School Information



Click a heading to view more information:

  • School Information

    • 950 S. Wright Road
      Santa Rosa, CA 95407
      Click here for a map
      Toll-free: 1.877.544.1428
      Local: 707.843.4676

      pivot@pivotcharterschools.org

      Site Hours:
      Monday - Tuesday, 8:00 - 5:30PM, (closed 11:30AM - 1:30PM)
      Wednesday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM
      Thursday - Friday, 8:00 - 5:30PM, (closed 11:30AM - 1:30PM)

  • A Message from the Executive Director, Jayna Gaskell
    • Hello, and welcome to Pivot Charter School, North Bay! At Pivot Charter School you'll find a welcoming environment, where our teachers are passionate about learning, and all of our resources are positioned with one goal in mind - your success. Pivot's unique online curriculum coupled with site based and online one-on-one support provides a customized educational experience for all students. Visit us and find out the advantages and flexibility that await you at Pivot Charter School North Bay!
      - Jayna Gaskell


      Executive Director Jayna Gaskell and math teacher
      Liz Jones discuss curricula.

      Bio:
      Jayna Gaskell has worked in education for the last 23 years. Gaskell holds a Masters degree in secondary education from Emory University. After teaching grades 4-12 in Florida and Georgia, Gaskell moved to California in 1993 to serve as Director of Admissions and Academics of a small boarding and day school for four years. In 1998 Gaskell co-founded and directed a California charter school for five years. Gaskell has presented multiple statewide workshops on Independent Study, Governance, Renewal, Special Education and Strategic Planning with the Charter Schools Development Center, CANEC and other educational agencies throughout California. Ms. Gaskell assists school by drafting and reviewing charter petitions, writing grants, creating charter renewals, staffing plans, WASC Self Study documents, educational plans and schoolwide improvement plans, and conducting governance trainings, compliance reviews and strategic planning projects. She served a two year term on the State Superintendent's Advisory Commission on Charter Schools, and has participated in the US Department of Education and the Office of Civil Rights Summit on Charter Schools and Special Education for four years. In addition to serving many CA charter schools, Gaskell has worked with charter schools in Fl, TN, OR and AZ. She has worked with over 200 schools in the last 10 years. She is currently the interim Chairman of the Board of the California Montessori Project, one of the largest public Montessori schools in operation. She has served on the CMP Board for 8 years. Ms. Gaskell has been Executive Director for Pivot since November 2010.
  • Staff
    • Mario Ellis – Site Coordinator
      Mario Ellis I am a native of California, educated at the California Maritime Academy in Business Administration and law at Empire and Taft school curriculum to meet the requirements to concentrate in a law career. My parents are educators in the public and private sector; Most recently, my father remains on the staff for Chapman University and has been an adviser with the credential educations graduate department at the University of California Berkley.

      My interest and passion are working with students; especially those that are at risk, hopefully to assist in making them contributors in our society.

      Sherry Trainor - Special Education Coordinator
      Sherry Trainor My name is Sherry Trainor. I am a Special Education Coordinator for Pivot North Bay and for Pivot North Valley. I have been an English Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Special Education Teacher for about thirty years. I have also been an English Second Language Coordinator, and a Title 1 Coordinator.
      I love dogs, cats, horses and all animals with an extreme amount of passion. I work to protect them and rescue as many as possible. I also love children and teens very much, as well as all trees, plants and everything that nature creates.
      I volunteer some of my time supporting various humanitarian causes which support peace keeping and feeding the poor as well as assisting third world countries in constructing hospitals and schools and helping those afflicted by natural disasters through the M.A.Center. In addition, volunteer at Giant Steps Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Petaluma, California.
      I am a regular participant/dancer in "Soul Motion" Dancing, and the Dances of Universal Peace. I also hike, sing in song groups, and take children on informative nature hikes. One of the core values I have is the strong conviction that education is the key to personal freedom and that on-line education, combined with tender loving care, is the most effective method available to educate children and adults in today's world.


