Behind every great school is an incredible team. Our teachers and support staff are more than educators - they're mentors, cheerleaders, and creative partners in your child's journey. Each team member brings years of experience, specialized expertise, and a genuine passion for creating a welcoming, safe space where every student can explore, take risks, and thrive. When you walk through our doors, you'll feel the difference a dedicated, caring community makes.
Principal Imperato feels deeply honored to guide students throughout their entire journey at the Arts Charter from the moment our youngest learners walk through the doors as curious TK students to the day our confident 8th graders step forward ready for high school. She believes that when strong academics, creativity, and a supportive community come together, every Narwhal can discover their voice and shine. Mrs. Imperato is proud to serve as the principal of Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts and is now in her fourth year leading our TK-8th grade Narwhals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, an Administrative Services Credential, and a Teaching Credential in English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD). Throughout her career she has worked with students across all grade levels from elementary through high school. This has given her a deep understanding of how students grow and develop academically from their earliest school experiences through their transition to high school, and on to college.
Mrs. Imperato is especially passionate about early literacy and helping young learners build a strong foundation in reading and writing. She believes that when children develop confidence with language, they discover their voice and begin to see themselves as authors of their own stories. Supporting students as they learn to read, think critically, and express their ideas creatively is one of the most meaningful parts of her work.
Her own love for the arts began early as she was born in San Francisco and began frequenting the art museums with her parents. As a high school band member in Sonoma County, she enjoyed marching in local parades, and in college she pursued English literature, theater arts, and competed on the intercollegiate speech and debate team. These experiences helped shape her belief that through the arts we build confidence, creativity, and connection for all students to access learning.
Email: simperato@srcs.k12.ca.us
Mrs. Finley has been teaching for 10 years, including seven years at SRCSA. She enjoys all kinds of visual art, and has always loved photography starting when she was in high school. When she was in elementary school, Mrs. Finley enjoyed art, music, and sports and fondly recalls participating in school plays. Her favorite part about teaching is that every year each class is so different. Mrs. Finley said, "I love all my kids and care about their successes. I love that when a lesson is taught, each child reacts a little differently. I also love my age group because they have such an honest way about them!" Outside of work, Mrs. Finley loves to travel, and enjoys outdoor activities, photography, scrapbooking, gardening, reading, and especially hanging out with her family.
Email: rfinley@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Wilde has been teaching at SRCSA for 16 years and has 21 years of teaching experience overall. She is passionate about creating a safe, inclusive classroom where every student feels valued and has a sense of purpose. She encourages students to explore ideas, ask questions, and take ownership of their learning in an inquiry-driven classroom. As a child, she loved learning and was a hard-working student. When she isn’t teaching, Ms. Wilde enjoys spending time in her home garden, where she grows a variety of vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
Email: mwilde@srcs.k12.ca.us
website: https://sites.google.com/srcs.k12.ca.us/f103srcsa/
Mrs. Genolio has been teaching for 20+ years . She enjoys visual arts, and especially loves working with clay. When she was a student, her favorite subjects in school were art, math, and science. What she loves most about teaching is inspiring each of her students to take chances in their learning and discover new things about themselves and their world. When she is not teaching, Mrs. Genolio loves traveling, hiking, kayaking, cooking, and spending time with her family. She also enjoys going on adventures with her two rescue pups and fostering dogs from a local shelter.
Email: sgenolio@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Pearce has been teaching for eight years, and this marks her second year at SRCSA. She has taught kindergarten, third grade, and most recently second grade. As a child she loved art projects and science experiments and looks forward to doing both in her own classroom. What she loves best about teaching is “when I teach a new concept and a bell goes off once they really understand something. It's a great feeling to help a student gain a better understanding of existing concepts too,” she shares.
Email: apearce@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Bryson has been teaching at SRCSA for 7 years, and she worked as a drama and art teacher for ten years prior to starting at SRCSA. She loves theater and performance based activities the most, but she also really enjoys visual art. When she was a child she loved spending time with her friends, making art and being out in nature. She has very vivid memories of art projects she did at school and on her own. Ms. Bryson said, “Teaching is challenging, inspiring and super rewarding! I love those moments in class when I look around the room and my students are totally engaged and energized. The best is when a student finally understands a concept that was challenging for them, when they’ve worked really hard on something and it finally makes sense, and their face just lights up!”
Email: bbryson@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Chesanek has been teaching for 12 years, including six years here at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. The art forms that she enjoys the most are music and visual arts. When she was a student herself, participating in music was her favorite thing about school. What Ms. Chesanek loves most about teaching is the ability to inspire life-long learners and “making a difference in the lives of students every day.” Outside of the classroom she loves snow skiing, gardening, spending time with her family and swimming. She has two daughters at SRCSA.
Email: mchesanek@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Bradley has been teaching at SRCSA since 2007 when the school first opened. She grew up performing lots of plays and musicals, and she loves having her students perform an opera each year for the school. Ms. Bradley loves teaching all subjects, but her favorite part of teaching 4th grade is reading with students. Watching kids learn to love books, share them with each other, and talk about characters is one of the best parts of the year. When she's not teaching, she loves spending time with her dogs, reading, playing trivia, and traveling. Ms. Bradley loves being a Narwhal!
