Our coaches are carefully selected through an extensive hiring process and receive ongoing professional development to ensure our families get the best support and, ultimately, the best results.
Griffin Chalif
elementary through middle school — all subjects
Griffin grew up in Half Moon Bay and is currently working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at Cal Poly Humboldt. He is pursuing a career as an archivist and is intent on earning a Museum Curation Certification.
Once a student at Main Street Scholars himself, Griffin has seen firsthand how much support and insight can be offered through one-on-one tutoring. He is committed to continuing to provide the same engaged and proactive assistance he received as a youth to all students.
Griffin has achieved the Biliteracy Attainment award and is proficient in speaking Spanish. Additionally, his prior tenure as a guitar teacher has given him experience illuminating challenging concepts in a comprehensible and enjoyable manner to individuals of diverse ages and skills.
When he’s not teaching, Griffin spends his time playing music, illustrating, and spending time with family.
Leigh Green
Elementary school—all subjects
Leigh Green is an experienced educator with over 30 years in classrooms, dedicated to helping young learners discover their confidence and develop a strong sense of themselves as capable scholars.
A resident of Half Moon Bay, Leigh lives with her husband and their two dogs, and is the proud parent of two grown children. She is certified in grades 1–6 across all subject areas, bringing both breadth and depth to her work with students. Leigh’s approach combines academic expertise with a genuine passion for nurturing curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning in every child she supports.
Guided by her favorite quote from John Dewey, “education is not preparation for life; education is life itself,” Leigh believes that meaningful learning happens when children feel empowered, engaged, and inspired every day. In her free time, she enjoys taking long walks by the beach, hiking local trails, and exploring local food spots, embracing the same curiosity and joy she encourages in her students.
Ellen Harding
Online only — College Essay Writing — High School English — Reading Comprehension — ACT/SAT English
Over the last twenty years, Ellen has worked as an English instructor in a variety of settings with K–12 and undergraduate students. Since 2017, she has had the pleasure of coaching at Main Street Scholars, helping students to improve their reading, writing, critical thinking, and test-taking skills.
Ellen is also an experienced College Essay Specialist. She offers workshops and 1:1 sessions, both in person and online. It’s her belief that the process of applying to colleges can be filled with self-discovery rather than dread, and she genuinely enjoys mentoring students at this time. Ellen’s students have been accepted to the top 20 Universities, including the Ivy League.
Ellen earned her M.F.A. in English and Creative Writing from Mills College, where she received the Ardella Mills Prize for graduate composition in 2001, and her B.A. in American Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1994.
When she’s not teaching, you can find her hiking with her dog Hal or working on the next chapter of her novel.
Jamie Hayes
executive director
Jamie “Bub” Hayes (formerly Weintraub) has been an educator for 30 years in Los Angeles and San Francisco, eventually founding Main Street Scholars in Half Moon Bay. She attended Loyola Marymount University where she earned her BA and two Master’s, one in School Administration.
While in LA Jamie began teaching SAT Prep courses (Reading and Writing) for Scholars in Progress where she successfully helped many students raise their confidence level in test-taking, which allowed them to successfully raise their test scores in the Reading and Writing sections of the test.
In 2010, Jamie and her husband Jack relocated to Half Moon Bay to be nearer to her family and grandchildren. For the first four years she taught in SF at Schools of the Sacred Heart while coaching a number of students in HMB. Jamie opened her office on Main Street in June, 2014 and had expanded MSS educational services to include after-school coaching, SAT/ACT Prep, and along with Liz Murphy College Advising, offers College Advising helping students navigate the College Application Admissions Process.
In August, 2014 Jamie opened the office to include structured support for home-school students on the Coastside. As a lifelong learner herself, she realizes the importance of educating for the 21st century student. The skills of tomorrow are dependent upon the critical-thinking skills a student develops today. More than content alone, the students of today need interdisciplinary thinking which has content embedded as well as the confidence and resilience to thrive in life. The nature of high-stakes testing in our global society is key to entrance into our competitive world. Yet, having a well-developed skill set from individualized learning creates a student who gains the opportunity to access to the American Dream in a global reality.
Today, Main Street Scholars successfully supports many students through our College Prep School and Academic Coaching Center.
Loyola Marymount University, BA Theology, Academic Studies
Loyola Marymount University, MA Theology, Academic Studies
Loyola Marymount University, MA School Administration
Michaela McGee
elementary school — all subjects
Michaela McGee has been passionate about education and teaching for as long as she can remember. After graduating from Half Moon Bay High School, Michaela attended the University of Wyoming where she earned Bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a minor in Business. She spent several years teaching elementary school children in Wyoming, and spent her summers traveling across the state to promote inclusive, hands-on STEM learning.
Recently, Michaela returned to the Coastside and her hometown of Half Moon Bay, where she continues her commitment to education with the Cabrillo Unified School District and El Granada Elementary School.
When she is not tutoring, teaching, or helping students achieve their goals, Michaela enjoys spending time with family, watching cooking shows, baking for loved ones, and volunteering with her church and local community.
Vicente Patiño
Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, II Pre-Calculus — AP Physics — English — Writing — Spanish I–III
Vicente Patiño, a San Francisco native, has been an educator for the past 10 years. He attended the University of San Francisco where he earned a B.A. in Architecture and Community Design, and an M.A. in Teaching. He has taught everything from chess to kindergarteners to CSET preparation for preservice teachers.
Vicente’s passion for teaching is evident in his ability to manage kids and still delight in their successes. He has taught bilingual middle school science, high school physics, and all levels high school math. Additionally, Vicente has worked in individual, small-group, and whole-class settings.
Julian Salkin
Algebra I, II — Astronomy — Calculus I, II, Pre-calculus — Chemistry — D&D — Physics — ASVAB test
Julian is a Half Moon Bay native, graduating from HMB High School. He earned an AS in Physics at the College of San Mateo along with a certificate in Observatory Operation and is currently working on a Bachelor’s in Astronomy / minor in Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 2021 is his sixth year working in education, and he has experience tutoring and teaching elementary, high school, and college.
Julian loves amateur astronomy and can often be found taking pictures through his telescopes. His hobbies include film and digital photography, as well as amateur video editing and music transcription.
After graduating, Julian plans to become either a high school teacher or a science educator to help expand students’ knowledge of how the world works.
Gail Stevens
french
Gail Stevens teaches French and Ballroom Dancing. She served as French teacher and Department Chair of the Department of Modern Languages for Newark-Unified School District during more years than she cares to list here, until her retirement.
Her academic degrees include a B.A. and M.A. in French Language and Literature, as well as an M.A. in Educational Administration and Supervision, all from San Jose State University. She has ballroom dance certification through DVIDA and the National Dance Council of America. Gail taught at Cheryl Burke Dance in Mountain View from its opening until it closed last year; she now teaches privately in Redwood City. Gail loves teaching, dancing, and traveling. She has been a group leader for student and adult tours to Paris and other regions of France. She considers it an honor and a pleasure to be part of Main Street Scholars and truly cherishes the opportunity to guide students to a better appreciation of themselves through her passion for and expertise in French language and culture.
