then-fourth grader. She is passionate about education and the Waldorf approach to the whole child. Kellie recently returned to school to earn a degree in Creative Writing and English, emphasizing social justice issues. When she has free time, Kellie is an avid reader and loves traveling and spending time with friends and family. (Joined BOCS in 2018)

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2037
Email:kellie@blueoakcharterschool.org

Luis Ortega

Business Office Assistant

Luis Ortega

Business Office Assistant

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2050
Email:luisortega@blueoakcharterschool.org

Ashley Angel

School Counselor

Ashley Angel

School Counselor

Ashley graduated from Marymount California University in May of 2020 with a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology. She then went on to work at a Montessori school as a teacher's assistant. That is where she saw a need for students to balance their mental health in order to be successful within the classroom environment. She then graduated with a Masters of Education in School Counseling from the University of Southern California in August of 2022. She also has experience as a behavior interventionist, and as a reading specialist. She is currently attending Pepperdine University pursuing her Master's of Arts in Clinical Psychology. She is expected to graduate sometime in 2027 where she plans on becoming a therapist for the Chico community.

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2011
Email:ashleyangel@blueoakcharterschool.org

Kayla Mahanay

Health Aide

Kayla Mahanay

Health Aide

Kayla has been with Blue Oak School since 2021. She is a wife, mother of a teenage daughter, Alona, and a dog mom to her Beagle, Maverick and her German Shepherd, Bella. She enjoys playing softball and traveling to new places. (Joined BOCS 2021)

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2007
Email:kaylamahanay@blueoakcharterschool.org

Natalie Wren

School Nurse

Natalie Wren

School Nurse

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2007
Email:nataliewren@blueoakcharterschool.org

Facilities

Kathy Maddox

Facility Assistant

Kathy Maddox

Facility Assistant

Kathy Maddox has enjoyed 7 years at Blue Oak. She loves camping, traveling and walking her dog, Zak. (Joined BOCS in 2015)

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2039
Email:kathymaddox@blueoakcharterschool.org

Melanie Couch

Custodian

Melanie Couch

Custodian

Melanie Couch grew up in the great state of Illinois, where she became an all-state basketball player and earned a Junior college basketball scholarship. A few years after that, she moved to California with her family. Melanie has enjoyed working at Blue Oak Charter School for the past 8 years. She has had many hats, such as working in the kitchen, as a kindergarten aide and now in facilities. She loves long walks with her dog and camping in the Sierra mountains or along the beautiful ocean coast. (Joined BOCS in 2014)

Phone:(530) 879-7483
Email:melaniecouch@blueoakcharterschool.org

Gigi Mettler

Kitchen Aide

Gigi Mettler

Kitchen Aide

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2039
Email:Georgette Mettler <georgettemettler@blueoakcharterschool.org>

Nolan Rae

Custodian

Nolan Rae

Custodian

Nolan is a California native born and raised. At the age of 18, he joined the US Air Force. He spent 5 years in the force, obtaining premium janitorial training from the most skilled Airman in the country. He now uses this knowledge to help protect our school from dust and grime

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2039
Email:nolanrae@blueoakcharterschool.org

Special Education

Joan Ferm

Resource Teacher

Joan Ferm

Resource Teacher

Joan has a Master's in Teaching, Special Education Credential and Bachelor's in Psychology. She began working in Education as a parent volunteer in her son's Special Education classroom in 2012 then began her professional career in Education in 2017 as a paraprofessional, Substitute teacher and then became an Education Specialist. Joan's hobbies include most forms of creativity ( drawing, painting, photography), being outdoors (camping and hiking) and reading. Among the few simple things closest to Joan's heart are learning and spending time with family and friends. Joan has two sons, 3rd and 9th grades that are her driving force behind her passion for ensuring all students have a positive and well rounded education. (Joined BOCS in 2022)

Phone:(530) 879-7483 Ext. 2026
Email:joanferm@blueoakcharterschool.org

Jakob Vojnovic

Resource Teacher

Jakob Vojnovic

Resource Teacher

My name is Jakob Vojnovic, But my students usually call me “Mr. V.” I’ve been teaching special education for two years, and worked as a paraprofessional For two years before that. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my cats, making art, playing guitar, writing songs, going to concerts, and building scale model kits. I live in Chico, and originally went to Chico State University to study audio production and music industry. Before that, I grew up in Sacramento.