 Words about Nychaela from her coworkers:
Nychaela is SO fun to work with. She's firm, friendly and funny. She's been so patient in building relationships with our middle school students and kids see her as a trusted adult. Side note: Her BBQ chicken torta is craveable! Go Coach CRUMP! Nychaela is committed to her students' physical well-being in multiple ways! Her focus on building students' endurance through running laps, her focus on increasing her students' nutritional knowledge - these are just some of the ways she's encouraging students life-long commitment to wellness. She also goes above and beyond to recognize students investment and engagement by making 'Crump Juice' (like Jamba Juice, but better) for her kids or hosting a 'Glo' party. Please help her with her next student event, by checking out https://www.gofundme.com/bubblesoccer ! Nychaela is inspiring as a person and a teacher. She does so much from being a fighter-top notch teacher and a cook! Her work ethic is second to none. Nychaela brings high energy, passion and dedication to the forefront of all her interactions with our students both in and out of class. Above all, she is hilarious and not afraid of spontaneity! Nycheala is such wonderful person! She brings so much joy to the CMA community! She is a supportive colleague and a phenomenal educator! Nychaela is always willing to jump in and support when needed! She cares so much about her students and is always striving to be build relationships with them. She makes KidFit fun and engaging for the kids whether she is teaching 1st or 7th grade. She is constantly motivating students to do their best! Everyone absolutely adores her! GO Coach Crump! A recent interview with Nychaela: What is your favorite thing about Caliber? My favorite thing about Caliber is the Diversity, from the students to the different teaching styles of our fabulous teachers and staff. What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? My favorite subject in school was Human Anatomy, I love Fitness and Science and anatomy combined both of my favorite subjects. It is truly amazing how the body works! What is your favorite memory associated with music (maybe a memorable concert, or playing an instrument yourself!)? The closest memory I have with music is dancing! Sorry, I can't play an instrument if my life depended on it! However I’ve been a dancer for 22 years, Liturgical and Cultural dances are my go to. I’ve been a Liturgical dancer since I was 5 years old. In 2012, my mom Hosted a Breast Cancer event at our church and asked me to dance to honor all of the Breast Cancer Survivors. This was a special dance to me because my Grandmother was a Breast Cancer Survivor and she got to see me dance for the first and last time. It was a great feeling because it was in honor of HER! She passed away 2015. If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? Gosh, a hotel over the sea. I’d like to wake up and swim with the Dolphins. I don’t know why but I’ve always wanted to get lifted out of the water by a Dolphin. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically Vallejo)? My favorite thing about the Bay Area is that there are many events. I can do something different every weekend. What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? Omg fun fact!!!!!!! I am a Competitive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter! I fight Feather (129lbs) division. I want to compete in my first MMA fight before I’m 30. #Goals
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 "Words about Danny from his teachers:
"Danny is a ray of light in the 8th grade! He is kind and inquisitive and a leader among his peers. The thing I most enjoy about teaching and knowing Danny is his willingness to help other students learn. If Danny finishes an assignment early, I can always count on him to help his neighbor or any classmate who is struggling. We are lucky to have Danny as part of our Caliber family!" "Sometimes it feels like I learn as much from Danny as he learns from me. He possesses a rare wisdom that enriches each day's lesson and discussion. Most impressive, though, is Danny's moral compass and the fearlessness with which he articulates his world view. I am a better educator and better person because of the time that I have spent with this young man." "Danny is such a great example of the kind of person we want our students to be. He is a helpful, kind, and considerate member of our community that is also a rockstar in the classroom. His schoolwork and contributions to class discussions are consistently thoughtful and sophisticated. Danny is always keepin' it classy and is just fun to be around; he's one of my favorite people to run into during lunch or after school." A recent interview with Danny : What is your favorite thing about going to school at Caliber? It’s different, we have a better schedule. In my other school, our classes were hard, but the timing was awful because we didn't have enough time to learn well in such a short amount of time. Even the weekly schedule was bad, Caliber has the short days on Friday and that’s great! What is your favorite subject? My favorite subject has to be math. Mr. Heath is a really great teacher because he doesn’t give up on anybody. He pushes us to our greatest potential and he’s very hardworking. He makes sure that all his students are strong, he’s not too strict, but not too lenient. He knows when students need to be disciplined and this makes him cool! What is your favorite memory associated with music? I like songs with feeling, especially the ones from Coco. My little sister had the movie on repeat and the music was always playing in the background. Music has become very important to me and I can feel the meaning behind it. If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? If I could go on a dream vacation, I would go to Oaxaca, Mexico. I want to go there because it’s culturally rich. I've been there before and I think that building homes there is important. Corner stores have homes on top where entire families live, so working takes over peoples lives. If there were homes built around the business, not two in one, this would give everyone their lives back. