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Curriculum & Instruction: Meet the Staff
The Curriculum and Instruction Department is comprised of the following people:
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Sylvia Méndez, Director of Curriculum & Instruction
As Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Mrs. Méndez is responsible for the District Professional Development plan,
textbook adoptions, implementation of the GATE plan, Reading First, CAMSP, PE/Visual and Performing Arts and GEAR UP grants.
Mrs. Méndez has been a classroom teacher, BRT, elementary school principal before moving into the position of Director
of Federal and State Programs then into the new position of Director of Curriculum and Instruction. This is Mrs. Méndez
28th year in the district. |
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Caroline Calero, English Language Arts Coordinator
Working with the English Language Arts, HM Content and Reading Resource Teachers, as well as with site-based
ELA Coaches, principals and classroom teachers, Ms. Calero supports the ...
Ms. Calero taught grades 3 - 6 for ... was ... GATE Resource Teacher, where she was instrumental in
the devlopment of the Integrated Thematic Units. She was appointed ELA Coordinator this summer.
Learn more about English Language Arts
Curriculum and Instruction in PVUSD. |
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Melissa Christie, Mathematics Coordinator
Along with the Math Resource Teachers, Ms. Christie works to support classroom teachers in their
teaching of mathematics. This work is part of a larger effort, PVUSD's involvement in CaMSP:
the California Math and Science Partnership. The CaMSP grant is currently servicing 45 teachers in 19 schools in PVUSD.
Ms. Christie taught math for 13 years, and worked as a GEAR UP math specialist and a CaMSP math coach, before becoming PVUSD Math Coordinator.
Learn more about Mathematics
Curriculum and Instruction in PVUSD. |
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Lyn Olson, GATE Services Coordinator
The GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) office provides support to teachers and school sites in their efforts to
meet the particular needs of academically advanced students. The focus of GATE Services in PVUSD is to assist
teachers in differentiating their instruction for all learners, but especially to provide advanced students
with opportunities to work at their challenge level. GATE also supports parents and teachers in meeting the
social and emotional needs of gifted learners.
Ms. Olson taught grades 2 - 5 in Salinas and Aptos for 15 years. She has worked for the Packard Foundation as a science coach,
for Susan Kovalik and Assoc. as a trainer and coach, for Reading for Real as a trainer and for Pat Belvel as a trainer in
classroom management. She has been a GATE Resource Teacher for 6 years in PVUSD and was appointed as GATE Coordinator October, 2006.
This year, she is also the GATE Resource Teacher for Amesti, Freedom, Ohlone and Valencia.
Learn more about PVUSD GATE Services in PVUSD. |
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Ted Altenberg, GATE Resource Teacher
As GATE Resource Teacher, Mr. Altenberg works with classrooom
teachers to support their efforts to provide differentiated instruction
that meets the individual needs of all their students, especially
the advanced students.
Mr. Altenberg taught middle school science, math, computers and other subjects for 20 years,
in a number of schools in Santa Cruz, Monterey and Santa Clara County schools. He has also served as
school site Technology Coordinator for several schools. He joined PVUSD as a GATE Resource Teacher in July 2007.
Learn more about PVUSD GATE Services in PVUSD. |
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Tammy Mullin, Mathematics Coach
As a Math Coach, Ms. Mullin supports approximately 20 teachers from the following schools: Valencia, Pajaro MS,
Rolling Hills MS, Lakeview MS, AVCI Charter School, Watsonville HS, Pajaro Valley HS, and Aptos HS. In addition to
meeting individual needs of teachers through coaching cycles, Ms. Mullin also facilitates Lesson Study Groups wherein
teachers observe and revise lessons which were collaboratively planned.
Ms. Mullin began her career in the district in 1987 as a Math Teacher at Pajaro Middle School. While teaching at
Pajaro Middle School, she coordinated a Middle School Math Alliance in collaboration with UCSC. Ms. Mullin continued
her career at Rolling Hills as a Title VII Resource teacher and most recently taught mathematics at Aptos High School.
This will be her second year as a district Math Coach working to implement the CAMSP Grant and thus deepen Algebraic
understanding throughout the district.
Learn more about Mathematics in PVUSD. |
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Suzannah Young, Mathematics Coach
As a Math Coach, Ms. Young supports classroom math teachers in grades five through Algebra I who are participating
in PVUSD’s CaMSP math grant. Ms. Young works individually with teachers as they improve student understanding
in mathematics. She also facilitates Lesson Study cycles, in which teachers collaboratively plan, teach, and revise
a lesson, while furthering their own mathematics content and pedagogical knowledge.
Ms. Young taught at the elementary level for 10 years, in Virginia and Gonzales, CA. Following her classroom experience,
Ms. Young began her career as a Math Coach with Gonzales Unified School District, supporting fourth- through eighth-grade
teachers. She joined PVUSD as a Math Coach in 2007.
Learn more about Mathematics in PVUSD. |
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Marla Almaraz, Administrative Assistant
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Christina Oakden, Administrative Assistant
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Zaida Raygoza, Administrative Assistant
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