Anne Battersby | Contact Anne by email
Anne has been a special education teacher for 16 years, first at Piedmont High School and now at MHS. A native New Englander, she attended the University of Maine where she received her degree in Special Education. She later moved to California for the sun and warmer weather, and to pursue a Masters in Social Work at San Francisco State University. Before teaching, Anne was the director of a nonprofit in San Francisco providing services to persons with developmental and physical disabilities. Now as a teacher, she enjoys providing interventions and support to students who learn differently and think creatively.
Pam Brandau (594-2882) | Contact Pam by email
Pam counsels students at MHS, with a focus on personal and academic counseling. She advises students on post-secondary options, assists in researching employment and community service opportunities, problem solves challenging situations, and supports students’ efforts to be true and present in their lives. Her B.A. in Human Development and M.S. in Counseling were earned at California State University, Hayward, and her Pupil Personnel Services Credential was completed at St. Mary’s College.
Ken Brown | Contact Ken by email
Ken teaches Modern World History, Civics, as well as World Cultures at MHS. He received a B.A. in U.S. History and teaching credentials for Social Studies from California State University East Bay. Prior to becoming a teacher Ken spent a number of years managing construction projects around the Bay Area. During those years, Ken also volunteered with a number of organizations where gaining experience working with high school and middle school youth. These experiences helped Ken to decide to return to the classroom where he eventually received a his teaching credential and is now on his way of working withing the school system full time.
Ting Hsu Engelman | Contact Ting by email
Ting is currently the Principal at Millennium High School and the Director of Wellness Center/Student Services for PUSD. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Psychology major and Education minor. While attending her last two years at UC Berkeley, Ting went through a teaching program for aspiring teachers and taught during the summers. She also worked as a researcher under UC Berkeley Professors studying early childhood development in impoverished communities. Upon graduation, Ting attended University of San Francisco, where she obtained a MA in Counseling Psychology with emphasis in Education. In addition, she possesses Pupil Personnel Credential and Administrative Credential. Berkeley Alternative High School and Oakland High School were the two schools where she started off her career in counseling. During fall of 2004, Ting became a counselor at Piedmont High School. Throughout her time at PUSD, she has taken on various administrative responsibilities, which has prepared her to transition into her current role as the Principal. Due to Ting’s experiences and personal educational philosophy, she’s settled down into the most appropriate setting — Millennium High School.
Veronica Hsieh | Contact Ve by email
Ve serves as Millennium High School’s Administrative Assistant which includes duties
in registration, attendance, and assistance to the Principal and Counselor. Ve has also
worked in the Piedmont Unified School as an elementary school para-educator. Ve has
two sons who graduated from PUSD, and she has been an active parent involved in
Parents’ Clubs. Ve enjoys supporting students in their endeavors in the Arts, and she
currently volunteers to support the Drama and Dance programs at MHS & PHS.
Tim Kaihatsu | Contact Tim by email
Tim teaches Economics, U.S. and World History, and coaches our basketball team. He is a UC Berkeley graduate, having earned both a B.A. in History and a California teaching credential from that institution. In addition to his teaching background, Tim has 33 years of experience as a professional musician. He has toured with Robert Cray, who featured his compositions on a Grammy-nominated CD, and with Rock’n Roll Hall of Famers Etta James and John Lee Hooker. Tim brings a perspective to his history and economics courses that is strongly influenced by his world travels. He has performed in 25 countries on five continents, including Carnegie Hall, Tokyo’s Budokan, Estonia USSR, Sydney’s Town Hall, LA Forum, Paris’ Olympia Theater, Rio de Janeiro, and Oakland Coliseum.
Jan Lewis | Contact Jan by email
Jan teaches English and Spanish at MHS. An educator for more than 25 years, she earned a B.A. in English and Spanish from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) from Harvard University. She completed additional graduate level work at the University of Maryland, College Park, with special interest in accommodating students with learning differences. Jan has taught in suburban Boston, MA and Potomac, MD; she has also organized education programs for children from birth to 18 at an Oakland homeless shelter. At MHS she works to establish an interactive learning environment where students blend developing personal interests with curriculum requirements, particularly classics in literature. Outside the classroom she writes poetry and has featured at Bay Area readings; she also enjoys hiking and spending time with three grown children and their families.
Elise Marks | Contact Elise by email
Elise Marks has been teaching English for 24 years–almost exactly half her life. Currently, she teaches half-time at Millennium, where she teaches English and Yearbook, and half-time at PHS, where she teaches AP English, Junior English, and Creative Writing. A native of the East Coast, she earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard, then transplanted to the West Coast to do her doctoral studies at U.C. Berkeley. After teaching college for several years in the Midwest, she and her husband made a joyful return to the Bay Area and became high school teachers. Her two children are currently students in the Piedmont district.
Richard Meyers | Contact Richard by email
Mr. Meyers currently teaches Algebra 1, Geometry and Advanced Algebra. Mr. Meyers has been teaching at Millennium for 10 years, where he also coaches the school’s basketball team. Prior to MHS, he spent 7 years in the San Francisco Unified School district, where he taught Social Studies, English, English as a Second Language and Mathematics at both the high school and middle school level. He was once named SF Middle School Math Teacher of the Year; he presented at numerous math conference including the National Conference of the NCTM; and helped coach a San Francisco high school basketball championship. Mr. Meyers also completed a fellowship with the Bay Area Writers Project and has written and received numerous grants in both San Francisco and Piedmont. Additionally, Mr. Meyers is currently the co-President of the Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee and serves as Chairman of the PADC Grants Committee.
Marcela Privat-Gilman | Contact Marcela by email
Marcela graduated with a BA in Latin American Studies from UC Berkeley. She has taught English as Second Language in LA and Costa Rica. Her experiences include being a legal translator for a Bay Area law firm. She has decided to pursue a career in education and has passed the California Subject Examination Test in Spanish and the CBEST and will be enrolling in Masters/Credential program in the Fall 2009. Marcela is the administrative assistant to the principal and works with the Spanish teacher to assist with the Spanish program until completing her program.
Sati Shah | Contact Sati by email
Sati has taught at Millennium High School for eight years. He teaches the Chemistry, Biology, Physical Science, Technology and Leadership classes. In addition, he is also the MHS Technology Coordinator. Sati attended the University of California at Berkeley where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Biology with emphasis in Plant Molecular Biology and Ecology. After a number of years employed as a Research Associate at a plant genetics firm, Sati returned to university studies at San Francisco State University where he earned a State of California teaching credential with authorizations to teach science and math as well as a Master of Education degree in Instructional Technologies.
Susan Simonds | Contact Susan by email
Susan Simonds has been teaching art and sculpture for over 25 years. She received her B.A. and has a lifetime teaching credential from Cal State Hayward in studio art. She has taught in Pleasanton Recreation Department, Livermore, Manteca, and 15 years at Lincoln High School in Stockton.