Teachers & Staff
The heart of our school
Blanca Lee Luna, Operations Administrator
Blanca became The Circle School’s administrator in May 2000. Her family joined the co-op in late 1998. Before stepping into her leadership role, she served as a member of the Board of Directors and as an organizer of school events. Blanca brings a wealth of experience from a variety of administrative roles across corporations, universities, child care centers, and small businesses. As a Circle School parent for 18 years, Blanca’s deep connection to the community continues even after her children transitioned out of the school. Outside of work, she enjoys attending comedy shows and live music performances, and cherishes time with her partners, Phillip and Delain. Together, they are proud parents to four adult children: Sonny (CS Grad 2008), Noah (CS Grad 2012), Violet (CS Grad 2014), and Trinity. Former CSer, Finn, is attending ISA.
Melanie Martinez, Education Administrator
Melanie brings a dynamic blend of experience, compassion, and leadership to her role as Education Administrator at our cooperative school. With a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Development and an anticipated Master’s in Management and Leadership (December 2025), she is deeply committed to whole-child education and fostering a learning environment rooted in respect, exploration, and community. Since stepping into this role in 2022, she has drawn on her broad experience across PK–12 settings, including work in special education and college and career counseling. Her background includes leading teams, collaborating with families, and creating systems that support both academic and social-emotional growth. In every position, she has championed inclusive practices and responsive education grounded in relationships. Her educational philosophy aligns seamlessly with the school’s mission—prioritizing outdoor learning, cooperative values, and nurturing each child's potential through a balanced, student-centered approach. Mel is originally from Corpus Christi and is always looking for new ways to enjoy San Antonio. If you stop into the office, be prepared to do wall push ups with her.
Yvonne Wood,
Financial
Administrator
Yvonne began her journey at The Circle School as a parent and co-op member, contributing as both a substitute teacher and bookkeeper to fulfill her co-op hours. Even after her children moved on from the school, she remained a valued member of our administrative team. Grateful for the opportunity to do meaningful part-time work at a school she loves, Yvonne appreciates being part of a team of people who are committed to making a positive impact in the community. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering from MIT. Yvonne and her husband are the proud parents of two amazing children—both Circle School alumni. Their oldest is currently attending Columbia University in New York (Go Lions!), and their youngest is at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ’em Horns!). Outside of work, Yvonne enjoys math, dancing, movies, trivia nights, and spending time with her large and loving extended family and friends.
Sarah Peters,
Sun Room (PK3 & PK4)
Sarah has been part of The Circle School family since 1998, beginning as a student while her dad was a teacher here. Staying connected to the school throughout her life, she is thrilled to continue her Pre-K teaching career in the very place where she first fell in love with learning and early childhood education. For the past four years, Sarah has been a Pre-K and music teacher at The Lilypad Garden and Farm School. Outside the classroom, Sarah is a proud mom to her 10-year-old daughter, Sadie, who is also a Circle School alumna. She enjoys singing, dancing, playing guitar, and sharing her passion for music as an instructor at a musical theatre academy. Sarah looks forward to coming home to this unique, loving community and making her journey full circle.
Jason Gossard,
Star Room (Kinder)
Jason currently teaches the children in our kindergarten program and has worked at the school teaching preschool or kinder since 2004. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and then moved to Texas where he completed a teaching certification program through Region 20. Jason spent eleven years teaching preschool at Head Start. Jason is also a writer, poet and organizer for the San Antonio Puro Slam.
Kate Murphy,
Sky Room (1st)
Ms. Kate was once a student at the Circle School herself, which inspired her to become a teacher! She has spent over 14 years leading San Antonio area classrooms for Northside and Judson ISDs, including 9 years teaching 1st grade. She made the decision to leave the constraints of public schools (a sentiment to which many of our parents can relate) and was hoping to start her own microschool when she learned of our hiring opportunity. Ms. Kate is overjoyed to bring her educational journey full circle by returning to The Circle School and her wealth of experiences and passion for teaching will surely be great assets to our community.
Geoffrey Dennis,
Peace Room (2nd)
Mr. Geoffrey is familiar to many returning families as an active co-op member with his wife Rayen while their children Camilo and Adrianna attended The Circle School. Watching his children learn and grow within the Circle School environment inspired him to be more involved and he became a consistent on-campus presence as a first-line substitute teacher. In this role, he has honed his classroom management skills and demonstrated his strong ability to build rapport with students and other staff members. Geoffrey graduated from Pitzer College, a member of the Claremont Colleges, with a BA in Political Studies. He has a decade of public and political affairs work experience along with real estate management. Geoffrey has been actively involved as a soccer coach for both his daughter and son, and for the last decade continues to work as a soccer official for USSF, TASO and the NCAA.
Terry Ramirez,
Rainbow Room (3rd & 4th)
Miss Terry began teaching at the Circle School in 2008. She taught language arts, history, theater, sewing, Latin, and yoga over her twelve years at Circle. After stepping away from full time teaching in 2021, she worked as an End of Life Navigator at a contemplative hospice and completed her Masters Degree in Global Perspectives: Teaching, Curriculum, and Learning Environments. Wonder and whole child education are the North Stars of her teaching philosophy, and she is excited to return to the Rainbow Room to teach a class of 3rd and 4th graders. Her previous time with us has demonstrated the ability to support and grow students in mixed grade classrooms. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and wondering.
Meredith Vigil,
Dream Room (5th)
Meredith brings over a decade of experience in education, with a strong focus on early childhood and child-centered learning. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas State University and is a certified Texas educator. Before joining The Circle School, she served as a lead teacher at Discovery School and spent several years teaching in both elementary and middle school settings. Her teaching philosophy centers on whole-child development, nature-based exploration, and the power of storytelling to support social-emotional growth. She previously directed San Antonio’s Free Forest School chapter, where she guided families through outdoor play and early literacy experiences. Meredith recently completed her master’s degree in Library and Information Sciences, including an internship under a children’s librarian with the San Antonio Public Library. Outside the classroom, Meredith enjoys running, camping, and exploring nature with her three children and their rescue dog, Penny. She’s excited to bring her creativity, warmth, and curiosity to The Circle School community.
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Sarah Swati,
Roots Room (6th-8th)
Sarah began teaching math to Circle School students in 2013 and science to the 4th and 5th graders in the 2014-2015 school year. Currently, she serves as facilitator for our middle school program. She is the lead teacher for The Circle School’s Math Counts and Future City competition teams. Her main goal as a teacher is to encourage curiosity. An Austin native, Sarah has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Math, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Statistics, from The University of Texas at San Antonio. In her free time, Sarah watches movies, runs, and inspires audiences with her performance poetry.
Maggie Mullins,
Integrated Specials
Prior to serving as the Integrated Specials Educator at The Circle School, Maggie worked at the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas as the Camp and Outdoor Education Manager and as the Projects Coordinator at Fuerza Unida. In her free time, Maggie loves taking art classes at the Southwest School of Art, doing yoga, gardening, writing, and spending time with her partner, her dog Tejo, and her 4 (yes, 4!) cats. She is particularly passionate about fostering a love of nature in young people, and can't wait to share this passion with the students of The Circle School.
Laura Trujillo,
Spanish
Ms. Laura is a native Spanish speaker with a background in social work and extensive experience in language instruction. She began teaching at The Circle School during the 2022–2023 school year and previously taught group and individual Spanish lessons with New World Spanish. Laura has also taught in various NEISD schools and brings a creative, responsible, and collaborative approach to her work. She is passionate about introducing students to the Spanish language and nurturing their growth through meaningful, engaging instruction.