Stephanie Rau joined Calvary in 2016 as a Pre-K teacher, bringing with her a strong foundation in the arts and a deep commitment to early childhood education. She holds a BA in Art History and an MA in Art Education. In 2023, Stephanie was appointed Director, where she leads with thoughtfulness, creativity, and a focus on fostering a supportive and engaging environment for children, families, and staff.

She was also the co-founder of The Nature League, an outdoor enrichment program that integrated art, science, and place-based learning through exploration of the city’s natural landscape from 2019-2023. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two daughters, engaging in creative projects, and exploring new restaurants throughout the Bay Area.

Mariana Schwartz (Mrs. Smith) was born and raised in San Francisco. She started working at Calvary in 1993 as the Pre-K teacher. The position of Art Specialist was created for her in 1999 and she has been teaching Art ever since. She has three adult daughters who all got their start at Calvary. She has a BA in Fine Arts and an AA in Textile Design. In her free time she loves to Quilt and is an active member of the San Francisco Quilters Guild and the Modern Quilt Guild. She enjoys weekends in Guerneville with her boyfriend, gardening and floating on the river.

Alina Khakimova was born and raised in Russia before moving to San Francisco in 2020. She earned her BA degree in Art Education and worked as an art teacher for five years. She completed and received a certificate in Early Childhood Development in May 2023. This is going to be her fifth year with us at Calvary. In her spare time she likes to travel with her family, oil painting, reading, and cooking.

Beth Rodgers was born and raised in San Diego, California. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area 25 years ago. She and her husband raised their three children in Marin County where she began her career as a Preschool Teacher. She taught Pre K in Marin for 6 years. She moved back to San Francisco in 2022 and began teaching at Calvary in 2023. In her spare time she loves traveling, going to art museums, boating, and trying new Italian recipes!

Erica Chiarucci is a San Francisco native who has been an Early Childhood Educator for over twenty years. She loves implementing the Reggio Emilia philosophy in the classroom and observing how the children embrace it. She also enjoys taking long walks, working in her garden, listening to the birdsong, reading, watching Premier League soccer, and Giants baseball. She is a dog lover and adores catching up with her family, especially her two nieces, and friends.

Janet Wong was born and raised in San Francisco, and currently lives in Daly City with her family. She earned her BA in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Child from San Francisco State University. She also holds a certificate in “Safe Start,” Early Childhood Violence Intervention and Counseling, and a Teacher Permit from the State of California. She has been an educator for over 24 years and worked in a variety of school methodologies and pedagogies ranging from Developmental, Emergent, Project Approach, to Academic Curriculum. She has worked with children ranging from 3 months old to school-age. In her free time she enjoys baking, cooking with family, traveling, watching dramas, and hiking.

Julie Shapiro was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI and has lived in San Francisco for nearly 20 years. She has a BA in business administration but a move to Chicago and a nanny job piqued her interest in child development and early education; she now holds a California child development site supervisor permit. In her free time she loves to travel with her husband, read and keep active with swimming and pickleball.

Istdel B. Burciaga is our Administrative Assistant. In 2002 she moved from Durango, Mexico to the Bay Area and started working towards her B.S in Industrial Psychology. Before joining Calvary, she worked with the Special Needs population for over 10 years. During her leisure time she highly enjoys family outings, playing volleyball, and the beach.

Katy Coe grew up in the Central Valley and moved to the Bay Area for college. She lived in San Francisco after graduation for twelve years and started teaching preschool overseas. She taught and lived in five different countries over eight years. She returned to San Francisco last year and this is her fourth year teaching at Calvary. In her spare time she likes to take Zumba classes, read, and knit and crochet.

Rocio Aguirre was born and raised in Mexico City before moving to San Francisco in 2006. She has been teaching for over 25 years, spending time with infants, toddlers and elementary aged children. In her free time she loves to walk outdoors, take care of her plants and her energetic puppy named Lucky.

Elaine McCann was born and raised in San Francisco. She has been working in the field of education since 1984 and is delighted to be part of the team at Calvary. She holds a BA in Art History and History, a MA in Early Childhood Education and a Montessori Credential. She is currently studying Herbalism and botany. She enjoys birdwatching, gardening, knitting and hiking with her husband. She has three dogs that keep her busy and bring her endless joy. 

Dany Lam was born in Cambodia. At the age of four, she moved to the United States, where she lived in Southern California and Florida. After high school, she returned to California to study at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, majoring in fashion styling. During her time in the fashion industry, she realized she wanted something more. She decided to step away and spent two years traveling. Upon returning, she discovered a passion for teaching and went back to school to earn her BFA in Early Childhood Education. Dany has been teaching in a private school setting for five years. In her free time, she loves to travel, go shopping, practice self-care routines, and spend time with friends and family.

Thea was born in Myanmar and has lived in San Francisco since her teens. With a background in Psychology and Nursing, she brings a calm, caring presence to the classroom. She’s passionate about early childhood development and is currently finishing up her studies in Early Childhood Education. Thea enjoys helping young children feel safe, seen, and supported as they learn and grow. Outside of work, she spends her time tending to her garden and caring for her cats—as well as the pets of friends and neighbors—while appreciating the quiet routines of home life.