My name is Manju Sharma. I am so excited to be at Licton Springs. I have a master’s in science and MIT. I was born in India, but I have lived in this country for more time than India. This is home now. I have 2 sons. The elder one works for Amazon and the younger is doing CS at UW. I have always wanted to teach, so I went back to school to get MIT and it is a dream come true. I feel that Math and Physics can make one look at the universe in such a special way. I love kids, animals, and trees. When not teaching, I enjoy gardening, yoga, ethnobotany, cooking, sketching on and off, travel (money and time permitting), watching comedies and news, and spending time with my family and the list goes on I love planting trees during winters for a non-profit, Mountain to Sound Greenway Trust, in Puget sound. I look forward to starting and meeting the students.

I love being active and I’m a huge nerd. I enjoy sharing my love of learning with students, especially when it comes to history. I got my BA in History at WWU and firmly believe that education is a way to open so many doors. I love reading and playing video games to relax or taking my dogs for long walks throughout Seattle.

Hi, I'm Elly!

I moved to Seattle from rural North Carolina a few years ago and have since held many different roles in a number of schools. I have worked at the preschool, elementary, middle and high school levels and I love working with kids at every age! I particularly love when I get to support students through difficult emotions. Outside of school, I like to go on outdoor adventures with my dog.

I've worked in Seattle schools since 2003. I started in my 2nd (and 3rd) AmeriCorps program, Washington Reading Corps and WRCVISTA. I worked at Kimball Elementary and loved the school so much that I decided to keep working in the Seattle Public System. I became a substitute IA, then an IA, and finally got my Masters to become a cert. I was a cert sub until I got my special education endorsement. In that time, I've worked in at least 80 schools within SPS. I love connecting with my students - working one on one and with smaller groups. I feel like that's where the biggest impact is made. I love Licton Springs for the social justice element and the strong community aspects. I play racquetball, am a songwriter and guitar player I also collect a ridiculous amount of music. Education: MA Seattle Pacific University / BA University of Washington

My name is Minda Tochihara and I am so excited to be a part of your school as the school psychologist. My favorite thing about being a school psychologist is helping students learn more about how their brains work and what their strengths are. When I’m not at work, I like spending time with my kids, being in nature, reading, and baking.

Hi, I’m Laisan (pronounced lay-sohn) and I’ve been a part of Seattle Public Schools since 2013. I started as a tutor, then worked as a special education assistant and now am excited to be an office assistant at Licton Springs. I was born and raised in New York but have lived in Seattle for over half my life. I live in Ballard with my husband and son (who learned to ride a bike in Webster Park), and I like to experiment with quick bread recipes.

Hello, my name is Keith! I teach Middle School ELA and Science! My hobbies involve running, riding my bike, playing video games, and reading comics. I am also a huge fan of ancient history, and outer space. I graduated from Seattle Central, University of Washington, and Antioch University. I have 2 cats (Steven and Olive), and I love to teach!

My name is Darlene and I’m your part time school nurse. I enjoy helping to make sure you are healthy and ready to learn. I enjoy staying active with my two teenagers who are in 8th and 11th grade. My hobbies include gardening, running and ancestral research. Education: MBA Western Governors University, BSN & BA University of Washington / ADN Highline Community College

I have worked in education for 14 years, teaching grades K-5. I love being an educator because I get to keep learning from and with my students. When I am not working, I enjoy traveling and experiencing other cultures and cuisines, as well as spending time outdoors running,  hiking, and camping. I am very excited to be joining the Licton Springs team!