Here at Pacific Preparatory, we are so unbelievably lucky to have Kathy Pahel as our Faculty Manager and Instructional Coach. Kathy brings an illustrious career and set of experiences to her role that allow her to advocate for and support teachers in an unparalleled fashion. With a BA in Political Science, minors in Education and Religious Studies, teaching credentials in English and social science, and a Masters in Education, Kathy is an educator through and through. She has been teaching since 2013, from ancient, medieval, and US history in the classroom to five years of 1:1 tutoring and homeschool teaching. Prior to joining our leadership team, she was also a 1:1 tutor with Tutor Corps and the Tutor Corps Foundation and a 1:1 teacher through Pacific Preparatory.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which we learn about and develop key emotional and social skills. These include, but are not limited to: recognizing, responding to, and managing emotions and developing empathy to care for self, friends and family, & the greater community.

At PacPrep, we firmly believe in supporting the entire student. What this means is, we don’t just focus on academics in our session. Our teachers naturally integrate social and emotional learning within each class session. Each teacher works to get to know the student authentically so that they can fully support them to meet their goals.

This summer, PacPrep has been so incredibly lucky to welcome our new Admissions Manager, Molly Tweten, to the family. Molly brings over 10 years of experience in social work, community engagement, and nonprofit management to the role, which puts her in a unique position to listen to families, understand their children’s needs, and advocate on their behalf.

As we at PacPrep very well know, the benefits of 1:1 education are countless: customized learning plans, individualized attention, and access to world-class educators and mentors. But, as many families ask us, what about socialization with their peers? As we look ahead to the 2021-2022 academic year, we are excited to continue our extracurricular programming with a fun lineup of activities.

Our August issue of “Interview with an Expert” features Dr. Joie Jager-Hyman. She is an internationally acclaimed expert on the college admissions process and the Founder of College Prep 360, a boutique educational advising firm with an unrivaled track record of success.

Our summer art camp covered the style of artists such as Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Wayne Thiebaud.

This past year has stretched and challenged many caregivers, students, and teachers to approach learning differently. Although here at PacPrep, we have been doing online learning for many years, the idea of virtual learning was a new concept for many. We have found that a significant number of students that previously only experienced traditional, in-person instruction, thrived in a virtual learning environment. Families are now challenging the status quo and determining if virtual or hybrid models will help their child thrive academically.

Alina is detail oriented, but does not lose sight of the big picture. She is thoughtful, caring, and deeply invested in student growth and wellness.

Taking challenging courses requires the student to have a strong sense of responsibility and commitment. At PacPrep, we’re happy to offer our students the opportunity to inspire themselves by taking an Advanced Placement (AP) class. We offer a variety of AP courses that give students a meaningful way to receive college credit while in high school.

After working with Rebecca for over a year, we’re so pleased to welcome her to the team officially as our wonderful new Outreach Director. With a passion for building relationships with our community and a keen eye for being detail-oriented, she truly fits right in!

We have found that children enrolled in summer courses have their love of learning reignited and are less likely to experience dreaded summer boredom. Our one-on-one model allows us to tailor each course to the wants and needs of each student and their family. By enrolling in PacPrep’s summer semester, your child can have the freedom to explore specific courses relating to their passions!

May was Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) month. At Pacific Preparatory, we want to help your family celebrate and learn about the vast contributions of the AAPI community all-year round. Studies have shown that it is crucial to start teaching lessons about diversity early in a child’s life to reduce negative biases. Here are our recommendations of things you can do as a parent to introduce your child to AAPI heritage.

Our June issue of “Interview with an Expert” features Lisa Spengler, a stellar educational consultant with vast experience in all facets of education and a passion for supporting families.

Darla has a “kid at heart” personality that draws in her young students and keeps them engaged (which isn’t always easy with elementary-aged kids).

Belinda’s excess of patience, care, and kindness help her math students feel supported and comfortable.

Our leadership team is lucky enough to work with teachers on a daily basis and, behind the scenes, we’re constantly developing new ways to support their success in the classroom.

This month’s installment of “Interview with an Expert” features college admissions consultant extraordinaire, Irena Smith.

Our admissions director shares her thoughts on the top five reasons she hears from families about why they choose Pacific Preparatory.

The content of this post comes directly from our recent webinar on the topic of interventions, featuring expert information from our collaborator, Shayna Abraham of Prepare to Bloom.

April celebrates Arab-American Heritage Month and all the contributions that Arab-Americans have made to society.