ST. LEANDER SCHOOL - Key Persons
Hello! My name is Rosa De La Pena and I am the 4th-grade teacher here at St. Leander School. As a child, I attended a Catholic school in Oakland. When I finished elementary school, I went to St. Elizabeth High School. Then, I attended Cal State East Bay and graduated with a major in Liberal Studies and a minor in Early Childhood Education.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal of St. Leander School
Welcome to our St. Leander Family! I am Amy Cross, the principal of St. Leander School. I am so proud to be a part of such a vibrant community of faith, academic learning and service. I have worked in the Diocese of Oakland for twenty-seven years, thirteen of those years here at St. Leander School. I have a deep-rooted commitment to Catholic education that began when I was five years old as a student in our diocesan schools. I grew up in the Bay Area and attended Catholic schools for both Elementary and High School. I have worked in almost every aspect of Catholic schools from starting out as an assistant in extended care while in college to becoming a classroom assistant, a teacher, a full-time vice principal and now principal of St. Leander. I have developed a great love for Catholic education and feel a tremendous dedication to serving our diocese and the families in our school. While working and teaching in the diocese, I completed four college degrees including a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, a Multiple Subjects California Teaching Credential, an Administrative Credential, and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership. I have found that my education has served me well in each role I have taken on, however, I have found that the greatest knowledge I have gained has been through directly working with students and families in our schools. I feel very fortunate to serve as principal at St. Leander School, and I look forward to an exciting 2021-2022 school year.
My name is Angelina Gonzales and I am the Middle School Language Arts/Literature teacher for grades 6-8. This is my sixth year teaching middle school Language Arts, but I have over ten years of experience working in the classroom. I attended the University of California, Berkeley where I earned a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and a minor in Education. I have also taken graduate courses at Holy Names in Educational Therapy. I enjoy writing, reading, and spending time with my sons.
My name is Kara Tiedemann and I have had the privilege of teaching at St. Leander School for the past fifteen years. Prior to my time in the St. Leander community, I spent many years as a competitive figure skater and instructional coach. I grew up in the Bay Area and received my BA in U.S. History from Mills College. I enjoy living by the marina in San Leandro with my partner BJ and our adorable furbaby, Zoey. My passions outside of the classroom include reading as much as I can, browsing the aisles of Target, and cheering for the Raiders and the Warriors! I am happy to continue serving as the 8th grade homeroom teacher, and leading our Middle School community in the areas of Social Studies and Religion.
My name is Ms. Rebecca Martinez; this is my eighteenth year working at St. Leander School. I myself attended St. Leander School from 1st thru 8th grade. After graduating from 8th grade I went on to attend St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda. I furthered my education at Cal State University Hayward. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Human Development with a special emphasis in Child Development.