Faculty and Administration
Administrative Staff (in alphabetical order)
DEBORAH CASILLAS dcasillas@montedelsol.org Debby is our College Guidance Counselor. She has a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley and an MA in Spanish Language and Lierature from UNAM (Universidad Nacional de Mexico) in Mexico City. She has worked for ten years in admissions at The College of Santa Fe, the last five as Associate Director of admissions.
DIANE GONZALES registrar@montedelsol.org
GRETCHEN GORDON ggordon@montedelsol.org Gretchen is our school nurse. She has been a Case Manager for Santa Fe Health Care and a staff nurse with Kaiser Hospital Foundation in San Francisco. Gretchen is a Registered Nurse in New Mexico as well as in California. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bacelors of Science degree in Health Science as well as Nursing. At Monte del Sol, Gretchen also teaches in our Health and Wellness program and works closely with our lunch program to ensure that students who qualify for free or reduced lunch are well fed.
PAQUITA HERNANDEZ mentorship@montedelsol.org A founding faculty member, Paquita is the Director of our award-winning Mentorship Program which connects students with mentors in our wider community. Paquita is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, has a Master's Degree in Latin American Affairs from UNM, and served in the Peace Corps in Colombia for two years. She founded and directed the internationally recognized program, "Celebrate Youth" from 1986 to 1998--an educational model that connected young people with mentors in the community. Paquita's dream is to make learning in the community an integral part of leadership education.
ANGELA RITCHIE aritchie@montedelsol.org takes the helm of Monte del Sol as Head Learner/Principal this year coming to Santa Fe from Rome, Georgia. She has been teaching since 1984 and holds multiple Master's level teaching certifications including English, Spanish, Biology and in Gifted Education where she implemented inclusion of severe and profoundly disabled students. Angela is a Specialist in Educational Administration and Instructional Supervision and has been an adjunct professor at both private and public universities. She was selected to attend Harvard University's Principals' Academy and also received a Fulbright scholarship to Malaysia and Singapore. Angela has three children and a menagerie of pets. She loves horses, good literature, running and biking and her goal is to swim in every major ocean in the world. She lacks only the Black Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Caspian and the Arctic Ocean.
TOBY ROYBAL Toby is our maintenance department and director of our janitorial team. He has been with the school from the very beginning. Toby handles every odd job from electrical and plumbing problems to cutting off stuck locks. Students and staff would be lost without his care and willingness.
ANNE SALZMANN asalzmann@montedelsol.org Anne joined us in 2003 as Assistant Head Learner and in 2008 took the helm of Monte del Sol as Interim Principal. This year, she is happy to return to her original position as Angela Ritchie comes on board. Prior to Monte del Sol, Anne was Head of School at Verde Valley School, a private boarding school in Sedona, AZ. and before that was head of the counseling department at Phoenix Country Day School in Phoenix for twelve years. She holds an M.Ed in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University.
HENRY SCHELTON hschelton@montedelsol.org joined our staff in 2008 as full time counselor and social worker. He received his MSW from the University of Illinois, Jane addams College of Social Work and has a wide range of experience working with youth in treatment centers, community youth outreach and alternative programs. In his free time Henry has the extraordinary privilege of co-raising his son and enjoys running, swimming, hiking and road cycling. Much to the delight of students, his therapy dog, Rory, often accompanies Henry to school.
KAYLOCK SELLERS ksellers@montedelsol.org Kaylock was our founding Business Manager coming on board early in 2000 to set up the complex financial logistics of starting a Charter School. After getting us on the right track fiscally, Kaylock left Santa Fe to pursue a teaching career in Ecuador. After two years in South America he returned to Monte del Sol to teach 7th Grade Math and in 2007 resumed his original post as our business manger and facilities coordinator. In addition to his skills in algebra and accounting, Kaylock is also a gifted, published poet.