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UPCOMING EVENTS

Stay informed on upcoming Community Advisory Committee events.

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November

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Triple P: 6-Week Group: Helping Children Manage Anxiety (V)

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2023-2024 CAC Award Winners!

Santa Cruz Gardens Student Services Team

Santa Cruz Gardens Student Services Team

The Student Services Team at Santa Cruz Gardens is small but mighty! Though the team had many new members this year, they have worked diligently to become a cohesive unit and seeks always to serve students first and keep them at the center. The team at SCG is collaborative and creative, often finding unique ways to meet needs. SCG is truly a haven where students strengths are celebrated and needs are seen as assets in the making.

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Admin Support & SPED Data Specialist, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District

Judi DeSantis

Judi is our Special Education Department Secretary and she also serves as the Ludlow Preschool secretary and registrar. In her job, she wears many, many hats. She works with parents, teachers, administrators, etc. She keeps our wonderful SPED director organized. She oversees our SEIS files and keeps us on track. She keeps track of all the legal paperwork. She places orders for all our supplies and all the SPED supplies. She is a terrific person and she does such a fantastic job juggling all of her responsibilities. I feel like she doesn't know how much we appreciate all that she does!

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Kristy Jolly & Jessica Pizzica

SPED Support Staff, Santa Cruz City Schools

Kristy Jolly is the Compliance Coach in Santa Cruz City Schools, and she is exceptional in her role. Kristy has a breadth of experience, knowledge, and passion for supporting students with special needs and the educators who teach them. Kristy consistently displays professionalism, integrity and dedication in everything she does. I am so grateful to have her on our team! . Kristy is an exceptionally helpful person. She is professional and has wonderful energy that is infectious to others. She is an amazing mentor, and teacher.

Jessica Pizzica

Jessica Pizzica works tirelessly as a BCBA across our district to support students and special education teams. Her depth of knowledge and commitment to the belief that all students have the capacity to acquire skills, grow, and learn is an inspiration. She brings innovative and evidence based practices to her work with teams and a tireless work ethic to all things she does. She is a true asset to our community.

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SPED Support Staff, Soquel Union Elementary School District

Sasha Talavera

Sasha is such a kind and caring support for students and staff alike! Everyone knows that she makes an effort to check in as often as she can. Folks know that Sasha genuinely cares about our community and wants us all to suceed and grow together.

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Alyson Paolini

Alyson is our amazing Speech/Language Pathologist for our preschool and preschool aged children in our district. She is exceptional at her job and the students love when they get to go to her office. She also joins my class for a bi-weekly circle time that the students really enjoy. She sings beautifully and makes everything exciting! She truly cares about each of her students and the staff around her. She is an all around terrific person!

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SPED Teacher, San Lorenzo Valley USD

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Allie Lovell

ALLISON Lovell is exceptional because she’s: Accepting of all students/their abilities; Advocate, Leader; gives time to community by coaching girls’ swimming/golf teams, Listener; builds connections with students, Integrity; Models professionalism, Smart, Strong communication, Organized, optimistic, assists/boosts students’ learning when they don’t learn the traditional ways, Nonjudgmental, Nice

SPED Teacher, Soquel Union Elementary School District

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Main Street SPED Student Services Team

The Student Services Team at Main Street Elementary has been BUSY this year. Through it all they have kept students and serving them and serving them well at the center. This team carries a heavy load and they do it well. They are caring, patient, compassionate, empathetic, and true believes in the potential and inherent goodness in ALL students. They are collaborative and always willing to lend each other a hand in order to contribute to the success of the team on the whole.

Main Street SPED Student Services Team

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Instructional Aide, San Lorenzo Valley USD

Kayla Brown

Ms. Brown has worked tirelessly and selflessly over the past three years to maintain a sense of community connection and spirit of play and participation in the BCE K-2 SDC class, particularly during COVID. She has an excellent attendance record, teaches in the afterschool program, supports students with transportation, and is an excellent role model.

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SPED Director, Soquel Union Elementary School District

Carissa Lemos

Carissa is the most caring, understanding, accepting, and inspiring boss I have ever had the pleasure to work for. Carissa has helped guide me in the beginning years of my career as a School Psychologist.

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SPED Teacher, Bonny Doon

Katie Tidaback

Students love working with Katie. Katie is fun, approachable and professional. Families appreciate Katie's communication and care. Staff respect Katie's ideas and efforts to address student needs. Katie Tidaback is a star.

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Soquel Elementary Student Services Team

Soquel Elementary Student Services Team

The Student Services Team at Soquel Elementary is a force! They are thorough, thoughtful, organized, and deeply rooted in pursuing the best possible outcomes for students. They are creative problem solvers and exceptional practitioners. They have rolled with the ups and downs of the year in a way that is telling of their character and their commitment to serving students and supporting families.

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Katie does an amazing job teaching all subjects to her students while taking care of the many SPED tasks while remaining positive and fun to work with.

SPED Teacher, Scotts Valley

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Instructional Aide, San Lorenzo Valley Ludlow Preschool

Amy Cunningham

Amy goes above and beyond with her work at the preschool. She is gifted in meeting our preschoolers as their individual level socially, emotionally and behaviorally. She is my right and left hand. The students adore her and the staff rely heavily on her. She is one in a million and I could not do my job without her!

