Mr. Kenneth Lawrence-Emanuel
Executive Director
Kenneth Lawrence-Emanuel has been involved in public education for 27 years. He has taught mathematics, science and English, to grades 6 through 12, in Morgan Hill, Saudi Arabia, San Lorenzo Valley, and Soquel. For 4 years, he served as assistant principal and principal at RJ Fisher Middle School in Los Gatos, and for 10 years, he served as assistant principal and principal at Soquel High School. He holds degrees in English, Chemical Engineering, and Educational Administration.
Throughout his career, Ken has worked closely with English Learners, at-risk students and Gifted and Talented youth. He has been highly involved in hands-on education, such as the Salmon Trout Education Program (STEP) in San Lorenzo Valley and the Green Manufacturing, Engineering and Construction (gMEC) Academy, a California Partnership Academy, at Soquel High. Also a strong supporter of the arts, Mr. Lawrence -Emanuel enjoys playing trumpet alongside students in small ensembles and school musicals. During his educational career, Mr. Lawrence-Emanuel has worked to open new pathways to student success. He has continued this focus for the past 3 years at Learning for Life Charter School, redesigning school systems, the physical space and the curriculum to better meet student needs.
Ms. Gloria Shaw
School Founder, Art & English Teacher
Gloria Shaw is originally from southern California where she graduated from John Muir High School in Pasadena. She then went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree from Mount San Antonio College, a Bachelor of Science degree from California State Polytechnic College, Pomona, and a Master of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton. Her early years of teaching were at Arroyo High School in El Monte and then Pomona High School, Pomona where she taught dance and physical education. After completing her Masters’ degree, she moved to teaching English for grades 9-12 at Ontario High School in Ontario.
Gloria took a break from teaching for a several years while she worked at creating visual arts, painting, printmaking and sculpting. Upon returning to teaching she discovered a school called Options for Youth that offered independent study instruction for students at risk of dropping out of school. What she learned working there laid the groundwork for her next career change. When she and her husband moved to Monterey County they recognized the need for another option for students who were not succeeding in the traditional school setting and made the decision to create a new charter school called Learning for Life Charter School. She now continues to enjoy working with her students here.
Mr. Brian Zeuthen
Social Studies Teacher
Brian Zeuthen is currently in his 5th year as an educator. His previous career spanned 20 years as a television news photographer and producer. Working in a fast-paced news environment tied directly to current events helped him to develop an appreciation for our links to the past and the consequences of historical events. Says Mr. Zeuthen, “Understanding and interpreting historical events not only aids in personal growth and learning, but it also helps to explain why the world is structured the way it is. Knowledge of local, national, and global tenets empower students with an ability to independently adapt to the various environments in which they must thrive. Additionally, this awareness provides them with the tools to positively change their environment when necessary.”
Mr. “Z” truly enjoys working with adolescents and firmly believes that all students have the capacity to learn and develop their own unique talents. He is affable, keen on listening to student ideas, and dedicated to helping them achieve their individual educational goals. His approach to problem-solving puts students in charge of finding solutions that benefit them most. Viewed in this context it is easy to see how this method complements Learning for Life’s oeuvre of independent study.
Mr. Zeuthen lives in the Monterey area with his wife. He has two children. The oldest is a graduate from the University of Washington while the other is attending Monterey Peninsula College. In his spare time, Brian enjoys reading both fiction and nonfiction novels, playing tennis, cycling, hiking, photography, and exploring cinematic arts.
Mr. Michael Tortorelli
Math Teacher
Mr. Tortorelli has over 14 years of teaching experience. His specialties in math are General, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry. Mr. Tortorelli believes that there is no child that cannot learn. All we need to do is find the right switch to turn on. Mr. Tortorelli graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S Physical Education K-12. Mr. Tortorelli is also a U.S. Army veteran of Desert Storm/Shield. He brings to us a zest for life in which he plans on sharing with the students at Learning for Life Charter School.
Ms. Cheryl Campbell
Science Teacher
Cheryl Campbell is a Teacher at Learning for Life Charter School. Her area of study is Science and Agriculture. She is originally a Michigander (goose?) and graduated from Michigan State University (Moo U). She grew up on a little farm and dreamed of being a veterinarian. She was impatient to finish school and travel the world so she received a bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry and a teaching certificate in Vocational Agriculture and Biological Sciences. She married and traveled the world teaching, working with agriculture, and some exciting jobs she never dreamed of. She settled in California and has taught sciences at many different grade levels. She likes to garden, travel, play guitar a bit, do Tai Chi and lots of art projects so her house is always messy. She lives on a little farm in Aromas where she has a son, a pile of cats and a jungle of plants.
Mr. Sergio Paredes
School-Community Liaison
Sergio started working at LFLCS in 2013 as a tutor. Now he coordinates supports and social services for students. Students like Sergio because he feeds them, he’s very attentive to physical and emotional needs, and he encourages them to go to college.
Dr. Sarah Pennington, Ed.D.
School Counselor
Mr. David Chereton
School Psychologist
Ms. Elisa Fireman
Spanish Teacher
Ms. Elisa Olvera
English Teacher
Ms. Jessica Pavelka
School Administrator
Ms. Sandra Estrada
Tutor
Mr. Chris Nizza
Tutor
Mr. John Zeuthen
Tutor
Mr. Ty Cabanilla
Tutor