Shannon Barnes
ELA/TOK

Profile

Favorite Quote: “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”― Marjery Williams”

 

shannon-barnes[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Koy Carley
Registrar

Profile

Hello, my name is Koy Carley, you can call me Mrs. Koy. I have been with the SCUSD for 18 years, including a decade at Umoja International Academy. I am dedicated to my profession, with a passion for education, and a deep commitment to supporting students. As a registrar, I take pride in managing student records with precision while offering unwavering support to our students. My greatest joy comes from witnessing their growth and success.
 

koy-carley[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Nina Collins
Mathematics/Science

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Collins

Teaching in Sacramento City Unified School District since 2008.
Graduate of the University of California at Berkeley.
Holds a Masters in STEM Education from Teacher’s College of San Joaquin.
Teaches MYP mathematics and science and DP mathematics.
Former member of the Sacramento Math and Science Teacher Leaders (SacMASTL) project, part of the Noyce Science Foundation.
Fan of the arts, theater, and cats.

 

nina-collins[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Shawn D’Alesandro
IB MYP/DP Coordinator and EL Resource

Profile

Hello UMOJA families from MRS. D.!   
This is my 39th year working for SCUSD and my 32nd year at Kit Carson/Umoja International Academy.  I taught Language Arts and American History and ELD, but now focus on our IB Programme.
I will be celebrating my 38th wedding anniversary in December.  I have two adult sons and one granddaughter who I adore and love to spoil!  
When I am not working, you can find me ringing my Cowbell at a King’s game, rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, hanging by my pool or visiting Mickey Mouse at Disneyland!

Shawn-D'Alesandro[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Maya Dennis
High School Counselor

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Dennis

My name is Maya Dennis and I have been a starting my 10th year in education and 8th year as a counselor. This is my 2nd year at UMOJA and I absolutely love it here. I love working with adolescents and helping them figure out their full potential and providing them with the necessary tools and resources to succeed. 
I have 2 daughters, one in college and one in Kindergarten. I love dancing, doing puzzles, planning events and making charcuterie boards. 

 

maya-dennis[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Dominique Fae
Biology

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Fae

This is my 2nd year at Umoja and my 7th year as a science teacher. I grew up in the Sacramento area and attended Galt High School. After that, I attended UC Riverside where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. After teaching preschool for 2 years, I decided that I wanted to teach science to older students and then went on to get my master’s degree in Science Education. I love all things science but some of my favorite fields are botany and entomology. 

 

dominique-fae[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Jon Fatta
Social Worker

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Fatta

Hello Umoja families! My name is Jonathan Fatta Fedotov and I am in my second year as the Social Worker on campus. I have worked as a social worker in healthcare for 7 years, and have been in schools for 3 years. I am excited to continue to serve the students and families of UIA and look forward to collaborating with staff and guardians to enhance our students mental wellness. In my free time I enjoy singing, video games, and spending time with my pets! Please feel free to email or call me to find out how I can support you and your student.

 

jonathan-fatta[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Stephanie Gentle
Attendance Tech

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gentle

Hello I’m Ms.Steph and this is my 8th year with Sac City district and my 2nd year at Umoja.  My first school that I started at was Susan B. Anthony Elementary in August 2015 and I was there until June of 2018 as the Clerk. I was then bumped to Parkway Elementary that summer I was the clerk  and I was there from August 2018 to March 11th, 2022. I take student attendance very seriously knowing how important it is that students attend school regularly and they negative effects it can have when students miss school. I love the Umoja Fam!

stephanie-gentle[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Marcia Gilroy-Taylor
MYP Science

Profile
G Taylor

Hello Everyone!
This is my 28th year with SCUSD, all here at  Umoja International Academy!  I hold   a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Illinois and worked at IBM for 8 years.
I truly enjoy facilitating inquiry based learning and critical thinking.  It’s amazing to watch students gain confidence throughout the year as they learn to make observations, and support their claims. 
Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading and traveling.  

 

Marcia-Gilroy-Taylor[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Shelly Guild
SDC ELA and Science

Profile
Guild

My name is Shelly Guild and this is my 22nd year in education. I was born and raised in upstate New York, Syracuse. I attended Cortland State University  for my undergraduate and Syracuse University for my masters. I moved to California in 2001 and never looked back. I enjoy teaching and watching students grow and explore learning. It is my hope that students feel part of the community/family here at Umoja International Academy. 

Shelly-Guild[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Lethi Houston
Instructional Aide

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Houston

29 years in SCUSD seems like a lifetime.  Looking back I sort of fell into my job.  My life has span two different countries and a many adventures in which laughter is always involved.  Many of the young lives I have seen come through KCIA are now moms and dads in their own rights.  I’m suppose to write a bit about myself in just a few lines.  How do you explain in a few lines a lifetime?  Family has always been important to me even the cats I love which I am highly allergic too.

Lethi-Houston[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Lora Jones
Nurse

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jones

This is my 7th year here with the IB Program and my 19th year with SCUSD as a Credentialed School Nurse. I enjoy working with staff, students & families to promote the well being of all and encourage healthy choices for students that are empowering and assist them in realizing their goals. The school sustainability program is always evolving with this year’s focus for the Green Team to include recycling, garden harvesting and prep for lunchtime tasting, a new native plant garden area and the annual April Earth Day Celebration.

lora-jones[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Cristina Jordan
Librarian

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Jordan

Cristina Jordan has been the librarian at Umoja since 2009. She loves helping students find just the right book!  One of her favorite things to share is how to access all of the incredible resources through the Sacramento Public Library. In her own time, one can almost always find Ms. Jordan reading in her backyard. She loves to go walking with friends, hiking with her family, and having people over to share the food that she enjoys cooking and baking. She is so grateful for California’s abundance of beautiful produce!

Cristina-Jordan[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu

Jed Larsen
History

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Larsen

I feel like a vital, relevant, and influential part of my family and community. Regardless of the class I am teaching, I hope to promote these same beliefs in my students. We learn the past, investigate our world, and derive meaning so that we feel empowered to build community. Through community, we promote the freedom, safety, and happiness of every person.

Jed-Larsen[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]scusd.edu