Email: sbradley@srcs.k12.ca.us
Web site: http://msbradley.edublogs.org/
Ms. Etienne has been teaching at SRCSA for six years and has been a teacher for 11 years. Her favorite forms of art are visual arts and drama. When she was a student her favorite thing about school was reading and going on field trips. Her favorite thing about being a teacher is “connecting with my students and watching them learn and be excited about it.” Outside of teaching she loves to be outdoors. She enjoys running, biking, gardening, hiking and going to the beach.
Email: fetienne@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Holmstedt started her teaching career here at SRCSA 13 years ago after working at the Sonoma County Water Agency. Her enthusiasm about science education, biology, and steelhead trout, is infectious! The types of art she finds most exciting are the performing arts. As a student herself, she always loved science and English class, PE, as well as school rallies. Ms Holmstedt says, “Seeing kids passionate about the work they do and the ‘ah ha’ moments” is what she loves most about being a teacher. Outside of teaching she enjoys fishing, kayaking, beekeeping, hiking, cooking, playing softball, and of course watching the San Francisco Giants!
Email: mholmstedt@srcs.k12.ca.us
Mr. Kempiak, Mr. K to his students, is in his first year of teaching science at SRCSA. Previously, he has been a chemistry and physics teacher at the high school level for over 20 years. He has a strong love of science as it relates to one of his greatest joys: cooking. "Chemistry is Cooking!", he likes to say in class. As an avid lover of physics, he loves light and its applications in art: the use of shading and palate colors in painting, the use of different camera techniques in photography (he is always trying to get better with his digital camera) and 3D art and sculpture always captures his attention. When he was a student, he loved his science classes! He loved the organized chaos that came from creating something and challenging what he knew (or thought he knew), and then creating new knowledge as he played in class with the various activities. All the smells and things flying through the room always captured his attention. Outside of class, Mr. K loves to cook, and play video and board games with his friends and kids. He loves watching soccer and basketball with his daughter and cheering on the Los Angeles Rams and the SF Giants. His newest passion is to continue to teach himself how to crochet more complicated things.
Email: akempiak@srcs.k12.ca.us
Mr. McDivitt (AKA Mr. Mac) teaches core visual art. He has a big laugh and a lot of patience and enthusiasm when teaching the wide variety of art students at SRCSA.
Email: jmcdivitt@srcs.k12.ca.us
Our Physical Education program uses fitness and skill-based learning, combined with health education to provide our students with a well-rounded physical education curriculum. This course provides students the opportunity to learn through developmentally appropriate games and lessons, planned in accordance with state standards. Strategies and concepts, including sportsmanship, self-responsibility, mindfulness, positive social interaction and group dynamics are interwoven into units on volleyball, basketball, soccer, frisbee, floor hockey, fitness, yoga and dance.
Email: adthomas@srcs.k12.ca.us
A recent graduate of the Sonoma State University teaching credential program, Mr. Ravani is proud to have spent two years teaching at SRCSA and looks forward to many more. His preferred art form is Theater and in elementary school he was enthusiastic about Science and Social Studies. Mr. Ravani shared: "I left a life of professional acting to make a more significant and positive impact on the world. I figured the best way to do that was to use my experience in the theater to provide young people with the skills of collaboration and cooperation.” Outside of work, Mr. Ravani enjoys camping, gardening, traveling, and cooking.
Email: aravani@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Daniel is enjoying in her 10th year at SRCSA and has been teaching since 1996 with Santa Rosa City Schools. She teaches all grades Classroom Music as well as String Orchestra (violin, viola, cello and bass) for the middle schoolers. Ms. Daniel, who is a Santa Rosa native, also loves teaching musical theater and working with other teachers to integrate music into many subjects. Outside of work, she volunteers at a local animal shelter and local food pantries. Her family includes her daughter Sara who resides in Massachusetts, and her son Carter of Humboldt County, as well as her husband, Mr. Daniel, a 6th grade Math and Science teacher in Windsor.
Email: rdaniel@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Pawek has taught at SRCSA for 10 years and has been teaching for 25 years overall. She loves all art forms but of course dance is her favorite! When she was in school, Ms. Pawek loves “doing anything social” especially school dances! Ms. Pawek loves to dance, so she says that she is passionate about her job. “I love it when students get excited about learning in the dance room. When they experience the joy of movement and the art of dance.” Outside of school, Ms. Pawek likes to spend time with family and friends.
Email: spawek@srcs.k12.ca.us
Ms. Hofmann is beginning her third year as SRCSA’s RSP teacher, but she has been an active SRCSA parents for many years and has been teaching for 9 years. She loves all forms of artistic expression. When she was a student herself, she enjoyed language arts, history, art, music and science. What Ms. Hofmann enjoys most about teaching is “working with students getting to know them as individuals and forming meaningful relationships with them.” Outside of work, she loves to practice Yoga, be in nature, spend time with her family, traveling, and cooking.
Email: hhofmann@srcs.k12.ca.us
Nadia Talbot
Office Mgr.
Bianca Hamiter
Health Tech
Angela Bonner
School Psychologist
Saitip Khanchalern
Restorative Specialist
John Fortunati
Head Custodian
Jesus Corpa Perez
Night Custodian
Jennifer Toscano
Instructional Aid
Hanna Schweitz
Instructional Aid
Briana Wilson
RSP Asst. + Yard Supervisor
Liza Curtis
TK Assistant
Stasha McIntosh
Lead Yard Supervisor
Cynthia Parkhill
Liberian + Yard Supervisor
Carina Bitanga
Yard Supervisor + KinderCare
Alyssa Molina
Student Safety Advisor
Patricia Zarazoga
Family Engagement
