Specialty Classes
Meet the TK-5 Specialty Teachers:
Art- Ms. Courtney
Courtney Hendrix is excited to be teaching Art at WISH! Mrs. Courtney/Hendrix earned her BA degree from University of Indianapolis and his/her teaching credential from Indiana. She decided to become a teacher because her grandma was a teacher and she had an amazing 4th grade teacher who inspired her. Her favorite subject to teach is Art because she loves giving the students an opportunity to express their creativity. In her free time, she enjoys seeing movies with her husband, snuggling with her dog, and eating donuts. She thinks WISH is the best place to work because everyone is like a family member and celebrates with you in your successes and supports you in many ways!
Music- Mr. Peder
Mr Peder is thrilled to be part of the WISH family as the Music teacher! With a BA from CSUN and teaching credential from UCSD, he brings years of musical expertise that began at age 5 with learning the harmonica. His elementary music program introduces students to diverse genres, styles, artists, and instruments while building foundational skills in singing techniques, melody, harmony, and rhythm. Through exploring musical geography, students discover how music connects cultures across space and time, revealing the beautiful interconnectedness of human expression throughout history. Students have exciting opportunities to perform in multiple live shows throughout the school year, showcasing their growth and passion for music. Mr Peder became a music educator because of the universal joy that music brings to people of all ages and backgrounds. Music is his favorite subject to teach because he loves watching students discover their own creative voices and musical talents while understanding how they're part of a global musical tapestry. When not making music, Mr Peder loves the outdoors, fishing, camping, and spending time with his family. He chose WISH because of its incredible community spirit—everyone here feels like family, celebrating successes together and providing unwavering support through every step of the journey!
Physical Education- Coach Martinez
Gustavo Martinez is proud and excited to be teaching Physical Education at WISH! Mr. Martinez earned his BA degree from Cal State University Dominguez Hills and his teaching credential from UCLA. He decided to become a teacher because he enjoys working with kids. His favorite subjects to teach are math and physical education because he loves sports and loves working with numbers. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his family, watching sports, playing baseball, softball and basketball. He thinks WISH is the best place to work because the teachers really care about the kids, the community, but most of all, they really care about each other. "WISH is like my extended family!"