Rio del Sol Administrative Staff

Dr. Ryan Emery

Principal

At Rio del Sol, we value all types of learning and intend to foster growth in each child.  We have established guidelines, routines, character education and academic curriculum to help your child master grade level standards.  In order for each child to attain mastery of challenging State Standards, it will take great effort on the part of teachers, families, and students.  We know that if we work together as a team, your precious children will grow by leaps and bounds.

We strive to support children socially and emotionally as well help children develop academically.  We are in the second decade of the 21st century and it is our obligation to teach 21st century skills.  We intend to teach children how to think critically, how to be problem solvers, and to understand the nuances of the English language.  Students will learn academic skills in all core areas, with an emphasis in literacy.  We will utilize our 1 to 1 computing devices and interactive televisions that we have on campus so students can access the world from their classrooms.

While academic excellence is our focus, we also encourage and teach character education as well as leadership.  Additionally, through the execution of thoughtful lessons, we will build capacity in our students so that they become life-long learners and are prepared to meet the demands of an ever-changing world.  Critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and Caring (the 5 Cs) will be focal points across content areas.  At Rio del Sol, we have high expectations for our students.  We share a fundamental belief that students will rise to the occasion to meet the expectations of the adults that care for them.

Andrea Robinson

Assistant Principal

Maria Torres

Office Manager

Anna Carrillo

Student & Family Support Specialist

Mayra Gutierrez

Student & Family Support Specialist

Rio del Sol Teachers

Courtney Burke

Kindergarten
  • Teaching since 2001
  • Rio teacher since 2014
  • BA Social Science CA Lutheran University; MA Education CA Lutheran University
  • I enjoy spending time with my family.

Melinda Calderon

Kindergarten
  •  Working in Rio since 2013
  • Correctional Officer – 15 yrs – VC Corrections
  •  Attended SFU
  • BS, Kinesiology – CSUN
  •  Multi-Subject (CLAD) – CSUN
  • I love spending time with family and friends and being a soccer mom of 4 amazing kids!

Leann Lang

Kindergarten
  • Teaching since 2013
  • Rio teacher since 2013
  • B.A. Child and Adolescent Development from CSUN, Teaching Credential and Masters in Teacher Leadership from CLU
  • I enjoy being with my 3 children and my husband.

Nicole Quijano

Kindergarten
  •  BS, Elementary Education, Marquette University
  •  MA, Teaching with an emphasis in PLCs, GGU
  •  I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, riding my bike, and going back to the Midwest to visit family.

Valori Book

1st Grade
  • Teaching since 2016
  • Rio teacher since 2018
  • Bachelors degree in art from California State University Northridge; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University Channel Islands
  • I enjoy reading, drawing, running, and exploring the outdoors.

Tylere Sandbrook

1st Grade
  • BA – Liberal Studies with a Concentration in Special Education, CSUCI
  •  Outdoor Education for four years, leading students on adventure based trips.
  • Our goal was to help students build a relationship with themselves, their peers, and their natural surroundings.
  • Interests: The beach, camping, bike rides, painting, and cooking.

Annie Koga

1st Grade
  • Rio teacher since 2008
  •  BA, Environmental Analysis and Design with a minor in Education, UC Irvine
  •  MA, Teaching, UC Irvine
  •  I enjoy playing softball, cooking, traveling, trivia and spending time with my family

Abbie Shaw Linder

1st Grade
  • Teaching since 1997
  • Rio teacher since 1997
  • MA of Educational Administration, BA of Psychology
  • I enjoy traveling, reading, baking, playing board games and spending time with my family.

Sandra VonCannon-Legaspi

2nd Grade
  • Teaching since 1996
  • Rio teacher since 2011
  • BA Art, CSUN; Mulitiple Subject Teaching Credential, CSUN
  • I enjoy spending my summers traveling.

