Welcome to our New Faculty & Staff 2022-2023 - Part II
Cricia Silverberg
Auxiliary Programs Coordinator & Database Administrator
What is your academic and professional background?
I received my BA in Child and Adolescent Development from San José State University. During university, I spent a few years working as a teacher assistant in public schools around Silicon Valley. After graduating, I moved from the Bay Area to Seattle where I began teaching preschool. Then, I began working in ABA therapy and received my registered behavior technician certificate. Afterwards, I missed being in a school environment and happily began working as an administrator at FISW.
Why did you choose the profession you have today?
I initially began my career with the intent of becoming an elementary school teacher with a special education emphasis. After working in public schools for a few years, I realized that while teaching is an incredible career, it wasn’t for me. I loved being in an educational setting, but I wanted to be able to help teachers and parents in a different position
What was your favorite subject when you were a student? My favorite subject has always been history.
Where did you grow up? Where did you live? I was born in Colorado, grew up in San Francisco, California, and have spent the past two years living in Seattle.
What are your favorite pastimes? My favorite pastimes are trying new food and hiking with my friends.
What are your favorite meal, dessert, color, book? My favorite food is sushi, favorite dessert is oolong milk tea with boba, favorite color is green, and favorite book is the Alchemist.
What are your favorite place and memory? My favorite place is Taipei, Taiwan. My favorite memory is hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park in the fall.
What is your greatest wish? My greatest wish is to travel to every country in the world.
Kate Moorhead Cales
Moyen and Patrice's Kindergarten English Teacher
I grew up in Houston, a gritty and not especially good-looking city with fantastic food and great people. I love Texas, but my favorite place in the world, anywhere, is near water. I love the beach—the Gulf Coast, especially. I love to swim and have a goal to jump in as many rivers as possible each summer. This recent summer my river total is zero (how horrible!), so I need to remedy this asap before the weather changes. I don’t have a favorite meal, but I love to eat, love to cook, love the gesture of a warm meal. Food is the way to my heart, no exceptions. I love reading about food and a good morning starts with a cup of coffee in bed, reading cookbooks. I have three beautiful children, something that still makes me laugh (me, a mother?) but they make me laugh and, as with teaching, it is a joy to watch them grow and a big responsibility to be a part of the process. I spend a lot of time being grateful. I’m learning to sleep more.
I love many things and have stayed in motion for most of my life. I used to be a runner. I think it’s time to stop considering myself one, as I haven’t trained for a marathon in over a decade, now, but a girl can dream. I’ve been a backpacking guide in Colorado. I’ve taught in seven different schools in various parts of the world: Dominican Republic, China, UAE, Texas (we’re a Republic, after all). I speak a bit of Spanish, and a bit of French, although both are in desperate need of attention. Alas, there’s never enough time!
I’ve loved teaching alongside French colleagues in previous years, so I feel positive about teaching at FISW, with so many experiences and perspectives, we have a rich environment to offer students and faculty alike. I have a Masters in Early Childhood Special Ed., but suppose I cannot get enough and this fall I’ll further my education in pursuit of a Masters in School Culture from University Child Development School in Seattle.
I’m passionate about healthy school culture and believe that it changes communities for the better. I love being a part of thriving school as it is life giving for me. I look forward to a great year at FISW. Thanks for getting to know me.
Maeva Evain
Assistant in Patrice's K Class
Maëva grew up in Tours, France, and has a master’s degree in criminal law. She lived in Lyon and worked for the French Department of Justice before relocating with her husband to Seattle in 2015.
She had a great experience working at FISW in 2016 as a substitute assistant, and then as an assistant teacher at Les Lilas school in Kirkland in 2017.
After taking a break to raise her two children, she is very happy to come back to FISW this year.
Maëva loves traveling, movies and theater, baking and enjoying the PNW outdoors with her family.
Katherine Thrall
4th Grade English Teacher & Learning Specialist
What is your academic and professional background?
I have a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with a K-12 English Learner(K-12) Teaching Certification with the following endorsements: 7th-12 ELA, 4th-9th Middle Level Humanities and an elementary education endorsement from Seattle Pacific University. I have taught high school, middle school in the Tukwila and Kent School district. I recently switched being a middle school teacher to being an elementary school teacher, where I taught fifth grade in the Bellevue School District, and I recently taught 3rd grade at a small private school in West Seattle.
Why did you choose the profession you have today?
I love helping people and I love learning new things. I also love sharing my story and listening and learning about other people stories to help me better understand the world we live in.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student? My favorite subjects were literacy, science, and geography.
Where did you grow up? Where did you live? I grew up in the desert, in Tucson, AZ.
What describe you best? I am kind, respectful person, who is always willing to go on an adventure, learn something new, and isn’t afraid to use my imagination to solve problems and learn new ways of doing things.
What are your favorite pastimes? I love the outdoors. I love being out on the water. I like rowing, kayaking, and paddle boarding.
What are your favorite meal, dessert, color, book? My favorite meal is sushi or poke and my favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookie. My favorite color is purple. My favorite books are Harry Potter and the Wrinkle in Time.
What are your favorite place and memory? My favorite place is Kauai, Hawaii. My favorite memory is when I went to Disneyland with my grandparents as a child.
What is your greatest wish? My greatest wish is for kindness and respect for all individuals, and to always create a welcoming learning environment for every student I teach.