Bringing years of experience, enthusiasm and expertise in the world of numbers, Rafael Contreras joins the Poly community as a new Upper School Mathematics Teacher.
Before coming to Poly, Contreras taught at St. John’s School in Houston, Texas, and worked as a mechanical engineer. Contreras holds an M.A. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University and a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Contreras expressed his passion for mathematics and education, sharing that he enjoys the challenge that teaching math provides. He commented, “Teaching math itself is easy, but teaching the math to whoever is in front of you is challenging and it keeps it fun.”
“Mr. Contreras is very helpful and he’s willing to go over a concept as many times as needed for us to understand. His teaching style is really beneficial to our learning,” shared Telaia Lyles, a freshman in Contreras’s Geometry and Algebra with Transformations class. “He makes learning math accessible to everyone.”
Outside of the classroom, Contreras enjoys playing video games, hiking and spending time with his wife and two dogs.
The Poly community is excited to welcome Contreras to the Upper School!
The Poly community is excited to welcome Upper School Science Teacher Rachel Dragos.
Dragos shared, “I think Poly is a place of integrity and kindness and that was something that was really important to me in a workplace. I really love having a job where I get to feel excited to go to work everyday.”
Before she began teaching, Dragos earned a B.A. in Chemistry and English from Kenyon College, followed by a M.S. in Physics, specializing in teaching, from Texas A&M University. She also has professional teaching certifications from the Florida Department of Education, specifically for chemistry and physics for grades 6-12.
Dragos has taught across the country and even internationally. She worked as an Honors Physics teacher at Bryn Mawr High School in Pennsylvania as well as at Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth in Washington D.C., specializing in electrical engineering courses. At Nansha College Prep Academy in Guangzhou, China, she taught AP Physics 1, Chemistry, and Integrated Science, and also co-developed Next Generation Science Standards-aligned curricula, supporting English-language learners.
“Ms. Dragos is a very attentive and kind teacher. She really values her students and you can tell she values them through the way she teaches class,” noted sophomore Natalia Lakoff, a student in Dragos’s Chemistry class.
This year, Poly is welcoming Manjari Sharma as the part-time photography teacher in the Upper School. An internationally recognized visual artist, Sharma has spent more than two decades exploring how photography can connect people across cultures.
She received her BSc in Visual Communication from S.V.T. College in Mumbai and her BFA in Photography and Media Studies from Columbus College of Art and Design. Her perspective on photography is rooted in the belief that the medium is as much about human connection as it is about taking the photo.
“You can be having the greatest conversation, and no words are exchanged because you have your camera with you,” said Sharma.
Sharma integrates her passion for photography with a global perspective. “I definitely am a big advocate of [students] seeing a lot of different creators across the globe because photography’s simultaneously exploding in different cultures,” explained Sharma. “What matters is your curiosity, your questions, your interest in the world. The technology is in service of the story.”
She currently serves as an Associate Professor and Curriculum Lead at ArtCenter College of Design, where she recently redesigned four-year Photography and Imaging curriculum. Sharma, who is teaching Photo 1: Beginning Photography and Photo 2-3 at Poly, is excited to meet the community and encourages students and faculty to visit her in Hixon 504. She is trying to build a collection of books on photography and integrate photography with other departments at Poly.
“Let’s make connections so that the curriculum of Poly and photography can find alignment,” she said.
After serving as a long-term substitute last spring for the History Department, Greg Luna rejoined Poly’s Upper School this year to teach the AP English Literature: Fantasy, Fiction, and Film course, filling in for Upper School English teacher Margaret Kenny in the first quarter.
Luna, a Poly alumnus from the class of 2005, earned his BFA in Film & Television Production, with a minor in Metropolitan Studies, at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His professional path has spanned a wide range of creative and educational endeavors, including analyzing literary materials for Disney Television, managing operations for designer Rachel Comey and spearheading the design of a solar-powered bookmobile with Rainbow Book Bus. He is also a published writer, a Periplus Fellow and a dedicated volunteer committed to empowering young people through storytelling and education.
Reflecting on his time as Opinion editor and Editor-in-Chief for The Paw Print during his Poly years, Luna explained how his editorial work shaped his teaching philosophy: “I was not afraid to lean into controversy. I always believed that everyone’s point of view has a space at the table.”
Returning to Poly, Luna remarked on the school’s growing diversity among students and faculty. “I had an incredible experience at Poly, [but] the school has changed,” Luna observed. “The community has grown more diverse. There are more opportunities for students to pursue individual interests.”
Senior Evan Chen, who is in one of Luna’s English classes, shared, “I really appreciate the engaging discussions. There are a lot of opportunities to collaborate with multi-faceted perspectives.”
Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Avery Ruth brings new experiences and insights to the Upper School History Department. Ruth will be teaching World Religions and US History, building on his educational background in the two subjects; he holds a B.A. in Political Science and Religious Studies and a M.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Southern California.
During his interactive and personalized classes, Ruth encourages his students to ask big, real-world questions. As a teacher, his primary goal is to prompt students to challenge preconceived notions about our society.
“Education is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Ruth, speaking to his teaching philosophy.
Ruth comes to Poly from Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High School in Los Angeles and has worked with graduate students at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. He’s currently pursuing an Ethnic Studies Specialization at UCLA with a focus on innovative curriculum development.
Ruth’s students have already shared their appreciation for his teaching prowess and personality. Freshman Claire Shing commented, “Mr. Ruth is knowledgeable and funny.” When not in the classroom, you might find him collecting vinyl records, strumming his ukulele, or playing Minecraft with his siblings.
Poly is excited to welcome Chelsea Jendro as the new Associate Director of Alumni and Community Relations.
Jendro recently returned to Southern California after spending most of her life in Washington State. She’s excited to join Poly’s diverse, inclusive community and foster meaningful connections that extend beyond the classroom.
A Washington State University alum, Jendro earned her degree in Communications with a Public Relations emphasis and spent more than a decade at WSU’s Institute for Shock Physics, a multi-disciplinary research organization. There, she played a crucial role in planning events, strengthening partnerships, and supporting students such as Ph.D. candidates. Her work in Washington sparked her passion for watching individuals grow and thrive beyond the classroom. “That same joy fuels my work here,” shared Jendro.
One of her main goals as a faculty member is to help every graduate feel lasting pride and connection. “I want alumni to know that their relationship with Poly doesn’t end at graduation, but evolves,” Jendro explained. “Another goal of mine is to learn your names, discover your passions, and cheer you on – not just during your time at Poly, but long after you graduate, as you continue to do amazing things.”
Outside of work, Jendro enjoys crafting elaborate charcuterie boards and traveling with her husband.
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