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area? My favorite part about Richmond is that there is a sense of community. You can say "hi"to your neighbor and you feel welcomed. You don’t have to fear the people you live next to. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I feel like people know a lot about me, but they don’t know that I am the 4th out of 6 kids! Keep shining, Danny! We are happy to have you be part of our Caliber community!!  Chayla with CEO Jennifer Moses at Caliber's first ever 8th grade graduation.Words about Chayla from her coworkers:
"OMG... So totally deserved and overdue ! I don't even know where to start. Chayla is and has been the "heart" and "act" of the Caliber SSO since day 1 (which is not to discount her smarts or thinking skills, which are top notch too!). I am constantly amazed by how deeply she cares about our students and staff. Whether it's her formal role advocating for staff as our head of HR, or going the extra mile for our students on things like the DC or Alabama trip, Chayla is a tireless supporter of our community. I can't think of anyone on the team who better exemplifies Caliber's spirit and values!" "Chayla is our rock in the SSO. She has been here since the beginning, is calm, cool + collected, and she always reminds us of our big picture and moral compass. Beyond that, there is never a job that is too big or too small for Chayla. She takes on responsibility and initiatives that are outside of her "job description" all the time and never hesitates or complains. Chayla is a gem in every way. And really --- is there any more beautiful smile than hers?!!? no!! We love you Chayla, so so much. Caliber is beyond lucky to have you as a founding member and leader." " I cannot say all the great things about Chayla in one short paragraph! I'm constantly in awe at how gracefully she handles stressful situations. She always has a welcoming smile and is always willing to help in any way she can. I don't know how she does everything and manages to have a smile on her face AT ALL times. She's inspirational and someone I look up to since day 1! " "She is benevolent. She has a depth that gravites people to her and wraps warmth, support…….. And sometimes perspective to those around her." A recent interview with Chayla: What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber? I love that I'm able to grow here. I have so much respect for everyone I work with and am proud to be on this team because I feel like they truly have "students first" in mind. It's fulfilling to work at a place where we not only talk about equity but are doing the hard (ongoing!) work to make an equitable space for our staff, students and families. I haven't seen that many places I've worked before. What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? Definitely Sociology! I've always been interested in learning about different cultures, religions and how we all interact. What is your favorite memory associated with music (maybe a memorable concert, or playing an instrument yourself!)? I saw Stevie Wonder at the Oakland Arena a few years ago. After the show I went to bed then got a call from a friend that Stevie was doing a secret small show with less than 200 people at Yoshi's and they had an extra ticket. I jumped out of bed and went! He jammed until 4AM and interacted with everyone after the show. I even have a pic of him photobombing us! Favorite memory for sure! If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? I'm dying to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, it's at the top of my travel bucket list. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically Richmond )? Born & raised in the Bay Area! My favorite thing is the diversity and the mentality of acceptance for people to come as they are. What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? I made it to the 3rd round of auditions for X-Factor a few years ago and got a golden ticket! Scary and super fun experience!  Howard is a rock star teacher at Caliber: ChangeMakers Academy! His dedication and passion is palpable when you walk into his classroom. We are truly lucky to have Howard be part of the Caliber family! Words about Howard from his coworkers: "Howard is a pleasure to work with! He always finds a way to make everyone laugh in the midst of dealing with our darling (and crazy) middle school kiddos! Students love his class because it is engaging and they love his projects! I am honored to work with him!" "So happy he is being recognized! Howard is an incredible educator. This is due to the amazing things students achieve in his classroom, but also because of the strong relationships he builds with students. He is able to push students to grapple with real issues that impact them as people because he has built a classroom environment where students feel safe to explore and be who they truly are. On top of that, he is hilarious and a delight to be around.! He is such an asset to the CMA family. " "Howard is such a strong and professional presence in the building. He takes his teaching, content, and relationships seriously and the kids are invested in his class as a result. I love seeing Howard in the hallway or lounge because he is always