John received his M.A. in Foreign Languages and Philosophy from Cambridge University, England. After teaching a variety of subjects to students of all ages in England and the Bay Area, he founded W.I.S. in 1976, originally as Wildshaw School.

Click Here for John's Biography

Ariel graduated with honors from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor's Degree in Feminist Studies. She is also an alumni of Woodside International school with the class of 1997. She currently coordinates the school's outreach efforts, teaches Health class and crafts, and organizes the Student Activities Committee.

Inbal holds a B.A. in Sociology from U.C. Berkeley, as well as a Master's in Business Administration, from S.F.S.U.  Inbal, a former teacher of Woodside International School, works one-on-one with students and helps them with Study Skills, Organizational Skills, Test Taking Strategies, Writing, Reading Comprehension, Researching and Applying for College/Jobs, as well as other areas needed to help students succeed academically, personally, and socially.

Mary received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Film from Boston University. She is responsible for routine parent communication, attendance, and managing the books and supplies inventory.  In her spare time, she likes to read and fill up blank pages.  Mary has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area all her life.

James Knoebber - World Civilizations, World History, US History, Civics, Economics &
California History

James graduated with a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Loyola Marymount University. After working with fiber optics in the telecommunications industry, he completed a Masters of Arts in both American and World History at San Francisco State University. James began teaching in the Oakland Unified School district teaching Math and Science, before moving into working with low-income, high-need, and newcomer youth and their families in San Francisco. He remains active in the community serving as a San Francisco Board of Supervisors appointed Commissioner on the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force and working with various community-based organizations to help build stronger, safer, and healthier communities.

Garrett Kobsef – Music Ensemble

Garrett has been working in Hollywood for the last ten years and earned his music degree from the University of Southern California in Jazz Studies. He has performed and recorded with a diverse range of musical artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Patti Austin, Bill Holman, John Clayton, and The Abyssinians. His experience in Hollywood working with and being mentored by top-level studio musicians continues to bring an intimate understanding of the music to him and his students.

Pascal Ledermann – English as a Second Language (ESL), Language Development, French, Spanish

Pascal has been involved in teaching French, English, and Spanish to children and adults for eighteen years in the United States, France, Brazil, and Thailand.  Before coming to Woodside, he was Director of Education for the Alliance Française of San Francisco.  Pascal has earned a baccalaureate in Philosophy and Literature from Academie de Lille in France, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from London University in England.  He has been teaching at Woodside since 2004.

Lina received her B.S. in Zoology with a concentration in Neurobiology from Michigan State University, during which she assisted in medical research.  She later conducted environmental education programs at Grand Canyon National park, which inspired her to pursue a career in teaching.  Lina moved to San Francisco after earning her teaching credential from the University of Texas, Austin.  She has been teaching at Woodside since 1999.

Corinne Masri – 11^th & 12^th Grade Art, Photography, Art History, Yearbook

Corinne received her M.A. in Art from San Francisco State University.  Her work has been shown in several museums, publications, and galleries such as the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and the San Francisco Art Institute Centennial Exhibition.  She has worked for The John Berggruen Gallery, taught at San Francisco State University, and Tamalpais Adult Education in Marin County.  Corrine maintains an active membership in the National Art Education Association and the California Alliance for the Arts Education.  She has been an integral member of the Woodside family since 1983.

David Matson – Adventures P.E., Information Technology, Math & Science Tutor, Website Designer, Woodshop, Yearbook, Chief Dog Walker

Dave earned his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from San Jose State University and has his M.S from San Jose State in the same field.  Dave is responsible for maintaining the school's computer network, keeping the website up to date and coordinating the school's yearbook. Along with teaching Woodshop class, Dave tutors Woodside students in Math and Science and serves as an assistant to the Adventures P.E. program.

Kawori Minamisawa – Japanese Language and Culture, Adventures PE Assistant

Kawori received her master’s degree in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language from San Francisco State University.  Originally from Nagano, Japan, Kawori has taught Japanese in three countries.  She is concurrently teaching beginner and conversational Japanese at a local college and for Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.  Her other interests include reading mystery novels, cooking, and sports.

