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Alexa Eurich , K/1 Lead Teacher

Alexa is excited to be part of Aurora's creative and vibrant staff. She comes to Aurora with teaching experience in both public and private Bay Area schools. Alexa has worked as an art teacher, a reading specialist, and has taught kindergarten through fifth grade. She attended UC Santa Cruz, and graduated from UC Berkeley. She earned her teaching credential and masters degree in education from Mills College. Alexa is fond of singing and dancing and has performed in local theater productions. She also loves to read and play games with her husband Joe.

Nick Williams, K/1 Co-Lead Teacher

Nick grew up in San Jose, CA, and received a BA in Film and Digital Media with a minor in Education from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He earned his Multiple Subject teaching credential through Cal State East Bay. While doing so he had the wonderful opportunity to student teach in a 2/3 classroom at Aurora, and is now ecstatic to be a part of the Aurora family as a K/1 Lead Teacher. Nick comes from a family of educators, and views teaching as his way of positively impacting the community in which he lives. In his free time he enjoys traveling around the world, watching movies and sunsets, and taking his pet Pug to the park.

Regina Sorey, K/1 Co-Teacher

Regina grew up in the Bay Area and received her B.A. in anthropology and dance at San Francisco State University. She recently received her teaching credential at Cal State East Bay. Regina was also recently married and is proud to say that she is a new mom to a beautiful daughter that has changed her life in the most wonderful of ways! Aside from teaching, Regina also loves traveling, dancing (hula mostly!), reading and writing.

Stephanie Lowe, K/1 Teaching Assistant

Born in Tennessee, Stephanie spent her Air Force childhood in California, England, Texas and Virginia. California has been her home since attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in Fine Arts. She still loves to travel (her most recent trip has been spending 8 weeks in New Zealand and Australia this past spring), but she also cherishes family - husband and two children born and raised here, home - gardening, giving tea parties, dreaming up works of art, and community - staying connected with Aurora's amazing staff, students and their families as we all grow and change.

Kiyomi Arai, 2/3 Lead Teacher

Kiyomi is a Bay Area native with family roots in Costa Rica and Japan. She has a B.A in Family Studies from San Francisco State University, with an additional degree in Early Childhood Education. She earned her Master's degree and teaching credential from the University of San Francisco. Kiyomi has worked in the public/non-profit and private sector in the field of education for over 13 years. She has been a dance instructor, a special education teacher, and a pre-school through fourth grade teacher. Kiyomi enjoys spending her free time swimming, dancing, and appreciating the outdoors with her family in Pacifica.

Estrella Nash-Tempkin, 2/3 Lead Teacher

Estrella Nash-Tempkin teaches second and third grade in Room 4 with Connie Real. A Bay Area native, Estrella received her credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute, which she attended after graduating from UC Santa Cruz. She brings to the classroom over ten years of experience as an outdoor educator, as well as a commitment to social justice. When not in the classroom, Estrella spends most of her time reading, hiking, and experimenting in the kitchen. This is her third year at Aurora and she is thrilled to be a part of such a caring and thoughtful community.

Carrie Klein, 2/3 Teaching Assistant

Carrie attended Feather River Community College, where she earned her AA Degree, and then went on to earn her B.F.A. at California College Of Arts and Crafts. Her involvement with education started when she was in high school. Her mother helped start a coop pre-school which allowed children to explore learning through play. Later, she decided to expand the coop into a developmentally appropriate school for grades K - 5. Carrie was able to teach at the school during the summer or when the opportunity arose. Before coming to Aurora Carrie was teaching at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette working with 6th graders in Social Studies and Art. She has taught 3-D Sculpture classes in summer camps and is currently working toward her master's degree in education. This is Carrie's 8th year at Aurora.

Connie Real, 2/3 Teaching Assistant

Connie grew up in the Bay Area. She lives with her husband in Oakland where they have reared four children. During their school years, Connie found herself volunteering on parenting boards, was PTA president, took parenting classes, was a scout leader and finally ended up at Merritt College, where she earned her Early Childhood Education Certificate. She then learned about Aurora School, which has become her second home. This will be her 15th year at Aurora! When she is not at school, you may find her hiking the trails in the Oakland hills, dancing and singing along with her kids' music or reading in her backyard.

Courtney Friedman, 4/5 Lead Teacher

Courtney is originally from New York where she received her BS in Human Development from Cornell University. After spending time in San Francisco, and abroad, she returned to New York where she earned her Masters in Childhood Education. She recently moved back to the Bay Area and has acquired her multiple subject teaching credential. Courtney has been teaching for three years with time spent in 3rd grade and in 4th/5th grade classrooms. In her free time she can be found skiing, biking, surfing, and anything else that keeps her outside. She also loves to travel and has been to many places in Europe, South America, and the United States.

Josh Gallup, 4/5 Lead Teacher

Josh is in his seventh year of teaching in the 4th and 5th grades at Aurora School. His Masters in Teaching and credential are from the University of San Francisco. In addition, he received an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1982. His interests include, playing the guitar, banjo, and fiddle. Each year, Josh writes a curriculum-based musical as a method of teaching his students social studies curriculum. He believes that integrating art and learning is an important aspect of a good education. He lives in Berkeley with his wife, Josie, and their teenage son, Spike He also has two adult sons, Noah and Eli, an adult stepson, Jason, as well as two young granddaughters, Haley and Grace. Teaching elementary school is a second career for Josh. Having spent the first 25 years of his adult life in the bicycle retail business, and owning a bicycle store for 16 of those years, Josh came to the realization that something was missing. After some soul searching and studying to be a teacher, there is no doubt that he has found a meaningful calling.

Irene Brates, 4/5 Teaching Assistant and Spanish Program Specialist

Irene was born and grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the Bay area almost 20 years ago to study English, fell in love with the area and decided to stay. She has been a teacher ever since, working with children grades K - 12. Irene has a daughter, Dina, who just started Kindergarten at Aurora, and is thrilled at having the chance to peek at her during school hours. In addition to speaking Spanish and English, Irene speaks Romanian and French, loves to travel, read and garden. She has a B.S. in Marketing and a translator degree in French-Spanish.

Evelyne Westerman-Capet, 4/5 Teaching Assistant

Evelyne is from the Ivory Coast in Africa and grew up in the west coast of France. She received her M.A. in foreign languages (Portuguese and English) at the University of Nantes and moved to Paris where she worked for 5 years in an import/export company. She moved to the States 7 years ago and became a teacher. Evelyne has taught at the Hoover Elementary School in West Oakland, at the Berkeley Arts Magnet School and at The East Bay French American School. This is her sixth year at Aurora school.