SIMI VALLEY SCHOOLS
3RD GRADE
Lara Davis
2nd/3rd Grade
I have been teaching elementary school for the last 18 years. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University and my Teaching Credential and Masters in Education from California Lutheran University. I began my teaching career in Kindergarten and have taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. I was hired at Sycamore the day before school started and have been lucky to be here ever since! I have one daughter who is married and now living in North Carolina. I was born and raised in Colorado and remain a die-hard Denver Bronco fan! I am passionate about reading and traveling. I have lived in Germany two different times and love to study and learn about WWII. I absolutely love my job and feel fortunate be a part of children’s lives and their learning. Their joy and passion, as well as struggles, inspire me to work hard, stay positive and enjoy life!
Kristi Hanretta 3rd Grade
I’m Kristi Hanretta. I went to the University of Santa Barbara for 5 years. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and then got my Teaching Credential there. I became a teacher at Sycamore in 2014, after Simi Elementary was closed. I had been teaching kindergarten through 2nd grade at Simi Elementary for 21 years, 8 of which I taught a 2nd grade GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) cluster class. Sycamore has become my new home!
I am married and have 2 sons. Nathan is 20 years old and Kevin is 12. I attended schools in Simi Valley from kindergarten through 12th grade. I went to Garden Grove Elementary, Sequoia Junior High, and graduated from Simi Valley High School. I enjoy music and dancing. Growing up, I took ballet, tap, and jazz classes, and now I like doing Jazzercise. If you are looking for the shortest teacher on the staff, that would be me! I truly enjoy working with young students. I love watching the children grow academically, as well as, become more independent, confident students. I feel honored to get to be a part of their educational journey here at Sycamore.
Nicole Hrach
3/4th Grade Special Day Class
My name is Nikki Hrach, and I teach the 3rd and 4th grade Special Day Class here at Sycamore Elementary. I grew up in Ventura County, completing my K-12 education right next door in CVUSD. In college, I studied Biology and Comparative Religions at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I moved back to the Conejo Valley and worked as a camp director and recreation leader. I earned my Moderate/Severe Education Specialist teaching credential at California Lutheran University, where I will soon complete my Master’s of Science in Special Education. I feel so fortunate to be a part of the Sycamore Elementary community, and love the inclusive, welcoming atmosphere here! We are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful, highly-trained community of dedicated teachers and staff who are dedicated to serving and working with exceptional students and their families. In our classroom, my team and I work hard to create an environment in which all students have the opportunity to learn and grow. My favorite thing about teaching is helping students develop a growth mindset. It is so rewarding to see a student try, make a mistake, and then try again until they get it right! Displaying resilience and determination is something that my students and I aim for every day. Go Skyhawks!