      Maryann Michalowski - Educational Coordinator
      Maryann Michalowski I've always loved mathematics and especially like finding ways to make it accessible to students. I live in a redwood forest, by a beautiful stream that empties into the Russian River. After many years of owning a software business, I retired and went back to school to get my teaching credential. I think online schools are the future, and am very happy to be a part of this school.

      Marsha Chevalier - Educational Coordinator
      Marsha Chevalier I am delighted to be working for Pivot Charter School North Bay as Education Coordinator (EC). My qualifications for this position include a Master's degree in English, a Doctorate in Language and Literacy, and 20 years of experience teaching reading, writing, and oral language at both the K-12 and college levels.

      This is my 16th year with the Oak Grove Union School District and my 2nd year with Pivot Charter School. I have taught primarily 5th and 6th grade, English as a Second Language, and 8th grade Language Arts. Since 2005, I have served the Oak Grove District as a roving replacement teacher and as the coordinator and teacher of the Home School program. When the District partnered with Pivot Charter School to offer on-line independent study to high school students, I jumped at the chance to work as an on-line teacher. For Pivot, I am registrar, credit counselor, teacher, surrogate mom, and auditor--all rolled into one. Pivot has been a great opportunity for me to grow and learn. I love my job and really enjoy helping my students succeed!

      When I'm not teaching, I am hiking, playing music (classical and folk), and dancing with my friends.

      My Philosophy:
      Reading, writing, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking are the foundations of all learning. I am committed to helping every student fulfill his or her full potential. Students on my caseload are actively involved in becoming independent learners ready for college and for life beyond school.
  • Roads Education Organization Board
    • PCS is governed by the board of the Roads Education Organization, which is incorporated in the State of California as a non-profit, public benefit corporation, and has been designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. Roads Education Organization recruits qualified and appropriate candidates for the board from education, nonprofit, community, business, and legal organizations so that the current board is diverse in skill sets, perspectives, and backgrounds and can fully and responsibly govern the organization and schools while maintaining a unifying and passionate commitment to the vision and mission of the Roads schools.

      The Governing Board is responsible for oversight of the Pivot Charter Schools. The Board is fully responsible for the fiscal affairs of the School including, but not limited to, the following:

      Approve and monitor the implementation of general policies of the School.
      Approve and monitor the School's annual budget and budget revisions.
      Hiring and evaluating the Executive Director.
      Execute all applicable responsibilities provided for in the California Corporations Code.
      Approve the school calendar and schedule of Board meetings.
      Review requests for out of state or overnight field trips.
      Participate in the dispute resolution procedure and complaint procedures when necessary.
      Approve charter amendments as necessary and submit material revisions as necessary for Granting Agency consideration.
      Approve annual fiscal audit and performance report.
      Appoint an administrative panel or act as a hearing body and take action on recommended student expulsions.
      Hiring of auditors.
      Approval of check registry.
      Strategic planning.
  • Governing Board Members
    • The Governing Board members of the Pivot Charter Schools board members are volunteers who are committed to enhancing educational opportunities for young people and believe that the pivot model of online/site base learning with personalized instruction is the future of education. Board members are leaders in their fields and are passionate about providing better opportunities for all young people regardless of location or circumstance. They believe that the Pivot model of education provides a rigorous yet unique and supportive alternative to traditional schools. They know that the individual attention and support provided at Pivot can change students' lives.

      James R. Lewis, ICMA-RC

      Jim Lewis us a public entity expert and has significant administrative experience. Mr. Lewis currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Atascadero, CA. Jim was appointed to this role in September 2004. As the Assistant City Manager, Jim serves as the COO of a municipal corporation and is responsible for economic development, human resources, technology, organizational training and development, the creation of new revenues and operating efficiencies throughout the organization and several special and capital projects. Jim previously served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Claremont.

