Teacher Bios

Mrs. Barbarics (Ms. Liu) holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering as well as a Master of Science from Stanford University, and she worked as an information technology consultant before becoming an educator. She has over 15 years of experience teaching AP Physics and all levels of math and English. Knowing the curricula of local school districts, she targets areas in which students struggle as well as previews and reinforces topics covered at school instead of only teaching to standardized tests.  Mrs. Barbarics has also developed a comprehensive English program for elementary through high school students focused on writing, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and PSAT/SAT preparation.  She is passionate about teaching students to analyze, synthesize, and apply their knowledge to the problems they encounter because these skills are needed for success in school and beyond.

Mrs. Liu (Ms. Hsu) has been helping students excel for over 30 years. She has taught all grades and has built her own comprehensive curriculum for elementary math through Calculus. She is an expert in preparing students for standardized testing as demonstrated by her students’ remarkable track record on the SATII Math IIc exam.  In the past 10 years, 43% of her students received a perfect 800, and 80% scored a 750 or higher. Students who have consistently been in our math program build a solid foundation, which correlates to their success on the SAT I and SAT II Math exams.

Mr. Liu has been developing young minds for over 30 years. As one of the founders of Huntington Education, he has devoted himself to developing a rigorous curriculum that builds solid fundamentals and continually challenges students to think critically.  He sees our enrichment education program as an opportunity to impart more than just proficiency in completing academic exercises but to foster analytical skills and ways of approaching problems that can be applied to many facets of life.

 

Mr. Barbarics graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was very successful as a technology and business process consultant prior to obtaining his law degree.  After passing the California State Bar exam, he practiced law before electing to pursue his long-standing desire to teach.  Mr. Barbarics has since taught students in all levels of English, math, and science.  As a credentialed high school teacher, he has also taught at San Marino High School in addition to after-school education centers.  He firmly believes that students must possess strong critical thinking skills to reach their full potential.  Mr. Barbarics excels at working with students to develop their analytical skills across all academic disciplines: English, math, and science.  He looks forward to helping his students achieve lasting success as a result.

Mrs. Aurand has been teaching English at all levels for over a decade, and as a working screenwriter and playwright, she brings her passion for English to the classroom.  She holds a BA from Azusa Pacific University in Cinema, where she also minored in English. In 2008, she helped design an SAT English and Writing prep curriculum still in use today and has even taught English as a second language to adults. Since joining the team at Huntington Education in 2015, Mrs. Aurand has further expanded and honed the English enrichment program. “Mrs. A” has a catching enthusiasm for reading and writing; under her guidance students often discover their new favorite books and begin to make connections between grammar, vocabulary, literature, other academic subjects, and their lives.