As students at Malibu High School (MHS) settle back into their school-year routines, The Malibu Times talked with some of the newest editions to the teaching staff who have come from across the globe to teach in Malibu.
Nahla Seikali
Nahla Seikali, a new math teacher at Malibu who teaches Math Core 7, Algebra and AP Calculus AB, traveled many miles to settle down in the Malibu community.
“I love it, I feel like I’ve been teaching here forever. I feel like I belong,” Seikali said in an interview with The Malibu Times. “People were warning me about strong parent involvement, but I’m enjoying the parents’ involvement … it’s better than no involvement at all from [the school] I came from.”
Seikali grew up in Lebanon and completed schooling there through the high school level. As soon as she got her diploma, she packed her bags and headed for the U.S. She began her studies at the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in math. After graduation, she immediately began her teaching career at Concord High — a school in the San Francisco area. She taught there for 18 years, helping students succeed in a subject she says she loved passionately.
When her two sons planned on moving to Southern California, she decided to make the move as well to stay close to her family.
As soon as MHS offered her the job, she took it.
“I liked the school right away because I wanted something that is as laid back and easygoing as the area that I was in Northern California,” Seikali explained. “I love my department; I get a lot of support from [it].”
She shared one of her first experiences at Malibu. She said, “Last Friday, my freshmen were so hyper and I asked what’s going on. Then one of the boys raised his hand and said, ‘Mrs. Seikali, the waves are high!’ I mean, where can you get another response like this?”
Audrey Scoffie
Another teacher with international experience, Audrey Scoffie left her French roots to explore a teaching career in Malibu.
Scoffie teaches all levels of French, from beginner to advanced placement. It is her first year teaching, and she is thoroughly enjoying the experience.
“I love it. The thing I enjoy the most is the relationship with students and seeing how fast they improve. It’s a nice atmosphere here in Malibu High,” Scoffie told The Malibu Times.
Born in France near the Alps, Scoffie spent her early years studying in Paris. She graduated from the French Political Institute in Paris and spent the next 15 years working as a communication manager.
“I realized that it was not what I wanted to do, it was not a complete fulfillment. I realized it would be really nice to be an educator and try to make a difference for our society,” Scoffie explained.
She then went on to graduate school at Pepperdine and graduated last year with a master’s in education. After deciding that Malibu was the perfect place for her two children to attend school, she took the job at MHS as a first-year teacher.
“We’ve met a lot of nice parents and our neighbors are great, too. The community really welcomed us. It’s nice to be both a parent and a teacher,” Scoffie said.
Along with her great work environment, Scoffie takes full advantage of what Malibu has to offer.
“I love hiking trails and I love all of [the beaches]. I also love the sunset … I spent all my childhood on a sailboat and I look forward to sailing in the Pacific Ocean,” Scoffie shared.
Rhonda Harris-Scott
A California native, Rhonda Harris-Scott is starting her first year at MHS teaching seventh-grade science and AP Environmental.
“I started out in California, and I think it was a good transition to come to Malibu after 10 years,” Harris-Scott said.
The science-enthusiast, however, did not arrive in Malibu short of company. Her two younger brothers, Richard and David, took the head and assistant coach positions for the Sharks’ varsity basketball team.
Harris-Scott graduated from DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Texas and went on to be a cheer captain at the Xavier University in New Orleans, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology. Later, she went on to the University of Texas Medical Branch and, after three-and-a-half years, earned her master’s. She then started her career in teaching, starting in Texas, then to the San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica and, finally, MHS — all the while upholding her classroom motto: “firm, but fair.” She also became a wellness coordinator at Pepperdine.
“I think kids are the same everywhere, they all are willing to learn. You just have a difference in the environment,” Harris-Scott explained when asked if teaching at MHS was different than elsewhere.
So far, her transition has been a positive one. She also noted her love for the Malibu beaches.
“I was born at the beach … I went to college in a beach town. I’m pretty much a beach baby.”
