Gabrielino welcomes 12 new staff members for the 2024-2025 school year

Liliana Simpson-Castaneda, Staff Writer • October 3, 2024

Ranging from administrators with years of experience to first-year teachers, 12 new staff members have joined Gabrielino High School this year.

New Additions

(Mark Chammas)

Kevin Murchie: Assistant Principal

Kevin Murchie has worked in education for 21 years. He spent 17 years as an English teacher, and this is his third year as an administrator. After deciding to look outside of the Los Angeles Unified School District for work, Murchie chose to apply to work at Gabrielino, believing the school would have the employees’ best interests in mind. He’s excited to interact with more kids and get to know the different programs at Gabrielino. In his free time, Murchie is often found helping his own kids or watching sports.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Rose Huff: School Psychologist

This is Rose Huff’s 26th year as a school psychologist. She also has experience as a behavior counselor, therapist, and teacher. After working at Wilson Elementary, she was assigned to help the students at Gabrielino. Huff looks forward to watching her students grow socially and improve their emotional health. Outside of school, she can be found skydiving, roller skating, or spending time with family.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Lina Almaraz: Attendance Clerk

Lina Almaraz has been working for the San Gabriel Unified School District for almost 10 years. After an opportunity opened at Gabrielino, she joined, hoping to put her broad skill set to use by joining the Gabrielino community. Almaraz is looking forward to getting to know the students and staff and is excited to bond with others, especially as a Gabrielino alumna. During her free time, Ms. Almaraz loves to bake.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Stephanie Saavedra: Sports Medicine Teacher and Athletic Trainer

This is Stephanie Saavedra’s first year as a sports medicine teacher but her third year as a certified athletic trainer. After being assigned to Gabrielino, she grew to love the smaller, interconnected environment. This year, she looks forward to getting more people involved in the field of sports medicine and attending different sporting events. Saavedra loves the beach and often goes with family.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Robert Cartwright: Choir Teacher

Robert Cartwright has worked as a teacher for eight years and gave private music lessons for three years prior. After coming in as a long-term substitute last year, he fell in love with the job and decided to apply to be a full-time choir teacher here at Gabrielino. This year, Cartwright would like to grow the choir program and make it his own as a teacher. He’s a football fan and still plays music gigs professionally on the trombone.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Dana Padilla: Library Technician

Dana Padilla has worked in education for over 30 years and was previously a librarian at Roosevelt and McKinley. After becoming a librarian at Gabrielino, she was excited to try something new by working at the high school level. Padilla looks forward to reading more novels this year, as opposed to picture books at the elementary level, and enjoys going to Disneyland.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Erica Tang: Special Education Teacher

This is Erica Tang’s sixth year as a teacher. After working in the elementary school setting for a long time, she’s excited to work with a new demographic of students who have different needs. She’s looking forward to getting to know her students and gaining more experience in the education field. Tang spends a lot of time with her family, especially her two kids, and loves to travel.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Adam Calleja: Special Education Teacher

Adam Calleja has worked in education for around 8 years and took on his first job as a teacher two years ago. He enjoys the family-oriented environment of Gabrielino and is excited to work with a demographic he can relate to well. Calleja is most looking forward to seeing his students grow and is hoping to also grow as a teacher. He loves to play basketball and weightlift.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Brenda Gutierrez: Special Education Teacher

Brenda Gutierrez has worked in education for over eight years, previously as an instructional aide and office secretary. She grew up around the area and competed against Gabrielino as a student-athlete. She’s excited to grow as an educator and become more accustomed to the culture at Gabrielino. Gutierrez loves working out, including lifting and running.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Deanna Barajas: Special Education Nurse

This is Deanna Barajas’ eighth year as a special education nurse. She previously worked at Jefferson Middle School but moved to fill an open position. She’s looking forward to building new bonds here at Gabrielino—with both staff members and students—and seeing kids she helped at Jefferson grow. Barajas is a dedicated Christian and is very active at her church.

Sheri McGee: Instructional Aide

This is Sheri McGee’s first year as an instructional aide. McGee previously worked as a medical assistant but began her role at Gabrielino during summer school. She found the position to be challenging yet fulfilling and decided to come back this fall. Ms. McGee is looking forward to growing in her position and getting to know the role of instructional aide better. Aside from work, she loves to spend time with her family, especially her kids.

(Liliana Simpson-Castaneda)

Anthony Hernandez: Instructional Aide and Football Coach

This is Anthony Hernandez’s first year in the classroom but his fourth year coaching football. After previously coaching at East Los Angeles College, he was given the opportunity to work with head coach Luis Gutierrez and as an instructional aide at Gabrielino. Hernandez is excited to make an impact on his athletes and show them how they can be the best versions of themselves. In his free time, he loves to work out and play various sports with his family. He is also a huge fan of Korean BBQ.

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About the Contributors

Liliana Simpson-Castaneda, Staff Writer

Liliana Simpson-Castaneda, in her first year as a Contributing Writer, brings her keen interest in music, particularly from artist Mitski, to our staff. An enthusiast of Nintendo Switch games like Stardew Valley and a regular runner, Liliana also enjoys spending time with her sister over coffee. Joining the journalism team to explore her passion for writing and to step out of her comfort zone, she aims to contribute engaging content on topics that matter to her.

Mark Chammas, Editor in Chief

Mark Chammas is the Editor in Chief of The Tongva Times and has been a staff member for 2 years. In his free time, Mark enjoys listening to true crime podcasts, exploring nature, and reading celebrity memoirs. Mark's passion for journalism stems from a desire to highlight school-related issues and give a voice to a range of diverse perspectives who would not otherwise be heard.