Directors
Cathy DeMers, M.Ed.
Director
Cathy earned a Master's degree in Special Education in the area of social/emotional development and a Bachelor's degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from the University of Arizona. She came to the International School for Peace in 2004 from Valley View Preschool in the Catalina Foothills School District, where she was a preschool teacher for two years. Prior to that, Cathy lived in Highland Park, Illinois and worked for the North Suburban Special Education District for 17 years before relocating back to Tucson in 2001. Cathy enjoys exploring and hiking in beautiful Tucson with her husband Gerry and their two teenage daughters.
Peggy Bower, M.A.
Director
Peggy is a graduate of the University of Arizona and has a Master's degree in Special Education from Chapman University. She is excited to be at The International School for Peace and is interested in broadening its multicultural diversity, peaceful conflict resolution, and language enrichments. Peggy brings a variety of experiences working with children including teaching, parenting, advocacy, and knowledge of Spanish and Sign Language. She knows first-hand how children can benefit from learning other languages because all three of her children were enrolled in bilingual programs throughout their school years. All three still speak Spanish and other languages as well. A lifelong learner with a great sense of humor, Peggy enjoys family, animals, volunteering, gardening, spending time with her husband Greg, and a positive outlook on life!
Teachers
Jane Pesqueira
Two's/Three's Teacher
Jane was born in Panama City, Panama. She and her family traveled abroad until she was 13 years old. She is married to Art Pesqueira, who has recently retired and along with his brother is trying to sell their family business "The Grande Tortilla Factory". They have four children ranging from 25 to 36 years of age and three grandchildren plus one more on the way. She loved working as a ballet dancer and has loved working at our preschool the past 14 years. Eleven of those years have been with the 2-year olds, her favorite age group.
Nooshin Saleknejad
Two's/Three's Teacher Assistant, Farsi Enrichment Teacher
Nooshin was born in Iran, cherished her youth growing up with her family. Nooshin graduated from University of Tehran with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She taught in Tehran at the Elementary and the Middle school. She served also as an Assistant Principal of her middle school. After marriage to her husband she moved to Tucson. She loved raising her daughter at home. When Sara started Kindergarten, she volunteered to work at Sara's school, Sunrise Elementary. Shortly after, she worked as a volunteer and later as a substitute teacher at the ISP School. Within a short time she had an opportunity to work as an assistant teacher at ISP School. Nooshin loves teaching and believes- Teaching is not a job, but a Passion.
Tamar Reed
Three's/Four's Partial Spanish Immersion Teacher, Hebrew Enrichment Teacher
Tamar hails from New York, spending her childhood in Queens and Long Island, and most recently as a long term resident of the Catskill Mountains. Her experiences in education include work in an at-risk daycare setting, in an early intervention preschool, and as an assistant to a kindergarten art teacher. She attended Bard College, where she studied world theology, with a focus on mystical and contemplative traditions. Since, she has studied with a Kabalistic rabbi, a Tibetan Buddhist nun, and an herbalist, among other wonderful mentors who have touched her life and reaffirmed her faith in a spiritual/philosophical structure that transcends the boundaries of cultural and geographical origin. Tamar has been the Hebrew enrichment teacher at ISP since January of 2008, and loves being a part of this amazing community of parents, educators and (especially) children. Tamar receives the most joy from her own children, three year old Coyote, who attends ISP, and one and a half year old Seraphina, who eagerly anticipates her second birthday, when she can join in the fun too! Together, they like to eat tasty snacks, make up silly songs, paint, make huge messes, and take their dog Nesha for long walks in beautiful places.
Alma Gabriela Molina
Three's/Four's Spanish Immersion Teacher
Alma was born in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, She moved to Tucson in 2005. She studied at Our Lady Of Lourdes Academy, she has also taken several courses related to Child Development. Alma taught kindergarden at The Colegio Americano de San Carlos, and also at Kinder Primavera also in Sonora. She is currently taking classes of Early Childhood Education. Alma and her husband have three wonderful children, they enjoy spending time together as much as they can.
Anamaria Noyes
Four's Spanish Immersion Teacher
Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Anamaria earned her teaching degree at the University of Mexico. She has also studied psychology and art for children. She is currently enrolled in a liberal arts program at Pima College. She grew up in a very artistic environment and knew Van Gogh and Da Vinci before Walt Disney. Anamaria also spent many years taking Ballet and Flamenco classes. In Mexico she taught Kindergarten for ten years. She moved to the U.S. in 1990 and gained her citizenship in 2000. Anamaria has taught in Tucson for 13 years and she has two grown children as well as two grandchildren that she adores. Her interests include art history, travel, and practicing foreign languages like Italian, Portuguese, and French. She loves working with children and teaching them about the beauty of our world.
Tania Hinojosa
Three's Spanish Immersion Teacher
From Monterrey, N.L., Mexico Tania has a bachelor's degree in Educational Sciences and a master's degree in Educational Technology, a field where she has worked in for the past 10 years as a thesis advisor for master in education degree students. During her university years she learned to work at all educational levels and age groups, including special education, psychology and child development. She came to Tucson ten years ago when her husband started his doctoral studies. Growing up in Mexico and then moving to the United States has widened her view of the world. Honored with the opportunity to spend a month in the Netherlands she learned about Project Oriented Learning approaches to education. Last year she was highly involved in the Kindergarten class as the room parent and activities volunteer at Green Fields Country Day School where her daughter and son attend school. Tania believes in the power of people to learn in a constructive and integral way, considering the whole person is very important for her as an educator.
Erin Asch
Aftercare Assistant
A Tucson native, Erin has been with the International School for Peace since 2004. The former lead teacher of the Aftercare program, she is delighted to remain involved with the school as a teacher's assistant. She will be starting the Veterinary Technology program at Pima Community College this year, and is very excited about it. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with pets, friends, and family.
Elyse Pincus
Aftercare Assistant
Adrienne Hoxie
Office Assistant, Website Administrator, Lead Aftercare Teacher
Adrienne graduated from the University of Arizona in May 2011 with a degree in Spanish
and Portuguese. She has lived in Tucson all her life, and attended Sabino High School. Adrienne began working at ISP during
the summer of 2006. She is the daughter of co-director Peggy, and
sister of former aftercare assistant Garrett Hoxie. She loves working
with children of all ages, and spent her college career as a member of the Board of Directors for Camp Wildcat, the largest student-run non-profit organization at the U of A. Adrienne also enjoys spending time with family and pets,
shopping, and drinking peach iced tea.
Alice Pringle
Multicultural Music Enrichment Teacher
Alice Pringle has a BA Music Performance and Music Education. She has lived in Tucson for over 20 years. She likes to do International Folk Dancing and Global Chant.She has three grown children and has been teaching music movement to young children in Tucson and Minneapolis since 1972.