- About Boarding
- Meet the Staff
- Meet the Students
- Boarding Life
- Forms & Handbooks
Meet the Staff
Resident advisors are the kind of adults students want to know and whom parents want as role models for their children. The Dean of the Boarding Program and resident advisors all live on the campus, and many live in apartments attached to the residence halls. Nearly all are teachers or coaches, and they know first-hand what students experience all day.
Each student has a resident advisor in the boarding program and an academic advisor in the school program-two adults who will watch over him or her in all aspects of high school life.
2007 - 2008 Staff
Kendra Anderson
Kendra Anderson received her BA in Communications & Media Studies, with a concentration in Journalism from Fordham University in New York, NY. While attending Fordham, she studied dance at Alvin Ailey���s and Broadway Dance Center, and had the honor of working with some of the most renowned artists in the dance world. Upon graduating from Fordham University, she received her MA in Museum Communications at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Since finishing school, Ms. Anderson worked in the education department at the San Jose Museum of Art, engaging students aged K-12 in Visual Thinking Strategies. She also taught and choreographed tap, jazz, lyrical, and acrobatic dances at a dance studio in San Jose. At Priory, Kendra looks forward to being a resident advisor and will be teaching dance. She is excited for this wonderful opportunity.
Nelson Jovel
Nelson Jovel was born in El Salvador and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated with a BA in English in early 2007 from Occidental College. He has previously worked as a teacher and tutor for various inner-city education programs in the Los Angeles area including Summerbridge, Project TECH, LA Bridges, Gear Up, and AVID. He has enjoyed giving back to the community, and is eager to continue making a difference. He has also held positions as a technical writer for the Cedar's Sinai Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, SMS.ac, and a Perot System's data center migration project. When not engaged with dorm responsibilities, Nelson will pursue a bachelors degree in software engineering from San Jose State.
Alexandra Thayer
Alex grew up in Utah, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. She graduated from Dickinson College in 2005 with a BA in Studio Art/Art History and finds herself grateful to live in the gorgeous Bay Area. The past two years she has been an aide with middle school Special Education, a substitute teacher, and tutor in Menlo Park. She enjoys hiking, cooking, movies, anything regarding chocolate, traveling, and spending time with friends. In addition to her dorm responsibilities, Alex will also be helping with Art History.
Adam Siler
Adam Siler graduated from the University of Virginia in the spring of 2004 with degrees in Philosophy, American Politics, and Religious Studies. Following graduation, he taught English in northern Greece at a small boarding school as an International Teaching Fellow. Upon completion of his fellowship, he matriculated to Stanford University where he graduated with a masters degree in Education. This year Adam will be teaching psychology and spreading his passion for politics and philosophical debate to the student body.
Gulliver LaValle
Gulliver LaValle grew up in Argentina and Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has a honors B.A. in Anthropology and Spanish with certifications in Social Studies, Spanish, and ESL for grades 7-12. He has furthered his education by receiving a M.Ed. in Education and Technology along with various certifications in conflict resolution, A.P. and I.B. training. Gulliver has taught for almost nine years in two different high schools. His passion is coaching soccer. In his spare time he likes to be in the outdoors. His adventures consist of traveling, mountain biking, and being with his kids, Kenai 1 �� and Adrian 7. Along with his residential life responsibility, he teaches full-time Spanish and assists with soccer.
Simone LaValle
Simone LaValle grew up in Switzerland and came to the US to ski and climb. She ended up staying and graduated with an elementary education B.A. She has been teaching for four years. The previous five years were spent at a public school in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has two boys, Kenai 1 �� and Adrian 7. Her kids keep her busy but she enjoys the outdoors, international food, and sipping coffee and reading the paper if time allows. In addition to her dorm responsibility, Simone will also teach 6th grade art.
Molly Buccola
Molly Buccola was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon, where she developed an interest in hiking, soccer and running. At Marist High School in Eugene, OR she contributed to her community by leading religious retreats and raising awareness of human rights issues. She headed to Santa Clara University where she majored in Psychology and Religious Studies. Now she is working towards a Masters Degree in Catholic School Teaching at the University of San Francisco's Institute of Catholic Educational Leadership. Along with her Resident Advisor duties, she is Woodside Priory's new Campus Minister and Service Learning Coordinator.
The Campus Community
The On-Campus Community includes 5 administrators, 16 faculty members, 3 staff, and 5 monks in addition to all of the Resident Advisors and 48 boarding students. The most recent additions to the housing on campus are the Anselm and Benedict House apartments (connected to the dorms) in 2001 and the Maas Family Commons, adding 7 units of faculty housing in 2003.