Dear Families of the West San Gabriel Valley SELPA,
I hope everyone had a nice summer and that students are returning to school refreshed, energized and ready to take on the new year. In visiting school sites and districts, we’re feeling positive energy and excitement, which is so wonderful to see.
This summer the SELPA continued running professional development for administrators and paraprofessionals. We used grant money to provide behavioral support training to classroom assistants. We also provided seminars for administrators on IEP facilitation and working collaboratively with families.
Our Teacher Residency program [see page 3] is off and running with 12 resident teachers placed in classrooms with mentor teachers in our member districts. We have added two new staff members, a School Psychologist and a School Psychologist/BCBA to further support our programs [see page 11].
The WSGV SELPA is committed to working collaboratively with families, staff and the community to support all students with disabilities within our region. Our work is centered on our vision and mission statements:
Vision: Collectively leverage diverse resources for the support and success of all students.
Mission: Provide high quality services and support to member districts.
I’m looking forward to connecting with students and families this year and I’m wishing everyone a fantastic 23/24 school!
Warm Regards,
Tamara Schiern
Executive Director
WSGV SELPA/ Alder GSE Teacher Residency Program
West San Gabriel Valley SELPA in partnership with Alder Graduate School of Education is on a mission to create a pipeline of outstanding Education Specialists through a social justice lens. To provide support and training, teacher residents are provided with an exceptional teacher-mentor to co-teach with for the entire school year. During this time, they are able to apply theory and research to serve their Special Education students who are placed in their mentors program. To empower and provide opportunities for everyone that is interested in becoming a teacher, all grant funded programs via the CTC will provide a cost of living stipend of $30,000.00, possibly increased to $40,000.00, thanks in part to our Governor who signed K-12 Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill. The cost of their academic program is funded via largely by state grants which have been set aside for teachers who want work with our neurodiverse students. Upon successful completion of the program each resident will have a Master’s degree in Education and their Education Specialist credential in the area of mild/moderate support needs. Each of our residents is given priority hiring opportunities within the WSGV SELPA consortium as they are are equipped and trained to meet the needs of their students who are well acquainted with the community.
FAQs About the Program:
Question: Who makes up your resident cohort?
Our Residents come from diverse backgrounds; 66% are Hispanic, 16% are multiethnic, 66% are first generation college students and 41% are Pell Grant recipients. Our mission is to create a diverse teaching team that mirrors the diversity present in our K-12 schools, so that our children have role models that look like them!
Question: Where are they co-teaching?
Resident Teachers (also known as aspiring teachers) are paired with exceptional mentor teachers who have showcased exemplary teaching practices within their school and school district.
Currently we have three residents co-teaching alongside a qualified mentor teacher in the El Monte Union High School District, two residents in each of these districts, Alhambra USD, El Monte City SD and Rosemead SD, and one resident in each of these three districts, Temple City USD, San Gabriel USD and Mountain View School District.
Our goal is to have twenty-five residents placed in all fourteen member districts within the next year. We believe if we can create our own pipeline of teachers, we will be able to meet the needs of our diverse students, develop and establish relationships during our residents program that upon being hired will anchor them to stay teaching within our consortium which will eventually lead them eventually to becoming the leaders within our fourteen member districts.
Question: Do I need prior teaching experience?
No, in order to apply for our program you do not need to have any teaching experience. Alder GSE along with our Coordinator of Teacher Residency and mentor teachers will work with you throughout your residency program to guide, support and build your knowledge base in order for you to be able to meet all of the teaching performance evaluation standards to obtain your Education Specialist credential set forth by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
We have a unique program in that we have built-in supports for our residents to help them meet all of the prerequisites set forth by the Commision of Teacher Credentialing (e.g., RICA, CSET, EdTPA). Along with a year of co-teaching alongside a highly qualified mentor teacher which helps our residents bridge theory and practice.
Question: What happens to residents after they complete their residency?
