welcome

Welcome to Sea Crest!

Since our founding in 1996, our students have benefitted from the hallmarks of the Sea Crest experience: talented teachers, low class size, individualized attention, high expectations, integration of the arts into the core program, a safe and nurturing environment, connections to the greater community, and character development.

Magic happens at Sea Crest when eager students connect with thoughtful and creative teachers. Together, they learn and grow through hands-on, experiential and developmentally relevant activities. Teachers coach students to look at issues from multiple perspectives, and solve problems through unfettered brainstorming and experimentation. Foundational skills are built while exploring a diversity of topics. Sea Crest students are actively engaged in their learning and a positive buzz emanates from our classrooms.

Sea Crest is a collaborative community, one in which students, teachers, parents, and staff support each other to be our best selves on a daily basis. Extensive parent volunteerism allows the faculty to focus on providing a quality educational experience for the students. Ours is truly a team effort.

This website gives you a sample of what makes Sea Crest so special. Although nothing substitutes for time spent on our campus, exploring herein is an important first step in getting to know our school.

Tom Walters
Interim Head of School

message from the president of the board of trustees

It gives me great pleasure to announce that, by unanimous decision by the Board of Trustees, Tekakwitha M. Pernambuco-Wise, Ed. D. has been named Sea Crest School’s next Head of School. A highly collaborative, innovative leader, Dr. Pernambuco-Wise currently serves as Middle School Head at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, a Pre-K –8 independent school in Saratoga, CA. As Middle School Head, Dr. Pernambuco-Wise has been responsible for leadership and supervision of Middle School and enrichment faculty and high school placement, a program she has enhanced since joining the school in 2007. During her tenure at St. Andrew’s, Dr. Pernambuco-Wise started a highly successful science symposium and has taught in the 8th grade Health and Wellness program. The latter endeavors closely connected with our mission and Pernambuco-Wise’s philosophy of developing the whole child, indicating a good fit for Sea Crest School.

Raised in British Guiana, Tekakwitha brings a global perspective and educational excellence to the Coastside, having studied in the US, Canada, and England. While an undergraduate at Brown University, she spent her junior year abroad at the University of Sussex and spent summers teaching in Tijuana, Mexico, New York and at a Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. She met her future husband while abroad in the U.K. and in, 1989 she joined him in Pennsylvania where he was pursing post-doctoral studies. During her time in Philadelphia, she studied in graduate education at University of Pennsylvania. At that time, Tekakwitha taught at Agnes Irwin, an all-girls independent day school in Philadelphia, and as she was a Judo National Champion for her home country, Tekakwitha launched the school’s first judo program. Over the course of her career in education, Tekakwitha has lived and worked in Florida, New York and Hawaii before moving to California in 2005. In 2007, Pernambuco-Wise enrolled at St. Mary’s College, earning her Doctorate in Education, with honors, in 2011.

Pernambuco-Wise currently serves on the board of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, where she is member of the Strategic Planning, Finance and Outreach Committees.

During the search process, Tekakwitha asserted, “Sea Crest’s mission resonates with my philosophy of life, shaped by an upbringing that has promoted a sense of discovery, practice in excellence in all endeavors and service to others.” Throughout the search process, it was clear to all constituents that Tekakwitha appreciates Sea Crest’s focus on character development and a belief that arts, academics, and athletics are integral to truly develop the whole child. After visiting Half Moon Bay, Pernambuco-Wise commented that she felt welcomed by everyone, commenting that “Sea Crest is a thriving school.” Additionally, she is highly attracted to Sea Crest’s further growth potential, mission and student-centered approach that fosters an excellent combination of warmth and academic challenge amongst all constituents.

Please join me in welcoming Tekakwitha, and her husband, Dr. Paul Pernambuco-Wise, to our community. Tekakwitha will begin officially at the school on July 1, 2013.

Pam Izzo
President, Board of Trustees