positive and friendly. Howard is just one of those great guys that you always feel lucky to have on your team!" A recent interview with Howard: What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber? What stands out for me is the diversity of our staff, students, and families. In my 20+ years of teaching, I have NEVER worked in a place that TRULY represents all the rich diversity that we are SO fortunate to have. I appreciate that I can be my true self at Caliber: ChangeMakers Academy, and not leave anything at the gate. I also really enjoy my students and co-workers; the students give me joy and I really enjoy the comradery I have with my colleagues. What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? I didn't have a favorite subject in school, as much as I had a favorite teacher - In 3rd grade, Mrs. Hamilton, and in high school, Mr. Donohoe, my history teacher. Both of them met me where I was, and helped me to be the person I am today. Especially Mr. Donohoe! What is your favorite memory associated with music (maybe a memorable concert, or playing an instrument yourself!)? I played the trumpet throughout junior high and high school. I remember in high school, we marched in the Compton Christmas Parade, and our song for the competition was, "Glamorous Life", by Sheila E. It was AWESOME! If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? For my dream vacation, it has to be anywhere with beaches. I grew up in SoCal (Compton), so I need to be somewhere warm and with playa! So I'd have to say somewhere in the South Pacific, South Asia (Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, etc.), or the Caribbean. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically Vallejo )? SO many food options! What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? I played Lacrosse in high school, college, and on a club adult team. You don't see many African Americans from Compton playing Lacrosse  Words about Roseline from her coworkers:
"What can I say about the saint who resides in the corner of my classroom ...She does SO much and accepts so little in return. Once she told me, "The greatest thing you will ever give these kids is your time." Ms. Onu knows better than anyone the time it takes to do this job as well as she does. She keeps me sane, silly, and more often than not - well fed." "Ms. Onu is the glue that holds our 1st grade team together. She is always readily available to assist in any capacity, more importantly she offers her service with a smile. She is funny, compassionate and seasoned with experience. It's a joy working alongside her. Her purpose on campus is to serve the kids and educate them. She will always do what's best for the students no matter what. In the words of artist, 2Face, " She is my African Queen!" Well deserved recognition! Caliber loves you Ms. Onu. Thanks for all you do." A recent interview with Roseline: What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber? My favorite thing about working at Caliber is definitely the families. My interactions with the kids allow me to build relationships with everyone in their families; the moms, dads, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews. They have all touched and enriched me in different ways. The kids are very loving and appreciative. Their thirst for learning is infinite. I remember spending a little time helping a kid in third grade two years ago with a math problem. She thanked me for days and days. Her family went to Mexico and they brought me back a pen made in Chapala. The families are gracious and love to help. I honestly believe that one of Caliber’s strongest points is the relationship we build with our families. We are blessed in those strong relationships and I am thankful to be a part of it. I have not met anyone at Caliber that I didn’t like. I know for a fact that our "Rome" at Caliber is being built. We are always growing and evolving!! What was your favorite subject when you were in school and why? While I was in school, I loved history. I attribute it to the fact that I love to tell stories. I love memorizing dates and I am kind of good at it. Unfortunately, being good at memorizing was in the past, right now, I suffer from CRS (Can’t Remember Stuff). What is your favorite memory associated with music (maybe a memorable concert, or playing an instrument yourself!)? I have a true love for the piano. My mother gave me a few lessons as a child, however, I got too busy with other interests. I tried to live vicariously through my children by signing them up for piano lessons, but that also went to downhill . I now satisfy that true love by embracing Antonio Vivaldi’s classical music. It’s close enough. If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? I would love to go to Paris on a dream vacation. I have heard so many beautiful things about Paris. The cafes, the people, the historic buildings and architectural styles etc. One day, I shall make my dream a reality by walking the streets of Paris and give the Effiel Tower a big hug. What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically Richmond )? My family has lived in the Bay Area for over thirty years. The Bay Area reminds me of a famous giant melting-pot. There are so many people that come from so many different walks of life. It amazes me to see how all these different people come together here and for the most part are able to coexist. What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? I love music and I love to dance! Many people do not know that I actually love different genres of music, one of them being heavy metal! |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2018
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