Rickey Koga

2nd Grade
  • Teaching since 2016
  •  BA, Liberal Studies, CLU
  •  I was born and raised on the island of Maui, HI and came to California in 2008.
  •  In my spare time, I love surfing, hanging out at the beach, going for bike rides, playing trivia with friends, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

Phaedra Lam

2nd Grade
  • Teaching since 2009
  • Rio teacher since 2014
  • B.A from UC Riverside and M.Ed. from UC Santa Barbara
  • I enjoy running, basketball, and watching the Dodgers with my family. I also like karaoke and dancing! I love cats and everything dinosaur.

Rachel Stephenson

2nd Grade
  • Teaching since 2008
  • Rio teacher since 2018
  • B.A. Child Development from Cal Stage Northridge, M.A. Education from Cal State Lutheran
  • I enjoy gardening, sewing, going to the beach, and spending time with my family.

Savannah Romp

3rd Grade
  • Teaching since 2018
  • Rio teacher since 2020
  • B.A. Liberal Studies CSU Channel Islands
  • I enjoy relaxing at the beach, going for walks with my dog, hiking, spending time with my family.

Camille Izvarin

3rd Grade
  • Teaching since 2009
  • MS Education (Reading & Literacy)
    CSU Fullerton
  • BA Liberal Studies
    CSU Northridge
  •  Interests: Travel with husband, music, reading
  • Adjunct Professor, CSU Northridge
  • “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

Ellery Cushing

3rd Grade

Dani Bayer

3rd Grade
  • B.A. in English – Manhattanville College
  • MA Early Childhood Education – Pacific Oaks College
    Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential with an authorization in English – Cal Lutheran University
  • Intervention Teacher in Oxnard School District
  •  Taught preschool for six years
  •  Volunteered teaching and working in schools and street-children centers in Moshi, Tanzania
  • Interests: hiking, exploring, traveling, photography, music, spending time with family and my dog

Cheryl Molina

4th Grade
  • Teaching since 2003
  • Rio teacher since 2003
  • I have a BA in Child Development and a minor in Psychology. I attended Ventura College and CSUCI.
  • I enjoy reading and swimming.

Megan Hernandez

4th Grade
  • B.A. in History- California State University Channel Islands
  • M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction- Grand Canyon University
  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with and authorization in the Social Sciences- California State University Channel Islands
  • I have a strong passion for what I do, and look forward to seeing and guiding my students each and every day. During my personal time, I love spending time with my husband and two year old son, and experiencing something new each and every day! My hobbies include painting, reading, museum visiting, spending time in nature, shopping for school supplies, and seeking out any thrilling experience 🙂
  • “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” -Anthony J. D’Angelo

Jo Anna Mendoza

4th Grade
  • Rio teacher since 1988
  •  BA, Liberal Studies, CLU; MA, Curriculum and Instruction, CLU; MA, Ed. Admin., CSUN
  •  Faith and family are first! It is an honor to be a teacher.
  •  I enjoy serving through my church, volunteering, reading,
    playing with my cat, listening to music, and learning right along with my students

Anthony Ostrowski

4th Grade
  • Teaching since 2011
  • Rio teacher since 2015
  • B.A. in Political Science – University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A. in Political Science – California Institute of the Arts; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential – California State University, Los Angeles
  • I enjoy traveling with my family all over the world, cooking, and playing music.

Vanessa Murillo

5th Grade
  • Teaching since 2016
  • Rio teacher since 2019
  • BA Psychology and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential – attended CSU Channel Islands for both
  • I enjoy spending time with my family outdoors, at the beach or walking through local hiking trails. I love arts and crafts, photography, and traveling.

