Evan Vercellini has been part of NVUSD since the 2020–21 school year, beginning his journey during the unique challenges of the COVID year. He found his home at River School and has remained on the same campus through its transition to Unidos Middle School. The sense of connection to the site and its students has kept him rooted there ever since.

A proud graduate of NVUSD, Evan attended Browns Valley Elementary, Harvest Middle School, and Napa High School, Class of 2014. Returning to serve in the district that shaped him has made his work especially meaningful.

What excites Evan most is working with students whose brains are still forming. He loves their creativity, their humor, and the thoughtful ideas they bring into the classroom each day.

Amanda Scheideman is in her fourth year with NVUSD, and her journey back to Napa Valley feels like coming home. Born and raised in the valley, Amanda participated in a dual language program as a child and was excited for the opportunity to return and support students with special learning needs at Unidos Middle School. Her personal experience in dual language education makes her work especially meaningful.

When asked to describe her job to someone unfamiliar with schools, Amanda shares with humor and heart that she spends her days guiding small, emotionally unpredictable humans through the maze of knowledge while managing chaos with the grace of a caffeinated octopus. Beneath the humor is a deep commitment to helping students navigate the challenges of middle school.

What excites Amanda most is building strong relationships with her students and supporting them during such an important stage of their lives. She shares that she does not have children of her own, so her students are like her babies. “I don’t do this job for anyone but them,” she says.

Alex Saslow has been part of NVUSD since 2011, beginning his journey when Vintage High School needed a third physics teacher for a single year. Although he was hired a few weeks into the semester, that opportunity opened the door to a long and meaningful career in the district. When Napa High School needed a physics teacher the following year, Alex made the transition and has been there ever since.

Over the years, Alex has taught physics, chemistry, and AP physics. While his commute is a bit longer, he says the strong sense of community and support he feels as an employee makes it well worth the drive.

What excites him most about his work is that nothing is static. From his very first day, innovation and trying new approaches have not only been allowed but encouraged, making each year both challenging and rewarding.

Karla Palmer is in her 16th year with NVUSD and still just as excited about the work as when she first began. She found her first teaching position on EdJoin shortly after completing her credential program and was able to step right into what she calls her dream job. Since then, her creative students and the amazing staff at Napa High School have kept her coming back year after year. With a smile, Karla shares that she plans to retire from NVUSD in 24 more years.

A lifelong NVUSD student, Karla attended McPherson Elementary School, Silverado Middle School, and Napa High School from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Returning to teach in the district where she grew up has made her work even more meaningful.

Karla’s passion for teaching, creativity, and student growth continues to shine through every year she spends in NVUSD.

Aubrey Jordan is in her eighth year with NVUSD and is proud to call Napa High School home. She followed her husband to Napa for his job and quickly found her own place in the community. “We are so glad to work and live here,” she shares. Working alongside a committed staff and fantastic students has made Napa High a place where she feels both supported and inspired.

When asked to describe her job to someone unfamiliar with Earth, Aubrey explains it this way. She supports adolescent humans in understanding matter in our universe while also teaching them how to think critically about evidence, recognize patterns, and problem-solve. Just as importantly, she works to ensure students feel safe, capable, and curious about their world, both now and in the future.

What excites Aubrey most about her work is the opportunity to be part of students’ lives and their support system throughout their high school years.

Ashley Ingalls has been part of NVUSD for 17 years and her journey began with a simple job posting. She spotted an opening on Edjoin for an instructional assistant position at Redwood Middle School and applied because her own experience as an RMS student was so positive. In her second year as an instructional assistant, she began her mild to moderate Education Specialist credential program. When a teaching position opened at RMS, she did not hesitate to pursue it and she has been at the school ever since.

A proud NVUSD alum, Ashley attended Northwood Elementary School, Redwood Middle School, Vintage High School for ninth and tenth grade, and Napa High School for her junior and senior years.

What keeps her at RMS is the sense of purpose she feels every day. “I love the community, the staff, the culture, and how every day is new, exciting, and fulfilling,” she shares.

For Troy Gittings, education in NVUSD is more than a career path. It is a family legacy. Troy has served the district for 26 years, following in the footsteps of his uncle, father, and mother who were all educators in NVUSD before him. “A Gittings has worked in NVUSD since 1965,” he notes, making his own journey feel like a natural transition into a role he was meant to carry forward.

Troy is also a proud product of NVUSD schools. He attended West Park, Pueblo Vista, Redwood Middle School, and Vintage High School, experiences that shaped his love for learning and strengthened his connection to the community he now serves.

This year marks Troy’s first year outside the classroom. When asked to describe his current job to a visitor from another planet, he puts it simply: “I serve the teachers in our district as an advisor, friend, support system, and coach, and I negotiate on their behalf.” As a Peer Coach and the Chief Negotiator for NVEA, his work focuses on supporting adults, yet his purpose remains rooted in student success. “I see my responsibility as working in the background to ultimately support learning in the classrooms.”

Troy’s story reflects a deep commitment to NVUSD, one carried across generations and grounded in service to both educators and students.

For nearly 25 years, Jennifer Veveiros has been a cornerstone of NVUSD classrooms. She dedicated 24 of those years to teaching upper grades at Phillips Magnet Elementary before stepping into her current role as an interventionist at Willow Magnet Elementary. Born and raised in Napa, Jennifer always knew she wanted to be a teacher, inspired by her own unforgettable educators. She still remembers the impact of Julie Herdell, Dan Roberts, and John Callison, just to name a few.

A proud product of NVUSD schools, Jennifer began her education at Northwood Elementary for kindergarten, attended Westwood (now NVLA) for first through fifth grade, returned to Northwood for sixth grade, then moved on to Redwood Middle School and Vintage High School. She also attended Napa Valley College, which she happily includes in her Napa education journey.

Jennifer’s commitment to NVUSD comes from a deep love for her town, her district, and the students she serves. “Kids need passionate teachers who know how to find their strengths and help them reach their true potential. That is my favorite thing about teaching.”

For Kathy Martin, working in NVUSD is more than just a career—it’s coming home. A proud graduate of Northwood Elementary, Redwood Middle School, and Vintage High, Kathy has spent the past 14 years serving the very community that shaped her. “It’s rewarding to work in the district where I attended school, and for the district that serves the community that I live in,” she shares.

In her current role, Kathy helps students navigate one of life’s biggest learning curves—growing up. She describes her work this way: “I help people who are still kids, but learning how to be adults, figure out how to manage themselves while at a school site.”

Grounded in connection and purpose, Kathy’s commitment to NVUSD reflects her deep pride in giving back to the schools that gave her so much.