KARLA LOPEZ

Karla Lopez, Instructional Specialist & School Coordinator at Wonderland Ave. Elementary school in Los Angeles California. It is there where her passion for supporting the social-emotional needs of students became a focus in her career. Her work with students, parents, and teachers through the Way of Council program in schools increased and as part of the Way of Council Leadership Committee Mrs. Lopez worked with the community to develop the “Peace Talk Protocol”, Peaceful Warrior Assemblies, Wisdom Councils, Social-Emotional Curriculum for the classroom, she also started a student leadership group whose focus is to develop student-led assemblies that address conflict resolution, peace, being social activists, and identify problems in their community and how to solve them.

Mrs. Lopez has an equal passion for instruction and curriculum development. She has been a part of the Instructional Leadership Team at Wonderland Elementary for seven years and has been an integral part of the decision-making process as well as implementation and instructional development team for their Readers’ & Writers’ Workshop (which comes from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City) and Cognitively Guided Instruction in Mathematics (part of the UCLA Math Project). Her shared efforts to lead the school in outstanding instruction has led Wonderland to receive the “California Distinguished School Award” in 2011 and expecting to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2017. Wonderland’s instructional programs, dedicated teachers, school culture & climate and social-emotional programs are the reasons why Wonderland has been topped ranking in the district for many years.

Karla Lopez is graduate of Eastern Michigan University moved to Los Angeles, California to become a teacher in 2000. Since then, she has earned her Master’s Degree from California State University in Educational Leadership and Administration. She started teaching in Los Angeles in 2000. Teaching children allowed Karla to realize that students and parents come to school with many issues and needs that aren’t being addressed. Educators are more than just teachers. They are nurses, coaches, parents, counselors, referees and family. Gradually Mrs. Velasco made the change to school administration at Wonderland Elementary School where she met Dana Blannon, her friend and co-author of “The Coop”, in 2013. Karla Lopez is passionate about education, curriculum, and the social-emotional well-being of the students. She brings her training and knowledge of Way of Council to address the socio-emotional issues that arise daily in the school community.

Dana and Karla work closely together at Wonderland Ave School. It is through their friendship and personalities that the characters Sunshine and Dark Cloud came to life. Using their personal dynamics the idea for “The Coop” was born. Through Karla’s optimistic & positive outlook on life the nickname, Sunshine, was given to her by Dana. In return, Dana was rewarded the nickname, Dark Cloud, for her realistic and logical perspective. And along with the day to day problems that arise, they are constantly encountering many social issues around students, parents, and adults. Dana and Karla started to really think about how they could help their school community, but most importantly the kids. How do you help children (and adults) truly deal with issues of bullying, peer pressure, family, sickness, and even death? At their school site one of strategies they use in helping kids and the adults address issues and tough situations is through storytelling. Storytelling is a gateway to discuss “tough topics” in a safe environment that may be too delicate to bring up in a conversation. Our goal is to provide parents and teachers with tools to help them through the challenges of everyday life. The Coop is a whole package it lends itself to variety of topics and lessons to address the social and emotional development of children (ages five to thirteen). Not only have we developed the first book in the series, and are working on our third.

DANA BLANNON

Dana Blannon has worked in field of education for 30 years. In many different educational settings ranging from the college-level to elementary. Her work has always been based around students, parents and teachers. On daily basis Dana is responsible for the school operations and is the anchor of the school community. Managing the dynamics of public school and the socio-emotional well being of the students is no easy task, and has worked to find tools to address the students’ needs. Students and parents come into the office looking for support and help from the school and Ms. Blannon is often the first person to address the issues.However, Dana Blannon does it whole-heartedly and is cherished and beloved by all the students and parents of Wonderland. Being a single mother herself allows to relate to the challenges and victories of parenting.

Now public education is calling for schools to take responsibility for the social-emotional development of our children. Together, Dana and Karla, they have created a children’s book series, as the perfect tool in addressing the students’ needs. This book series fills a huge deficient in public education. It allows teachers, parents, and students to address the tough social-emotional topics that have been overlooked. “In the Heart of the Coop” has the answer to this problem. This book series lends itself to the delicate social-emotional topics by creating a safe gateway to share stories with children. Some of the book topics are: Peer-Pressure, Bullying, Friendship, Death, Grief, Homelessness, Divorce, and more. . The book series also includes “Read Alouds” for teachers and parents, along with a “Way of Council”, story-telling prompts.

El ROB

*ORANGE COUNTY MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEE- BEST MALE VOCALIST 2008.

*NATIONAL TOURING ARTIST

Featured artist on the soundtrack for the feature film “Anacapa”

A native of historical San Juan Capistrano, CA. Robert grew up surfing and hiking the coast of California, Arizona and Mexico. Have cultivated a love of cooking, jewelry, records, rare stones, anthropology and indigenous art, he has travelled via backpack throughout Europe, and lived throughout the United States and Arizona believing that music and rhythm truly are the International language of love.

When hes not teaching vocals, guitar, Shaolin Kempo or drums, Robert loves to do stand up comedy, avant garde theatre, direct others, write scripts, books, publish childrens stories, magazine articles and act in movies…

Film credits include Nick Tolkiens MASQUERADE-Santa Barbara international film festival, TEREZIN-Bel Air film festival, ANACAPA, also Sebastian Bascos SUICIDE DOORS opposite David Johnasen, Spike Lees BAMBOOZLED, Jane Campions IN THE CUT, UNDERCOVERS , UNDER SURVEILANCE, and an as yet untitled Christian Slater film)

His favorite support gigs thus far have included a sold out show with Wishbone Ash at the Coach House, opening for Blues Prodigy Ray Goren at Boogies, Redondo Pier. William Elliott Whitmore at the OC Tavern, Marc Orell (Dropkick Murphys) at the historic Whiskey a Go Go, Hollywood, Cinco de Mayo at the Coach House, Omar Velasco at Soho, Santa Barbara. Doylestown Pennsylvania im told Alicia Moore walked in after I packed up…crushed ).

Headlining shows at Cold Springs Tavern, Soho & Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, sharing the stage with Lee Koch at the original Zoeys, Ventura, Jarrod Gorbell (Honorary Title) at Sidewalk Café and Tonic in NYC & Ari Hest at the CBGB’s gallery, NYC. and Eastern Conference Champions (Twilight soundtrack) at the Brixton South Bay, in Redondo Beach, CA.

Favorite tribute projects include frontman for SIMULCAST -NY a rock dance band Founding member of STONE TEMPLE RIOTS -STP tribute, touring member of CORE-STP tribute, vocalist with MATCHBOX TWENTY TOO-MB20 Tribute, and as Ric Ocasek in a CARS tribute.

After attending the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City he enjoyed a 10 year run acting off broadway at the Public Theatre alongside Liev Schreiber and Keith David. with a bit as a security guard in JJ Abrams’ tv hit “UNDERCOVERS”. He has also been featured in commercials for Sothebys Realtors, Chumash Casino, Swatch and Wine picks. He currently lives in the Moment, CA.