Laura Myers – College Admissions Advisor

Laura completed the Certificate in College Admissions Advising and Career Planning from UC Berkeley Extension.  She advises Woodside students on the entire college admissions process including: college selection, SAT and ACT testing, personal statements and interviewing. She also has a private practice in San Francisco. Laura holds a double BA (with honors) in Humanities and Ancient Greek from University of California, Berkeley.

Erik Noonan – English Language Mechanics, English for International Students, Home Room, 11^th & 12^th Grade Philosophy, Creative Writing, Tutorials

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Erik received a B.A. from Hampshire College in 1996.  In addition to teaching at Woodside, he has tutored and advocated for high school and university students in the Bay Area.  Erik is also currently working towards a master’s degree in Poetics at the New College of California.  He has been with Woodside since 1997.

Doug O’Keefe – 9^th & 10^th Grade English, Current Events

Doug received a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy fro U.C. Berkeley and is currently in the final stages of earning an M.A. in English Literature at San Francisco State University, specializing in literature of the English Renaissance.  He has been teaching at Woodside since 2000.

Luned Palmer – Art I/II A and B, PE Adventures

Luned moved from Newport, RI to San Francisco in the summer of 2006.  She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania where she majored in Studio Art and minored in Environmental Studies and English.  She has taught Science and led an after-school program here in San Francisco.  This is her first year at Woodside. 

George Pan – Mandarin

George received his degrees in Chinese Language and Literature at Nanjing University in 1965 and Georgetown University in 1982.  He has taught Mandarin at Beijing Foreign Language University, and was appointed Deputy Director of the United Nations funded English Training Center in Beijing.  In addition, George has been the Deputy Chief of the Education Department of the National Tourism Administration of China, and President of the Chinese and Foreign Products Journal.  This is George’s first year at Woodside.

Boris Rivkin – Facilities Manager

Boris graduated from the Leningrad Technical University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.  He worked as an electronic engineer in Russia.  Here in the U.S., Boris worked as an electronic technician and software quality assurance engineer for several companies in both Florida and California.  He has been part of the Woodside family since 2003.

Mitchell Schoenbrun - Math

Mitchell Schoenbrun grew up on the East Coast loving mathematics as a high school student. He led his school to 1st place in the Central Jersey Math League in 1973, earning the individual honor of 2nd place. He attended Haverford College near Philadelphia earning a B.A. in Astronomy. In 1977 he relocated to San Francisco where he worked as an independent computer consultant for many years. In 2002 he went back to school at SFSU where he earned an MS degree in mathematics, doing a thesis studying the reconstruction of digital images using Frame theory. He continues to live happily in San Francisco with his wife Elva and his three darling cats Monte, Oscar, and Lola.

José Vargas – 11^th & 12^th Grade English, 9^th & 10^th Grade Philosophy, Advanced Philosophy, Film Appreciation

José studied Latin American literature and philosophy at U.C. Berkeley, where he received his bachelor’s degree.  A native of Nicaragua, he has lived in the Bay Area for over twenty years.  José taught 6^th grade in a bilingual classroom at Garfield Charter School and humanities at the Uplift Program at St. Ignatius College Prep.  He has been at Woodside since 1999.

Chang Qiang Wang – Shaolin Kung Fu

Chang Qiang trained at the Shaolin Monastery in China.  He demonstrates, performs, and teaches kung fu throughout the Bay Area.  This is his second year teaching at Woodside.

Dr. Zhennan Wu - Chemistry, Physics,
Calculus Tutorial.

Zhennan received his B.S. in Chemistry from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Beijing, China and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. Zhennan taught and/or did research at USTC, The National Research Council of Canada, U of Calgary, UBC, Ohio State University, U of Toronto, Y.Y. Labs, Northwestern Polytechnic University and Galaxy Education Center and had over twenty papers published.