We are very excited to introduce the new teachers who will be joining INTL's* faculty for the 2014–2015 school year!
Jacqueline Cody
3rd Grade English in French Program and UES English Curriculum Coordinator
Jacqueline was born in Maui and grew up in Bangkok where she attended an International Baccalaureate School. She has a Bachelor’s from the University of British Columbia, a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from the University of Nottingham and a Master’s from Edinburgh University. She has previously taught in international schools in Bangkok and Nairobi. She is a child-centered practitioner who is very passionate about experiential learning and mentoring. In her spare time, she loves traveling, cooking and meeting new people.
Ya-Ching Chang
3rd Grade Chinese
Ya-Ching was born and grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. She taught English in Taiwan before studying abroad in the United States. She has a Master's degree in Childhood Multicultural Education from SUNY Geneseo. For the past four years, she taught 3rd grade in a Chinese immersion school in Minnesota. She is very excited to join the international community at INTL. In her spare time, Ya-Ching enjoys traveling, photography, and target archery.
Claire Héritier-Kerby
Middle School American History Substituting for Rebecca Schall during her maternity leave.
Claire grew up in the Bay Area and attended INTL, graduating in the class of 2005. She studied at the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom and L'Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) before receiving her degree in History from UC Santa Cruz. Claire is excited to return to the INTL community to share her passion for history in the classroom!
Michael Kulbieda
3rd Grade English and Computer Science in Chinese Program
Michael is originally from Connecticut and has a passion for international education. He spent time teaching ESL in Mexico and South Korea before attending graduate school at Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe for an elementary teaching credential and a Masters in Teaching. Michael taught at the International School of Frankfurt, Germany for 2 and a half years before returning to the USA to continue his teaching career. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking, and playing guitar.
Melanie Maynarich
2nd Grade English in French Program
Melanie grew up in Michigan with a large, loving family. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Child Development. For the past five years, she taught 1st and 2nd grade at 3e International School in Beijing. Melanie just married this summer and is eager to continue working in a bilingual international school. She loves dancing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing games, and riding roller coasters.
Valérie Ribo
French Elementary School Learning Support Teacher
Valérie is originally from the South of France. She holds a French Occupational Therapy Diploma, and worked 10 years in a Neurology Rehab center in Marseille before moving to California. She spent several years taking care of her 2 daughters, then started to teach FSL in Los Altos School District. After 4 years working as a substitute teacher at INTL, she is very happy to start this new position. She looks forward to helping the students in their needs, working closely with their teachers, and using her Occupational Therapy background. In her free time, Valérie enjoys creating arts & crafts, and loves nature.
Asya Solomatin
Middle School Science/Math in English
Asya was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and came to the US in 1992. She arrived in San Francisco and has lived in the Bay Area since then. Asya graduated from Stanford with a M.S. in Biology and did research in neuroimaging for 6 years before switching to education. She has been teaching full time for the past 7 years; during this time she has taught a range of subjects - from science and math to debate - in upper elementary and middle school. She loves teaching both sciences and humanities: making connections between these disciplines makes both teaching and learning more interesting. Asya is excited about joining INTL and is looking forward to teaching and learning there!
*In 2020, the International School of the Peninsula (ISTP) formally changed its name to Silicon Valley International School (INTL) to better reflect its bilingual programs, location, and international values.
