Jeannie Chufo

Jeannie Chufo is a 24-year veteran teacher within the San Dieguito Union High School district and professor of a bullying prevention pathway at University of San Diego. As a passionate teacher and innovator at the high & middle school level, she has worn many hats. Jeannie has helped launch the opening of three schools and works constantly on evolving school culture and community. As an English and business teacher at Canyon Crest Academy, she developed an Entrepreneurship pathway, and converted the campus staff lounge into a student-run café. Her business pathway received national recognition in Washington D.C., as Junior Achievement’s Company of the Year for developing an app to connect students to their campus. She supported TEDxYouth@SanDiego for two inspiring years (2012, 2013). She was on the planning team to open the newest middle school campus, Pacific Trails, and helped nurture the culture and community by promoting Social Emotional Programming, restorative practices and play. She’s filled school quads with Dr. Bronner’s Foam and hosted epic lunch dance parties; she’s led students through silent-glow discos, filled hallways with bubble wrap, and celebrated straight-up silliness with her students. Currently, at San Dieguito Academy, she teaches high school English Literature to seniors and helps them apply to college through a course specifically designed to facilitate the application process. She has worked as a TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) to advance and support Career Technical Education and has a specialized certification in Digital Citizenship. Jeannie is particularly passionate about the integration of the workplace community and the core curriculum. She is invested in bringing the outside into educational systems. Beyond the classroom, in the spirit of building cultural capital in kids and promoting adventure, Jeannie has traveled extensively with students to Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, and Peru. Yes, she just got back from touring Japan with over 100 high school students in tow. She’s here to tell the tale. In her free time, Jeannie loves to adventure travel -- she’s done the Tour du Mont Blanc twice (a 170 km trekking trail through France, Italy, and Switzerland). She loves the great outdoors, hiking, cross-country skiing, road-tripping, live music and all things related to the exploration of play and adventure with her partner, Sean--her personal patron of fun. Quite possibly, her greatest accomplishment by far has been raising her 11-year-old triplets-- her twin girls and her son. Her son happens to be bionic (really) and has thrust her family into a lifelong commitment to the Challenged Athlete’s Foundation of San Diego, promoting mobility and freedom to other challenged athletes.

Culture, community building and the intersection of business and education.

Read Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

Discovering things you never knew about your close friends.