Monday Message
August 11, 2025
I am delighted to welcome you all to the 2025-2026 school year and I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely summer break. I know mine went way too fast! My family hosted another high school student from Spain who came with us to Sequoia National Forest, the Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree. I was awestruck and inspired by all three locations. My husband and I also managed to get in a little surfing when the waves were up. My daughter, son, and stepdaughter played and sang a lot of music together, which always brings me joy. My daughter will leave to study abroad in Florence soon and and my stepson heads off to his first year of college next week. It's been quite an eventful few weeks and I am looking forward to hearing about your recent adventures as well!
It is hard to believe that I have been the principal of MEA for a decade now. During this time, I have tried to grow and innovate our program while preserving the supportive, close-knit community where every student feels seen and valued. Last year our theme was “elevate.” We focused on enhancing the things we do on a daily basis to bring them up to the next level, from classroom projects, to school events, to leadership opportunities for students. This year, our theme is "intention." When we do things with intention, the outcomes are more impactful, consistent, and meaningful. I encourage you to reflect on what intention means for you this year at MEA.
For the new families, welcome to MEA, and to those returning, welcome back! Thank you for choosing to “do school differently.” Please do not hesitate to reach out to the front office, myself, Mr. Rubin, or individual teachers or other staff if you have questions.
I look forward to another wonderful year of partnering with you in educating our children.
With gratitude,
Courtney Browne
Elementary Art
We are THRILLED to announce that Mrs. Valentine is back this year teaching Elementary Art. Please find more info and a link to sign up in this message from Mrs. Valentine!
Music with Mr. Johnson
Classes with Mr. Johnson will be offered again on Tuesday mornings for grades K-8. (This day/time is assigned by the district and not chosen by MEA.) If you are interested in having your child participate, please complete this interest survey. The results will be used to create the music class schedule for the year.
Jam Band
Jam Band is back another year with Mark Fisher at the helm! If you play an instrument or love to sing and are interested in this opportunity for grades 6-12, please complete this interest form to help decide the meeting time. Rock on!
Ruby Field
Ruby Field will be teaching sixth grade English, History, AVID, and supporting ASB.
After earning a B.A. in Humanities from San Francisco State University, Ms. Field spent one year in Madrid, Spain, working as an English teacher. She also worked in the education department at the San Diego Natural History Museum before becoming a substitute teacher for San Diego Unified School District and later earned her teaching credential and master’s degree from San Diego State University. For the past five years, she has taught English, history, and yearbook at Lewis Middle School. She is passionate about making learning fun, meaningful, and engaging for all students.
Outside of the classroom Ms. Field loves to read, travel, and be outside. Over the summer, she had the amazing experience of scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico. Ms. Field is thrilled to be joining the MEA community and looks forward to meeting you!
Cherie Gough
Mrs. Gough will be our new Communications Coordinator, which includes crafting the Monday Message and assisting with other student supports.
As a former high school English teacher with over a decade of experience in public schools, Mrs. Gough loves supporting students and families. You may have guessed that her husband is Mr. Gough! It has been a pleasure for her to watch the creativity on our campus flourish each year when she helps with the annual art show.
Coaching students to craft compelling college essays is her superpower! She also writes freelance articles for local and national publications. Mrs. Gough is a San Diego native who loves simple pleasures: good coffee, dark chocolate, tide pooling and hiking. She is looking forward to a fun, positive school year!
Jennifer Ogo
Mrs. Jennifer Ogo will be teaching 6th and 7th grade science, High School Biology (Biomedical Sciences) and AVID.
Mrs. Ogo is a proud native of San Diego and brings over 25 years of experience in education to her new role at Mt. Everest Academy, where she will begin her 26th year of teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences with an emphasis in teaching and a minor in Biology from San Diego State University. She later earned her teaching credential and a Master’s Degree in Education from National University.
Before entering the classroom, Mrs. Ogo worked in the veterinary field, which fueled her passion for animals and the natural world. She enjoys spending time outdoors—camping, snorkeling, kayaking, and participating in just about any activity that involves water.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Ogo has taught science across a wide range of educational settings, including elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as at the university level (UC San Diego) and in adult education programs for fellow educators. For the past 13 years, she has also been a dedicated teacher and volleyball coach for both boys and girls teams at Kearny High School.
Mrs. Ogo lives in Linda Vista with her husband, their two children—Owen, who will be a senior at SDSU, and Orion, a sophomore at Mesa College—and their beloved four-legged family members: two dogs, Maria and Penny, and a calico cat named Callie.
Mrs. Ogo is excited to bring her enthusiasm for science, nature, and lifelong learning to the Mt. Everest Academy community.
Rusty Walker
Mr. Walker will be teaching 7th and 8th grade English and History as well as ASB.
Rusty Walker is excited to join MEA for his 16th year of teaching! He grew up in San Diego and attended Eastlake High School before graduating from the University of Redlands with B.A. Degrees in Economics and International Relations.
He has previously taught at college prep schools, project based learning schools, and independent study programs and is now excited to combine all 3 of those models at MEA.
One constant throughout his career as an educator has been an emphasis on developing strong relationships with students by getting to know them as individuals and helping them pursue their interests and goals through interdisciplinary learning.
Mr. Walker is looking forward to partnering with the MEA students, families, and staff to contribute to the wonderful community at MEA!
Pronto Passes
Papa John's Fundraiser (Online through 12/30/25)
Dining for Dollars: Papa John's Restaurant chain has an online fundraising code that will save you money on regular priced items and raise money for MEA. You can use this promo code: MTEVEREST, any time of day in most Papa Johns' locations in San Diego County. See the flyer for details.
MEA Meetup: Legoland Sept. 12
We have helped secure discounted tickets for MEA students and their families to visit Legoland on Friday, September 12, 2025. Student/child tickets are $19 each and adult tickets are $39. The first (up to 10) adult tickets purchased will also include free parking. Otherwise, parking is not included. This is not a school sponsored field trip- MEA will not be providing transportation or supervision of students, but we hope the MEA community will take advantage of the discounted price and enjoy some time and fun together! All students must be supervised by a parent or another adult. The last day to purchase tickets at the discounted rate is Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. To purchase tickets, go to SDUSD School Cash. (If the link does not take you directly to Legoland tickets options, search for Legoland, and the two ticket options from MEA should appear.)