Being that we are a CTC grant funded program, our residents are expected to teach for four years following graduation in exchange for the cost of the living stipend. Knowing this, we will work with each of our fourteen member districts to find them a full-time teaching position for the upcoming fall after their graduation from the program. Our data indicates that at present, 96% of our graduates are hired as full-time teachers and 88% of them stay in the school system in which they complete their residency program. This provides districts and residents to teach in communities that they are familiar with and builds community.
Marwin Echegoyen
Marwin Echegoyen is placed at Jansen Elementary School in the Rosemead School District with his mentor Christina Gee. Together they will lead their Special Day Class program for 4-6th grade students. Marwin became excited about becoming a Special Education teacher after spending a few years as a behavior aide. With encouragement from the staff, Marwin applied to our program and we are so glad he did!
Blanca Espinoza
Blanca Espinoza is a mother of three children and has been an outstanding parent volunteer who has supported programs for students who are second language learners within the Alhambra School District. This experience leads her to envision herself as a teacher working with students who often find a school to be a challenge. She wants to be a change-maker in her classroom and is excited about co-teaching at Emma Shuey Elementary school in Rosemead, under the supervision of Esther Park. They will be team teaching in an SDC 4th-6th grade placement.
Breezh Nunez
Jorge Fajardo
Jorge Fajardo will be co-teaching at Alhambra USD's Northrup Elementary School alongside his mentor Michael Rabatin. They will be teaching in a Collaborative model setting with grades 3rd-5th. Jorge has been a behavior aide for a few years working with students in the San Gabriel Unified School District, but spent a few years at the middle school and elementary school levels. He is excited to return to the elementary school level and gain experience supporting these students.
David Miranda
David Miranda will be at LeGore Elementary School co-teaching with his mentor Maryester who teaches a 2nd-3rd grade SDC classroom. Prior to becoming a resident, David was a behavior aide working in a middle school classroom. He is excited about developing his skills as a teacher and gaining experience working with elementary school students. He wants to become a teacher who can make a difference and impact in the lives of his students and their families.
Morgan Liss
Under the direction of Raeline Felix, Morgan Liss will be co-teaching at El Monte High School. Before becoming a resident, Morgan ran an afterschool program at Pasadena Unified and worked as a paraeducator with elementary, middle, and high school students. When she arrived at the high school she realized she had found her home, so she is over the moon and ecstatic about co-teaching at El Monte High School.
Stephanie Paz
Stephanie Paz will be co-teaching at Arroyo High School with Renee Tellez. She worked with high school students at South El Monte prior to becoming a resident and fell in love with having the opportunity to guide and nurture them throughout their high school years. She will be returning to her alma mater Arroyo High School and is thrilled to be working with Renee!
Samantha Isherwood
Samantha Isherwood will be leading a middle school program with her mentor Ana Rodriguez at Payne Elementary School where they will teach 6th-8th grade students. Samantha brings experience as a long-term substitute with a middle school student to her placement. She loves creating engaging lessons for her students.
Carolina Rosete
Carolina Rosete and Jennifer Zhou are back together again! They worked together several years ago when Jennifer was at Repetto Elementary School and when she heard that Carolina needed a mentor, she jumped at the chance. Carolina brings lots of deep, rich, hands-on experience working with our mild to severe students from elementary to the high school level.
Maria Montes
Maria Montes has landed at Oak Avenue Intermediate School with Jennifer Oliver. Last year, she was working as a paraeducator in the El Monte Union High School district, so she has an understanding of the skills her middle school students will need so they can be successful at the high school level. She is looking forward to getting to know her students, mentor, and staff at Oak Avenue this fall!
Tiffany Aleman
Tiffany Aleman is returning to her alma mater Alhambra High School to co-teach alongside Lara Bilemijian who is a collaboration teacher working with 9th-12th grade students. Tiffany has been working as a behavior aide for Alhambra Unified for the past couple of years and enjoys working with our neurodiverse students. This is the first time she working in a high school setting, but she is very excited about broadening her skillset.
BCBA
School Psych
Job Posting
Data Program Specialist
