MEET OUR TEAM
FACULTY
Kindergarten Teacher
Eleanne Bernard
Mrs. Bernard graduated from Cal State LA with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development. She began working in the education field as an aid which eventually motivated her to become an early education teacher. She has had the opportunity to work in both public and private sectors bringing fresh, fun and innovative ways to learn! Her passion to teach young children continues to grow, but most importantly to raise the next generation in the ways of the Lord!
Yorling C. Montoya
1st Grade Teacher
Mrs. Montoya has been teaching at Montebello Christian School for 4 years. She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Vanguard University. Mrs. Montoya is currently working on her Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in Elementary Education.
Sandra Martinez
2nd Grade Teacher
Mrs. Martinez has been an educator for 10 years. This includes being a teacher's aide, a one-on-one special education aide, and a substitute teacher. She is currently working on her teaching credential for multiple subjects and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business from Azusa Pacific University
Myrh Lee Nierras
3rd Grade Teacher
Mrs. N has a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Azusa Pacific University (APU) and a BA in Music from the University of South Alabama.
She has taught primary grades in three different school districts and subbed for all grades K-12.
Rebecca Salazar
4th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Becky has been working with preschool and elementary children for the past eighteen years. She worked seven years for the Los Angeles School District, then at the city of San Marino in 2011, now is blessed to be working at Montebello Christian School. Over, the past years she has been able to share her love for music with the children. She is a musician and enjoys singing, playing piano, and drums. You might occasionally see Mrs. Becky at MCF on Sunday services playing the piano and singing.
Carmen R. Castro
5th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Castro is one of our longest-serving faculty/staff members, having served MCS since 1978. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cal State, LA. Her teaching emphases included English (literature), 4th – 6th grade Bible, and 5th-grade reading, spelling, and language.
FACULTY SUPPORT
Celeste Bell
6th Grade/History Teacher
Christiana Chavez enjoys helping others to grow through Christ and adopt lifelong learning skills as they are students in her classroom. She holds a BA in Social Science and MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from BIOLA University. Her experience and skills in various areas in and out of the classroom cause her to be a valuable member of the MCS community.
Cassandra Anaya
7th Grade/Science
Miss Anaya is an alumni of Montebello Christian School, graduating class of 2011. She attended and graduated from Grand Canyon University, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with an emphasis in
Pre-Med, as well as being ACSI certified. She is excited to bring her new and creative style of learning to be both engaging and fun for all.
Holly Burgess
8th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Burgess is a native of Oklahoma and now resides in Long Beach, Ca. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2004, studying Speech Language Pathology. Her heart and passion has always been for children and has worked in the education field since 2006 with the past four years working as a full time teacher in upper elementary in the Christian private school sector. In Mrs. Burgess words, "My walk with the Lord is my most important part of my life, and it is my blessed opportunity to get to instill Christian core values with a high level education for my students."
Salina Walters
Teacher’s Assistant
Day Care/Aide
Mrs. Walters has been working at MCS since 1995—over 25 years—in various capacities supporting our faculty. Currently she is serving as a teacher’s assistant in the lower grades from K-2. She helps those lowers grade teachers in working with students during reading time and arts/crafts, as well as serving as a lunch aide and after school day care worker.
Arnica Ortega
Teacher’s Assistant
Day Care/Aide
Mrs. Ortega has been with our school since 2006, serving in many different areas between teacher’s assistant, lunch aide, and day care worker roles throughout her time. She is currently serving as a 3rd and 4th grade teacher’s assistant, assisting with reading, social studies, and science class. After school she serves as a day care worker. Arnica holds an Associate’s Degree in Child Development and holds a pre-school credential.
Deborah Jasiukonis
Teacher's Assistant
First Grade Aide
Mrs. Jasiukonis has worked as an elementary teacher since 1989, in Christian Schools. She worked at MCS since 2015, teaching 1st grade. She graduated from CSU, Long Beach and returned back to take Child Development classes. Besides working as an elementary teacher, Mrs. Jasiukonis has worked with preschool students. Now, as she feels almost ready to retire, she is working at MCS as an assistant in 1st grade. She loves teaching and wouldn’t consider any other job.
Linda Alvizo
Support Staff
Day Care/Aide
Mrs. Alvizo has been a part of our school almost from the very beginning when we first opened doors in 1970. We look forward to celebrating both our school’s and her 50th anniversary with us! She assists the office staff and student learning with focusing on reading/testing, and also serves as our morning day care worker
Lindsey Smotherman
Aide
Mrs. Hurtado has been supporting our staff as lunch aide and after school day care worker since 2010. Her warm smile, patient attitude, and gentleness is contagious around our campus.
Diego Alas
Support Staff / P.E. Coach
Diego Alas recently graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical and Theological Studies. He loves teaching the Word of God to students, so they have a better understanding of the Word and a deeper love for Jesus! Here at MCS, he enjoys connecting with students as a substitute teacher and floater! When he is not working, he enjoys hanging out with friends, reading books, and trying new foods!
ADMINISTRATION
Principal
Nella Klepach-Semerenko
Mrs. Klepach-Semerenko has been an educator for over 8 years including a teacher’s aide, working in Sped, and long term 2nd grade teacher. She brings a well-suited educational background to this position, including a Bachelor of Business Administration from California State LA and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education, from WGU.
Stephanie Semerenko
Marketing Dept. & Spiritual Counselor
Miss Stephanie has worked over 10 years in the design field and about 5 years as a pastor in her local church. She has always loved working with children and her passion is to help children develop spiritually, socially, and mentally. She received a degree in fashion/costume design at FIDM and has a BA in Youth and Family Ministry at Azusa Pacific University (APU). She is the Assistant Pastor as well as the social media marketing leader at her church.
Denisa Mendoza
Office Executive Secretary
Terry Tuttle
Bookkeeper
During the 5th and 6th grades, my parents enrolled me into what was then a new school called Montebello Christian School. Mr. & Mrs. Hindalong were co-principals, and the school only went up to the 6th grade then. I remember my 2 years at the school being informative and life changing. I am so honored to be working at the school after all these years.
I love the school and it really is like being home again.
Diana Rendon
Office Assistant
SCHOOL BOARD
Sebastian Petz
Pastor
Tamar Abajian
Board Member
Holly Burgess
Board Member
Debbie Calderon
Board Member
Darlene Fierro
Board Member
Carla Gonzalez
Board Member
Paul Montoya
Board Member
Giuseppe Veneziano
Board Member
