Julian High Welcomes Eight New Teachers

Seven of the eight teachers who have joined the Julian High School faculty include: (front row left to right) Chris Heath, Mike Giles, Howard Behrens, and Mark Aumann. (Back row) Alexis Witjens, Denice Delgado, and Laura Frey.

by Bobbi Zane

Eight teachers have joined the faculty of Julian High School for the 2004-2005 school year. They bring experience, enthusiasm, and specialized skills to the school staff.

While most of the teachers are long-time residents of the San Diego area and several are graduates of San Diego State University, agriculture teacher Mike Giles has the distinction of moving from Northern California to Julian to teach local kids. He has a long career in agriculture including as a sheep man in Colorado and Nevada, a cowboy, and cantaloupe inspector. He says, “Julian is the prettiest place I have worked and I’m looking forward to expanding the vocational-agriculture program in Julian.”

By contrast, Spanish teacher and sophomore adviser Alexis Witjens is moving just a few miles from Ramona, where she grew up. Ms. Witjens earned a degree in Spanish at San Diego State, spent a year in Granada, Spain, and is “very excited to be here in Julian.”

Denice Delgado is also a native San Diegan who graduated from San Diego State. She is teaching 11th and 12th grade English, but she can also fill in if Spanish is needed, having taught in Mexico. She taught previously at Mountain Empire High School, but is delighted to be in Julian. “Growing up I have always taken great pleasure in visiting Julian during Apple Days. Now to be living and working near such a quaint, close-knit community is a pleasure.”

The small-community ambiance also brought Resource Teacher for Special Education Laura Frey to Julian. A graduate of San Diego State, she taught at Spring Valley Middle and High schools for 16 years before arriving in Julian. “I’m anxiously looking forward to teaching in a small community.”

Science teacher Mark Aumann brings professional experience of working for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in geophysics and biochemistry to Julian. He spent the last 14 years in the Sweetwater Union High School District at two different schools teaching math, physical science and five different levels of chemistry including advanced placement and international baccalaureate. He graduated from Reveille College at UC San Diego.

Howard Behrns also worked for the Sweetwater Union High School District before joining the Julian faculty to teach mathematics. He holds a BS in applied mathematics from San Diego State and “enjoys the small school environment and finds the students wonderful.”

History teacher Chris Heath has chosen Julian as the community where he will start his teaching career. A native of Rancho Cucamonga, he earned a degree in history at San Diego State University. Although he substituted at the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, his first full-time teaching position is here in Julian. He’s excited, “Julian is such a beautiful town and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach here.”

Susan Barens, who knows her way around a kitchen, will provide instruction in culinary arts. She was not available for the photo and interview for this article.