      He served as president of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) in 2001 and serves on the Emerging Leaders Task Force for the International City and County Management Association (ICMA) and the ICMA Press Editorial Advisory Board. Jim is an ICMA credentialed manager (ICMA-RC) and serves on California-ICMA's Committee on the Profession and Ethics. He received a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California and a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University.

      Jim is active with USC and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the USC Alumni Association and on the advisory board of the Master of Public Administration degree program for the School of Policy, Planning and Development. Jim is past president of the Claremont Kiwanis Club and continues his Kiwanis involvement in Atascadero as a member of the club's board of directors. Jim is also active in the Atascadero Elks Club. An Eagle Scout, Jim also serves as Vice President of the Los Padres Council Boy Scouts of America and Chairman of the Eagle Scout Association.

      Tim Driver

      Tim Driver brings significant educational and business experience to the Board of Directors. Mr. Driver holds a BA degree in Political Science from California State University, Chico. And a CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), from the American College. As an insurance executive, he has worked exclusively in the education marketplace for the last 25 years. Tim's lifelong interest and passion for education is a "family affair". His father, Walter, was an innovative and respected teacher, coach, and administrator for over 30 years. Tim has been an integral part of several teams working with the California education community, including the major labor associations. His 15 years as an associate member of CASBO (California Association of School Business Officials) has given him a broad understanding of many of the challenges faced by public education here in California. An innovative thinker and strategist, he has worked with over one hundred school districts helping them to both save money, and insure employee satisfaction.

      Tim says that his interests in the charter school movement grew out of a fascination with the search for an appropriate educational "experience" for ALL kids, not just a cookie cutter approach. His interest also coincides with his active and continuous volunteer work with the college selection process for high school students, understanding the need for an aggressive effort to bring out the best in each student.

      Glenn Southard
      Mr. Southard holds a M.P.A. from California State University, Fullerton and a B.A. from North Bay State University . He also holds a Public Administration Instructor Credential for California Community Colleges.

      Mr. Southard has been working in city management since 1974 as both Assistant City Manager and City Manager for San Juan Capistrano, West Covina, El Cajon and North Bay, and most recently as City Manager of Indio and Claremont.

      As City Manager and Executive Director of both the Redevelopment Agency and the Indio Water Authority, Glenn Southard was responsible for 300 full-time employees in a full service city. Indio is the oldest at 80 years and largest city in the Coachella Valley with a population of 85,000. It is still one of the fastest growing cities with 27,000 homes approved, which will create a population over 100,000 by the end of the decade. Southard was responsible for investing four hundred million dollars in the community over 5 years to address Indio's priorities of growth management, infrastructure, parks, water services, public safety, and retail development. As City Manager and Executive Director of the Claremont Redevelopment Agency for 17 years, Southard was responsible for the total operations of the city. This included a budget exceeding $40 million and management of 177 full-time employees and up to 125 part-time employees. Claremont is a 100 year old full service city, covering 14 square miles, and home to the nationally recognized Claremont Colleges. Glenn lives with his wife Gale who is active in a variety of volunteer, civic, charitable, and school organizations.

      Tom Halverson

      Dr. Thomas Halvorsen served children for over 39 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent (business), and for 21 years as a superintendent.

      Dr. Halvorsen earned his doctorate from the University of Southern California and master and bachelor degrees from California State University, Long Beach.

  • Governing Board Meeting Calendar
    • Saturday, August 27 - 8:00 AM, Pivot Charter School - North Bay
      Friday, October 20 - 9:00 AM, Pivot Charter School - North Valley
      Friday and Saturday, January 13 and 14 - 9:00 AM and 9:00 AM, respectively, Pivot Charter School - North Bay
      Friday, March 23 - 9:00 AM, Orange County
      Saturday, June 8 - 9:00 AM, Pivot Charter School - Los Angeles





I would highly recommend this school to any parent and student! — Loren, Parent