Our Leadership

Principal

Dr. Christine Montanez serves as K-8 Principal of Big Picture Elementary School where she enjoys the amazing community that has welcomed her so warmly. She has dedicated her full career advocating for at-risk students and has deliberately chosen schools within her community that serve this population. Dr. Montanez relates to these children because she too grew up in a modest household, under government aide with limited opportunities. Dr. Montanez is a prime example that the vicious cycle of socio-economic influences can be broken and continues to bring this message to her students today. Having experience being a teacher and administrative leader gives Dr. Montanez the unique ability to ensure all students at Big Picture Elementary have access to standards-based curriculum and assessments that are student-centered and rich with creativity and rigor. Dr. Montanez believes in the mission and vision of BPEA’s one student at a time approach and its vital role in K-12 education.

Principal

Rick Church, an educator for 25 years, currently serves as the principal of Big Picture High School. He has previously served as an Executive Leadership Coach for Fresno County Superintendent of School (FCSS) where he oversaw Alternative Education for Fresno County and created an Alternative Schools Network bringing Alternative Schools together for collaborative opportunities. Mr. Rick Church began his tenure in Sanger Unified School District as a middle school math teacher, then went to Sanger High School as math teacher, head football and baseball coach, Athletic Director, then for 15 years served as the Districts Alternative Principal for Independent Study and Continuation Schools.

Rick enjoys traveling, working out, and baking / cooking. Some of the biggest influencers of his career have been his coaches, teachers and most of all his grandmother. Rick believes in enjoying life by being of service to others. He enjoys the quote: “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift”.

Principal

After obtaining my BA in English Education from Fresno State, I met the love of my life (now my husband!). Two years later I obtained a Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix and accepted my first teaching job at Lemoore High School, where I learned about independent study and alternative education (a newly ignited passion).

Over the next decade, I worked as an English teacher at George Christian Education Center (Westside High School) in Dos Palos and Crescent View West (Learn4Life) in Fresno and Clovis. At Learn4Life, my passion for teaching blossomed into a desire to transition into administration because I want to not only better advocate change for student success but also support my fellow educators. Fortunately, the founders and leaders of Big Picture Educational Academy in Fresno saw my vision for the future of alternative education and offered me a position in June of 2021.

Director of Special Education/Equity and Student Services

Dr. Anderson has been employed by the district since 2018. She has over 25 years of experience in Special Education. Dr. Anderson has served as a special education teacher in Elementary, Secondary Education, and Adult Education. As a Special Education Administrator, Dr. Anderson has provided support to families, students, and school staff at all grade levels. She received her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership in 2012 with an emphasis on Special Education. Dr. Anderson continues to stay current on legal and legislative issues (at both the State and Federal levels) for Special Education, Foster/Homeless, SST/504, and equity for all students.

Academic Compliance Officer

Sandi Howard is a credentialed administrator and multi-subject teacher with specialization in Environmental science, SEL and Project based instruction. Mrs. Howard is married to her artist husband, Sean, and has 7 creative and kind children. She has been a part of the Big Picture family for the past 5 1/2 years. In her current role, Mrs. Howard works to coordinate the plans and priorities of our district with the exciting ideas and initiatives that each principal brings to their program.