New teachers for a new school year

In addition to Northgate’s strong staff, the school has the pleasure of welcoming new teachers Katherine Vose, a Resource Specialist and English teacher, Susan Sigge, a Special Education teacher, Dana Tarantino, a math teacher, and Danielle

Noury, an English and Resource Specialist. The Sentinel asked them about their first impressions and background.

What do you like about Northgate?

Vose: Although this may sound like a cliche, the students and staff I have met are what I like. Everyone has been friendly, polite, and professional.

Sigge: It’s got a lot of spirit! Everyone is very helpful and there is a lot of team spirit here.

Tarantino: People are really friendly here- teachers, student and administrators alike. I’m not gonna lie, I actually like that it’s all indoors. It’s like I’m at the mall.

Noury: Everyone here is so helpful and friendly. The teachers are great about showing me around and I love my aids!

What is your educational and teaching background?

Vose: I had four children and I started as the mom who was always volunteering at school. When my youngest child entered high school, I worked as a substitute teacher to be sure I wanted to actually become a teacher. After being a substitute teacher for a few years, I entered a credential program and earned my teaching credential in Special Education.

Sigge: I have a Master’s in Music and two credentials in multi subject and moderate/severe special education. Prior to going into the credential program, I taught private and group flute lessons, conducted a flute choir (Flock of Flutes), judged competitions, taught Master Classes, performed children’s concerts teaching common core concepts through music, and more things I can’t remember!

Tarantino: CAL grad, baby! I started teaching in 1987. I started in SoCal, but most of my experience has
been up here: a decade at Piedmont High, 9 years at CV and now here.

Noury: I have my Associate’s Degree in theatre from Marin College, I have my Bachelor’s Degree in history from Sonoma State, and currently I’m working to get my Credential Master’s Degree at University of San Francisco.

What do you like to do when you aren’t at
school?

Vose: I enjoy my animals, friends and family, cooking and baking, home projects, traveling, gardening.

Sigge: I love to read, garden and bake. I make lots of cookies and cakes.

Tarantino: I really like hanging out with my kids and husband. Once this summer we were in a restaurant and they made me laugh so hard I was crying (we had to leave because we were so obnoxious). Otherwise I’m reading or at the movies.

Noury: I love to watch movies- I watch them all of the time.

Any fun facts about you?

Vose: I enjoy animals, friends and family, cooking and baking, home projects, traveling, gardening.

Sigge: Part of my family’s land in Sweden is a museum about the life of Swedes, how and where they lived over 100 years ago.

Tarantino: I have a few tattoos but they are not in places you see much (hips, feet) so next week I’m getting something new on my arm. But I hope people only say nice things because it’s permanent and it’ll hurt my feelings.

Noury: I am a huge movie buff and I own 3500 DVDs that I watch all of the time. I even managed a video store for five years.