4th Grade Teaching Team
 Stephanie Brickman 4th Grade Teacher |
I’m so excited for another school year to begin! This is my 9th year teaching, and my 7th year teaching 4th grade in San Carlos! I love being an educator because I get to work with such creative, thoughtful, curious kids everyday! I strive for my students to feel like an important part of our school community, be proud of who they are, and build their love of learning.
My favorite things about 4th grade are bringing the class together with Morning Meetings, diving deeper into engaging chapter books, and learning through various cross-curricular projects collaboratively! I love how 4th graders are ready to build their critical thinking skills (along with the 5Cs) through PBL, integrating technology, STEM Challenges, and more.
In my free time, I love being around my family, my cat, and my close friends. My family’s newest addition is my adorable 1-year-old nephew (who I am absolutely, hands-down obsessed with). I’m sure the class will hear all about him! (Update: He is crawling everywhere, and almost walking on his own!) Growing up in a large family, I’ve learned to value coming together amidst our busy schedules. On my own time, I love curling up with a good book, working out to 90s pop music, and tending to my flowers and succulents.
I can’t wait to see my students light up with enthusiasm this year and learn so much with me! |
|
|
Kelly Earlywine 4th Grade Teacher |
I began teaching in 2005 here in San Carlos - this is the start of my 18th year with the district. I have been teaching 4th grade for 16 years, wow! I taught at Brittan Acres for 12 years where I primarily taught 4th grade (with one year teaching 3rd/4th combination and one year teaching 3rd). I love having the opportunity to be collaborative as a teacher, and was lucky enough to convince Jen Heinschel to jump on board to 4th grade. She and I have been teaching partners for the last eight years. We get the opportunity to share students and meet our students’ needs with a rich and team-focused learning environment. Teaching brings me the most joy when I see kids realize their potential is limitless - that’s when magic truly happens!
Fourth grade has been my absolute favorite grade level to teach. Kids make so many strides academically in 4th grade, their creativity is astounding, and the curriculum is challenging but also a lot of fun to teach!
My husband and I are peninsula natives! Together we have two kids - my son is nine and my daughter is six. We love having time together going for walks with our dog, playing at the park, riding bikes, and swimming. I love to be outdoors enjoying some beautiful scenery and the warm sunshine. When I’m not in mom and teacher mode, I try to get some exercise in, read a book that has been on my long overdue list, or catch up on a Netflix series.
The start of a new school year brings a lot of excitement and wonderful, fresh experiences.
|
Jennifer Heinschel 4th Grade Teacher |
This is the start of my 20th year of teaching - I started teaching in the San Carlos School District and I’ve never left! I taught 3rd grade at Brittan Acres for about 10 years (with a 2/3 and 3/4 combination class thrown in there) and then transitioned to 4th grade where I was able to partner with Kelly Earlywine. We’ve taught 4th grade collaboratively for the last nine years and we love working together to meet the needs of our students. It’s the absolute best when you see the ‘lightbulb’ go on when you’re teaching, and when you see students start to nurture different passions within their own lives.
Fourth grade was one of my favorite years as a student in school (but, wow, I sure I wish I had learned math the way we teach it now!) and it’s by far my most favorite grade to teach! Students are really starting to develop their independent thinking and take their ideas to a higher level. There’s a wide variety of interests and skills - and 4th graders are just plain fun to talk with! I majored in journalism in college and love to teach writing and share my love of all things grammar to my students (they don’t always share my enthusiasm!). Reading is one of my absolute favorite ways to spend time, and you’ll find me ready to talk Harry Potter any time, any day.
My family is the most important part of my life. My husband and I have two kids. My daughter is 13 and my son is 11. While I can’t believe that they’re going into 6th and 8th grades, they make me proud every day. We have a dog (a result of me chaperoning my daughter’s Girl Scout troop to Pets in Need a few years ago) and a cat (who doesn’t really like the dog), a rabbit (thanks to a persuasive, researched presentation by my kids), and two birds. Yes, it’s a zoo! We love to spend time in our backyard barbecuing by the creek.
Ever since I started school, I’ve always loved the beginning of each year. School supply shopping was a favorite, with new pencils, a binder, folders, and erasers being just about the best thing ever. There’s something special about a fresh, new start every year - for both teachers and students.
|
 Angela Holloszy
4th Grade Teacher
|
This is my fourth year teaching in the SCSD and I have loved working with my students and collaborating with the fourth grade team at Mariposa. Previously I have worked for many years with different learners in various Special Education settings for about 10 years. I am also a SCSD parent and have great gratitude and appreciation for all of our educators, staff, school Board, and administrators.
4th Grade is the sweet spot, the best! My favorite thing about 4th grade is building authentic connections with my students(and their families)and being inspired by their enthusiasm to learn and grow.
My husband and I have 2 daughters, Gabi-16(SEQ) and Elisa-12(CMS) who keep us on our toes-daily! They are both fun to be around and have a good sense of humor. Gabi is the Varsity goalkeeper for her high school team and soccer club and loves music. Elisa likes pizza and being active on any hiking trail in the bay area. My husband John was born and raised in San Carlos and is a Critical Care Transport pilot in CA. Our entire family enjoys the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, game nights, and challenging puzzles. I also love to read, listen to music, and visit the SC farmer’s market on Sunday. Each summer we look forward to hiking, biking, and camping in the Yosemite Valley with family friends and enjoy rafting and floating in the Merced River. We hope to win the Yosemite High Sierra Camp lottery someday!
I look forward to the new school year with my students mostly because I know how much growth, confidence, and independence will be happening. I’m amazed at what my students accomplish throughout the school year and am truly grateful for and inspired by them. |
 Hannah Mata 4th Grade Teacher |
I am so excited to join the Mariposa community for my seventh year in the classroom! I was born and raised nearby in Lodi, California. After leaving my hometown, I went to San Diego State University (SDSU) and earned a Bachelor's degree in Speech Language Hearing Sciences. I continued with my education at SDSU, where I earned my California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and did my student teaching in Chula Vista, California. I loved SDSU so much that I stayed there to earn my Master's in Teaching, with a focus on K-12 Literacy.
After student teaching Chula Vista, I moved to Stockton to teach third grade. After teaching in California, I moved to Maui, Hawaii and taught third grade at a private school. Although I loved living in paradise, a dream of mine was to live and teach in Italy. I fulfilled my dream by teaching fourth grade at an international school in Genoa, Italy before returning to California last year to teach at Arroyo.
Outside of school, I spend most of my time with my Mr. Mata and my dogs Roo and Indiana Jones (Indy)! We are very excited to welcome our first child into the world in January 2023. My hobbies include traveling, swimming, scuba diving, reading, and spending time with family. I am also a big San Francisco Giants baseball fan!
Fourth grade was my personal favorite grade in school. My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Jamison, taught me to love writing and express myself through creative writing. My goal is to inspire my students to find their passion in the same way. Fourth grade is my favorite grade to teach because I love the enthusiasm fourth graders have for learning and how they're able to independently and passionately explore during their learning. I am excited to see what this school year brings! |
