Faculty
Laura Ottati – Pre-K and Kindergarten Teacher
Gentle Ms. Laura instantly makes each new little Pre-K or Kindergartner feel welcome and special. Her classroom is the gateway to a lifelong love of learning. She provides a rich variety of sensory learning experiences, for example, seeing for themselves the entire life cycle of butterflies. This age group is extra-special to Ms. Laura because “I like to watch the development of the kids. They are sponges. Everything I tell them, they put into their minds and try to follow it. It’s a big responsibility. They will absorb my behavior and knowledge. I love how they are sincere. They have good hearts. They are my examples because how they are is how Jesus wants us to be—like a child. They teach me how to be.”
Sara Willard – 1st-2nd
Ms. Sara, our dynamic 1st-2nd grade teacher, has a fascination with the outdoors and will either bring it inside (plants, birds and other little living things reside in the classroom) or take her students outside to discover the marvels of nature. Environmentalism and teaching children to care about their world is important to her. Ms. Sara also cares deeply about teaching good life skills to her students. She loves making kids feel comfortable in the classroom. Because reading skills impact every other subject and because of her own painful memories of having “the lowest reading level and much difficulty with learning” as a student, she takes extra measures to help struggling readers, the ones who “feel afraid they aren’t as smart as everybody else.” It matters to her to build confidence in all of her students.
Cindy McCaw –3rd-5th
Prepare for adventure whenever you step into Ms. McCaw’s classroom. Her room’s awesome décor and overall theme for the year will take you to a different time and place, providing experiential learning in unusual settings. The creative Ms. McCaw loves to make topics of study “come to life” and also takes a special interest in connecting students with their local community through avenues such as community service activities, sign language, and skills that prove useful in the community in which they live. It is important to Ms. McCaw that her classroom be a safe place for all. She desires to help her students learn to be good, moral citizens, to learn to help others, and to succeed at whatever they do.
Ferdi Sastropawiro – 6th – 8th
A gift to us from Bandung, West Java Island, Indonesia, “Mr. S” teaches grades 6-8. He also directs our handbell, melody chime, and vocal choirs. During his first year at SCA, he introduced us to the delightful angklungs (an Indonesian musical instrument made of bamboo) and formed a choir to perform with those as well. Mr. S has a deep passion for teaching, for, to him, it is his way of “serving the Lord….it is a ministry to get kids ready for Jesus to come.” He loves “to see their smiles when they get it in algebra of 7th/8th math.” He says, “My students are such a great group of kids!” and he means it.