Michael Connelly

5th Grade
  • Rio teacher since 2000
  • BA Art History, UC Riverside
  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, CSUCI
  • M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction, American College of Education
  • Interests: reading, surfing, traveling, music, family

Yamilex Chavez

6th Grade
  • Teaching since 2019
  • Rio teacher since 2020
  • UCLA – Bachelor of Science in Psychology CLU – M.ED
  • I enjoy running, going to the beach, hiking, reading, being outdoors

Arianah Lopez

6th Grade

Amber Morgan

7th Grade

Kathy Navarro

7th Grade
  • Teaching since 2019
  • Rio teacher since 2019
  • Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from CSUN and Masters of Education from LaVerne
  • I enjoy playing soccer and watching football

Kelsey Young

7th Grade

Rizza Husband

8th Grade
  • Teaching since 2004
  • Rio teacher since 2016
  • M.Ed. in Teaching from UCSB; B.A. in English from Long Beach State
  • I enjoy being with family and friends, hiking, traveling, and cuddling with my dog.

Omar Espinoza

8th Grade
  • B.A. in Sociology – San Diego State University
  • Master of Education (M.Ed) & Multiple Subject Teaching Credential  – UC Santa Barbara
  • CTE Credential – Arts, Media, and Entertainment
  • I enjoy being outdoors with my family, going to LAFC games, and fishing. I also love watching Marvel movies.

Andrew VanConas

8th Grade

Music Teacher TBD

Band

Holly Roth

Art Teacher
  • Teaching since 2020
  • Rio teacher since 2020
  • BS in Communication Design, emphasis Animation, from CSU Monterey Bay and Single Subject Art teaching credential from Northridge University.
  • I enjoy drawing and creating art lessons, playing with my cat, and reading fantasy novels

Chad Farewell

PE Coach

Daniel Sepulveda

PE Coach
  • Teaching since 2021
  • Rio teacher since 2021
  • Purdue University – BS in Movement and Sport Science
  • I enjoy traveling the world to experience different cultures, discovering and cooking new foods, and of course, playing and watching baseball, football, basketball, pickleball, and volleyball.

Rio del Sol Resource Staff

Alex Weadon

Counselor
  • I grew up attending our Rio School District schools, and I have now worked for the district since 2017 and I am so excited to work with all of you! I went to CSUCI and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and continued my education at Cal Lutheran University where I obtained my Masters in School Counseling.
  • My favorite thing about being a school counselor is getting to work with students and teaching them life skills such as: coping skills, conflict resolution, and goal setting.
  • In my spare time I love to spend time with my family and friends, travel, try out new restaurants and foods, and play with my one year old daughter.

Tania Andrade

Librarian
  • I received my B.A. in Sociology from CSU San Bernardino and have been working in the education field for 12 years.
  • My husband and I moved to Ventura in 2009 and I have been working for the Rio School District since 2012.
  • I love watching all my students grow and succeed in their reading goals.
  • I enjoy spending time with my family, scrap-booking (when my son allows it!) and finding new creative ways to decorate my library.
  • I love turtles, I have two Russian Tortoises at home.
  • I enjoy visiting new places and hope to do more traveling in the future.

Daisy Sanders Nevarez

RSP
  • Working in Rio since 2019
  •  BS Speech Language Assistant- Turabo University, Puerto Rico
  • MS Speech Language Pathologist- Carlos Albizu University, Puerto Rico
  •  Doctoral Candidate in Special Ed- Nova Southeastern University, Florida
  •  I enjoy travel and spend time with my family.

Paige Perez

RSP
Speech and Language Pathologist

Kathy Navarro

Intervention

Maria Chavez

Instructional Assistant

Nayada Ponce

Instructional Assistant

Rio del Sol Support Staff

Ignacio Arroyo

Custodian

Manny Diaz

Custodian

Dulce Heller

Kitchen Manager

Yolanda Bullock

Kitchen Assistant

Lorena Mora

Kitchen Assistant

Nestor Vega

Campus Supervision Assistant

Graciela Macias

Campus Supervision Assistant

Hannah Murphy

Campus Supervision Assistant

Savannah Raigoza

Campus Supervision Assistant

Stephen Daugherty

Campus Supervision Assistant

Brenda Munoz

Campus Supervision Assistant

Patricia Sanchez

Campus Supervision Assistant
Skip to content