The Thacher School

The Language Department at Thacher believes in the power of full immersion to produce highly competent language students.

We offer courses in French, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese with expert teachers who work to help students master the language, while also providing insight into and understanding of the varied cultures that speak them. Written work and in-depth daily class discussions of literature, history, current events, and films offer a classroom experience that bridges these two aims.

Featuring a large variety of offerings for a school of our size, we emphasize a flexible program that accommodates individual interests, abilities, and talents. Students will find curriculum that goes well beyond general comprehension to focus on the detailed and nuanced workings of language on their path to fluency. Students who are particularly invested in their language studies have the opportunity to spend their junior year in the School Year Abroad program, with campuses in France, Spain, and China.

- Ana

“As a French teacher, Ms. Halsey encouraged me to take risks and to speak in class even if my sentences were full of grammatical errors. Her devotion to teaching French was contagious, but more than just being an outstanding teacher, Ms. Halsey has been an unfailing source of advice, wisdom, and knowledge.”

Chicago, Illinois

Academics at Thacher

Languages Department Faculty

List of 7 members.

Ms. Juliet Henderson

World Language Department Chair

805-646-4377

Pitzer College - BA
University of California, Los Angeles - MA
Southern Oregon University/Universidad de Guanajuato - MA

Bio
Juliet teaches Spanish here at Thacher. After 12 years teaching, coaching, and living at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT, she is excited to be back on the west coast. Juliet grew up in Oregon, but lived in southern California for 16 years, where she attended college and graduate school (Pitzer and UCLA), and started teaching high school Spanish (Westridge School in Pasadena). Juliet, her wife Stephanie, and their children Lola ’22 and Lucy, an 8th grader, love to travel. They spent a year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain on sabbatical, often visit family in England, and Juliet recently finished a three-summer program in Guanajuato, Mexico through the Southern Oregon University where she obtained an MA in Spanish language teaching. In addition to travel and all things Spanish/Latin American, Juliet enjoys staying physically active, eating good food, playing board games, reading, and listening to audiobooks.
Ms. Katherine Halsey

French and English Teacher and Riding Instructor

Stanford University - BA

Bio
A teacher of French and English, Katherine had never ridden horses before coming to Thacher, but she soon discovered the challenges and rewards of working in the equine world. Now she not only instructs students in riding but also leads horse-packing trips. A graduate of Stanford University, Katherine taught at Belmont Hill School and Phillips Academy, Andover prior to Thacher. She likes to say that she followed her daughter, then a boarding student, to Thacher. Katherine enjoys reading, writing, singing, and spending time with her grown children and their families. She plays the guitar and has recently taken up the mandolin. Katherine’s passion for language study and international travel took her to France on School Year Abroad as a senior in high school, the first of eight years total spent living there. Striking out in a whole new direction, Katherine spent her sabbatical year, 2006-2007, in South Africa, where she volunteered for mothers2mothers, an organization that works in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. She worked in curriculum development for mothers2mothers and had the chance to travel extensively throughout sub-Saharan Africa, serving as a spokesperson and liaison for the group.
Ms. Françoise Kasimirowski-Garcia

French Teacher

University of Toulouse, France - BA
University of Toulouse, France - MA
Ashford University - MEd

Bio
Following her undergrad and graduate work, Françoise taught French language and spent years working with United Nations officials and adolescents through the UN. She focused on creating uniquely customized, mission- specific courses with diplomats and UN officials and taught French Language and Literature in the International Baccalaureate Program at the United Nations International School. Her time in New York also saw her spearheading the French and history programs at the French American School of New York.

For Françoise, three C’s describe the Thacher community: camaraderie, caring, and commitment. At Thacher she advises sophomore girls and teaches (no surprise) French, enjoying the small-classroom learning experience that she feels benefits both student and teacher. Throughout her summer breaks during her time at Thacher she has continued teaching French to American teenagers across the Atlantic; Françoise acted as the Head Coordinator of the Language Program for the Southern France Youth Institute, an immersion program in the south of France. Her duties also included designing and sporadically teaching the customized, student-centered curriculum.

Beyond the classroom, she enjoys cooking, traveling, tap dancing, and studying linguistics and language acquisition. Françoise lives in Ojai with her husband, Alejandro, and their two children, Julian and Clemencia, who graduated from Thacher in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
Mr. Lisandro Malissia

Theater Technical Director, World Language--Spanish Instructor

Bio
Born and raised in Argentina, Lisandro grew up with a healthy respect for how to live in harmony with the land. He studied medicine at the University of Cordoba. While attending his internship, he realized his passion for music and made a career change into the world of sound and recording arts, leading him to open a recording studio and host his own radio program, as well as mix sound for a plethora of live venues. Lisandro’s passion for music and sound eventually led him to documentary film-making, which opened the doors to a fantastic journey to over 25 countries around the world. On his international adventure, he met his lovely wife, a California native and Ojai local. They settled in Upper Ojai six years ago to raise their two daughters. Next to music, his deepest passion is his family and his community, which is why he has chosen to work at The Thacher School—to be close to home and in the heart of a community that supports the development of its young people. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, swimming, live music and theatre, and any opportunity he gets to add new places to his extensive list of travels.
Mr. Juan Sánchez

Spanish Teacher and Director of Sustainability

UNED Costa Rica - BS
Tufts University - MA
Cornell University - Professional Certificate

Bio
Juan joined the Thacher community in 2013. He has a bachelor's degree in natural resources management from UNED, Costa Rica and a master’s in urban and environmental planning from Tufts University. In 2015 Juan completed a professional certificate in campus sustainability leadership at The University of Vermont and is currently working on a certificate in systems thinking from Cornell University. Juan teaches foreign languages, is the boys varsity soccer team head coach, the director of education for sustainability, and head faculty advisor to the Environmental Action Committee. During his time here, Thacher has been awarded the Green Ribbon School at the Gold and Green Achiever level, the highest honor in campus sustainability in California. Juan lives on campus with his wife, Xena, their daughter, Sierra, and their dog, Asha.
Ms. Sayra Trejo
Ms. Christina Yuan

Chinese Language Instructor

Principia College - BA
Chinese University of Hong Kong - MA
University of California, Santa Barbara - MA

Bio
Christina teaches Mandarin Chinese at Thacher. A native of southern California, she has spent the last 5 years teaching Chinese on the east coast. She has an MA from the University of California, Santa Barbara in East Asian studies, as well as an MA in Chinese studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She and her wife Joy are looking forward to being part of Thacher's close-knit community. Christina is especially excited to share with students three of her biggest loves: horses, Chinese, and basketball.