Name: Michael Nakashima - Department Leader
Room: A-15
Email: mnakashima@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Special Education Consultant

I am a native Nevadan who graduated from White Pine High School in Ely, Nevada, and then continued my education at Jamestown College in Jamestown, North Dakota. I wrestled and played football for Jamestown College before returning to the University of Nevada, Reno, to finish my Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with a major in English and a minor in social studies. My continuing education has resulted in a generalist endorsement in special education and a Master's Degree in Education Administration. I am currently serving as department leader of special education, freshman consultant, team member for implementation of RTI, and co-chair of the steering committee for Wooster’s accreditation team.

In my spare time, I am a wrestling coach at Wooster, Vaughn Middle School, and South Reno. I have also coached football for the last 10 years at Wooster High School. My hobbies include hunting, fishing, and wrestling.

Name: Jeff Haliczer
Room: IA-10
Email: jhaliczer@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Basic Math Skills and Transition Math

Mr. Haliczer graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1983 and received a Masters Degree from University of Phoenix in 2001 in Administration and Supervision. He has also taken numerous continuing education classes throughout the years. He is certified in Industrial Arts and Automotive Technology, Special Education, Psychology, and Drivers' Education, among other things. He has been teaching for over 25 years. Currently, he is the Class of 2012 Advisor, the Sailing Club Advisor, and the Multi-Cultural Club Co-Advisor. He is also a commercial hot air balloon pilot, an adventurer, a hermit, and a homebody of sorts. He supports the arts, including the local theater in our community, and in general he likes to have fun.

Name: David Hendrix
Room: IA-7
Email: dhendrix@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Directed Study

I was raised in the Bay Area where I attended high school. I attended college at the University of Nevada, Reno. My wife and I have been married for 17 years and have 3 beautiful children, two of which attend Wooster High School, and the third who will be here soon. Along with my teaching responsibilities, I am also a coach here at Wooster. I am currently the head coach of the Junior Varsity Boys basketball team and the Junior Varsity Girls Softball team. I am proud to say that I am a member of the Wooster staff.

Name: Briana Martin
Room: D-1
Email: bmmartin@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Strategies (Autism Program)

I am currently pursuing my Master's Degree in Special Education. I am studying teaching methods for students with severe and multiple disabilities. In my free time, I love to read, hike, watch movies, snowboard, take my dogs on outings, and travel.

Name: Jenny Overby
Room: A-17 and A-18
Email: joverby@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: English Skills and Foundations in English

Name: Teresa Quintana
Room: A-18
Email: tquintana@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Directed Study and Foundations in Algebra and Algebra I

Name: Wendy Reese
Room: IA-13
Email: wreese@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: CLS (Comprehensive Life Skills) for grades 9-12

Wendy Reese received her teaching credential in 1998 from the University of Nevada, Reno. She received her Masters in Educational Leadership in 2006. She has taught all grades in elementary and high school in Reno, Nevada. She has coached basketball, soccer, and softball. She has a son who will be going to the University of Nevada, Reno, next year as a second generation Wolf Pack student. Miss Reese currently runs a job training program for students with disabilities, and she is the Wooster High School Student Store Advisor. She spent this summer being the Coordinator of the Jumpstart Program, which is a program designed to help incoming Freshmen to become oriented with the Wooster curriculum and campus.

Name: Kevin Sargent
Room: A-16 and C-12
Email: ksargent@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Read 180 and Foundations in English

I grew up in San Jose, California, and have a Bachelors of Science from San Jose State in History. I also received a Special Education degree from UNR in 1993. I received my Master's in teaching from Grand Canyon University in 2006. Go Antelopes! I have been teaching Special Education at the high school level for more than 16 years in Washoe County.

My wife, Joyce, is also a teacher at Washoe High and graduated from Wooster in 1979. We have five children in all, two have already graduated from Wooster and currently Alyson is a sophomore at Wooster. I also have an 11 year old and a 9 year old that will also graduate from Wooster someday.

I am the Freshman Boys' Basketball coach at Wooster and have been coaching for 16 years. In the summer, I enjoy beach camping and traveling around in our fifth wheel. I love going to professional baseball games and in the future plan to visit every MLB park in America. Wooster is definitely the place to be, and I'm proud to be a Colt.

Name: Barbara Shinn
Room: IA-10, IA-9, IA-7
Email: bshinn@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: Mathematics

Name: Sheryl Whitehead
Room: A-4
Email: swhitehead@washoe.k12.nv.us
Department: Special Education
Currently Teaching: English, Directed Study, Life Science, United States History, and Reading

Sheryl Whitehead graduated from Wooster High School, and then she attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, majoring in Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation. She received her Masters of Science Degree in Deaf Education from Western Oregon University. She taught at Montana School for the Deaf and Blind for three years before returning back to Reno to teach at Wooster High School in 2004.

Her responsibilities at Wooster High School involve teaching and coordinating the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program.  She schedules interpreters and note takers for mainstream classes and extra-curricular activities. She also organizes, fundraises, and chaperones Junior and Senior students in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Programs for the Washoe County School District to participate in “Close-Up Foundation” Trip that brings Deaf and Hard of Hearing students across the nation to Washington, D.C.