Our Team

Educator

Hali grew up on the central coast before moving away to receive a BA in psychology and eventually a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She is passionate about alternative education and is excited to dedicate her career to creating educational spaces  that meet the needs of diverse learners. She is inspired by the creativity children bring to their play and the wonder and curiosity they bring to the world.

It was this interest in alternative education that led Hali’s family to enroll their oldest child in Monarch Hills last year. It was beautiful to watch her child blossom and grow in confidence when allowed to learn through hands-on exploration at their own pace.

Hali and her family enjoy being outdoors whenever they get the chance. They love to camp, hike, garden, spend days on the beach and spend hours exploring creeks.

Educator

Erin Stehli has been living in SLO county since starting at Cal Poly in 2001. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Liberal Studies and a multiple subjects teaching credential for K-8 education. While studying at Cal Poly, Erin worked as a student assistant in an early education setting and fell in love with the possibilities that come with teaching and learning alongside children as partners. Since graduating, Erin has spent nearly 20 years in the classroom with preschool and Kindergarten children expanding the program through 4th grade in the Summer. Her teaching style follows the lead of the child and uses a project-based approach to education. Erin passionately believes that learning happens in community, that every child should be allowed to learn, grow and thrive in their own unique ways, and that every child has the right to see themselves as capable and enthusiastic learners.

Erin and her spouse have three children: Everett (9), Rosie (7), and Mabel (4), and live in Atascadero with their chickens. As a family, they love hiking all around the Central Coast with friends and biking, traveling, and enjoying their beautiful garden together.

Educator

Heather grew up in San Luis Obispo and has stayed, knowing a good thing when she sees it! She attended Cal Poly, SLO, receiving a Bachelors Degree in Accounting. Following a short career, she chose to stay home and raise her seven children. Early on she decided to homeschool, and has now made that her passion for 17 years. She went back to school in 2021 and earned a Masters in Elementary Education and a Teaching Credential. She is excited to marry her many years of alternative education experience with an academic foundation in teaching principles and standards. 

Ava grew up in the redwoods of Humboldt County and moved to San Luis Obispo six years ago to study Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly, where she also worked at the Cal Poly Children’s Center. During that time, she quickly fell in love with the Central Coast and knew this was where she wanted to stay!

At Monarch Hill, she’s excited to bring her background in plant science and share her love of the outdoors with students, helping them discover all the fun and meaningful lessons nature can teach us.

Outside of work, you’ll usually find her outside too, hiking local trails, trail running, paddleboarding, or heading out on a camping trip. She loves taking full advantage of the natural beauty around San Luis Obispo. She also teach es yoga in Los Osos, which has become another way she gets to share movement, mindfulness, and community.

Monarch Hills is delighted to be partnered with the Cal Poly Child Development Department for our internship program.  Interns work alongside educators for 1-2 quarters supporting our program in ways that allow for smaller groups of children to dive deeply into their work with the supervision and care of a supportive adult.  Interns are fully supervised and mentored by educators in the growth and development towards personalized goals.  We feel blessed to be able to offer a glimpse into alternative education for future educators and parents alike. 

Cat Placencia: President

Katy Lapiers: Secretary, Grant Committee

Tana Moschetti: Treasurer

Stef Figone: Member at large, Administrative Support

Contact information: Monarchhillsslo@gmail.com

BOD Meetings held monthly by Zoom.  Please contact Cat for information on attending our next meeting!