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Administration, Live Oak School District

Crystal Perez

Crystal’s dedication and boundless passion as our Family and Community Engagement Manager has united special education families, creating more togetherness and belonging within our district like never before. Through her outreach efforts, she has achieved continued success, creating a sense of community that transcends all barriers. Crystal's impact on the lives of those she serves is nothing short of extraordinary.

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SPED Support Staff, New Brighton Middle School

SPED Support Staff, New Brighton Middle School

The student team at New Brighton Middle School is a well oiled machine. They are above all student centered. They are thoughtful, collaborative, and an all around joy to work with! The share the load and often collaborate on who's doing what to make sure that everyone is taken care of. Every member of this team is exceptional and we are so fortunate to have them!

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Theresa Novak

Theresa will do anything to help any student. She is kind and respectful and sees the worth in each person she works with. She understands how to support all students by providing various types of scaffolding and diverse strategies, and she makes students feel valued and appreciated. She is absolutely appreciated by all the special education staff she works with also.

Santa Cruz City Schools SpED Support Staff

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Instructional Aide, Soquel HS

Laura Brown

Laura is a SCIA for one of our special education students. She is extremely patient and caring. She is knowledgeable, proactive and an advocate for her student. I would like to nominate Laura for the dedication to her student and the progress the student has made of the course of the year.

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Soquel Union Annex Student Services Team

Soquel Union Annex Student Services Team

The team in the annex is like Santa's Elves; often tinkering in the background in order to make things happen! There's nothing Sama can't do (or won't do) to support the student services team in being able to get the job done and done well! She is a wiz with data and makes SEIS and CALPADS play nice on the daily. Lily keeps our files in check and more importantly reaches our families in ways that the rest of the team sometimes can't! She is an exceptional asset to our team. Sasha couldn't be better at what she does. She is profoundly knowledgeable and keeps our sights rooted in inclusion and holistic social-emotional/behavior inclusive support. Liz is a program specialist extraordinaire. She is humble and service oriented, doing whatever is needed to support the success of our teams. Caitlyn is like a unicorn of a BCBA. She is collaborative, generous with her time, energy and expertise, and keeps our aides staffed and trained. Vicky keeps our students healthy, but she keeps the grownups healthy too! She cares for us all, body and soul, so that our entire student services team can be in tip top shape to serve students.

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Shar Ames

Dr. Ames, our Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, has done a wonderful job in supporting our Special Education Department in the absence of a seasoned Director of Special Education. She took over mid-year and has worked tirelessly to ensure that our staff and sped department are set up for success.

Administrator, Live Oak

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2022-2023 CAC Award Winners!

Beth is a phenomenal teacher with such a wealth of knowledge and experience that shines through in the progress her students make both academically and behaviorally. Beth always apply positivity and humor to even the most challenging situations. She consistently goes above and beyond in her communication with parents as well as the activities she does in her class. Beth is a Pintress/DIY queen and it is so adorable to see the creative things produced by her children. Beth has stepped into her first year as a teacher at the COE almost seamlessly. It has been such a pleasure to get to work with her and get to know her personally.

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Anne took over my classroom while I went on Maternity leave, she has since continued 2 days a week so I can work part time and be with my daughter. She has helped my students grow and learn so much, has built wonderful relationships with parents and staff, has gotten our class a library time and preschool mainstreaming. She has done so much more than most subs would have and I appreciate it all so much!

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Balance support for Soquel Union Elementary District

Coleman is such an amazing, thoughtful, giving, kind, hardworking and loyal person! As he works for Balance and is also a student teacher, he tirelessly manages it all and gives his all every day! Coleman is also very observant and caring! He works so well one-on-one, and with groups to support them in many various and effective ways! As a traveling specialist for students, I have had the pleasure of observing and interacting with Coleman first-hand at various schools, day after day, week after week, and month after month! Coleman, you are a true gem and the world, our state, County, and especially our school community is a better place because of you! Thank you for the powerful positive difference you have created in so many lives, especially children! You are a priceless gift!

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San Lorenzo Valley USD

Cynthia Nowell has been an exceptional resource specialist for over 30 years at San Lorenzo Valley MS and has supported students to achieve high levels of academic success. Additionally, Cindy connects with her students and families and ensures that they feel connected to school. Cynthia is a leader and mentor to the other special education staff in the District and has served as department head over the years and a coach for new sped teachers in the District. Cindy Nowell is a star who shines brightly and we thank Cynthia for her passion, enthusiasm and dedication.

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Pacific Elementary

Claire is an exceptional speech pathologist and key member of our special education team at Pacific. She is enthusiastic, positive, has a great rapport with students, parents and well liked by colleagues. She goes beyond her special ed duties by supporting students in RTI and classroom teachers with speech students and their communication supports. Her students look forward to working with her and make good progress under her expertise. She is clearly an exceptional SLP and as a 2 day/week contractor, she is an integral part of our school community. Her students love to "work" her with and are guided by her kind, caring and humorous attitude while making lifelong gains in speech and communication skills.

Pacific Elementary District

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Soquel Union Elementary School District

From transforming our office to be a safe haven for students who struggle at break and lunch, to seeing and believing that her work directly contributes to the success of students, Sama is exceptional. She literally answers the phone by saying “how can I help?” and she genuinely means it.

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Live Oak School District

Sue is thoughtful, caring, and very knowledgable in SEIS as well as many things related to SPED.

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Shannon Marie McDonough

Musical Me supporting the COE

Shannon Marie McDonough

Shannon enriches our lives with the gift of music each week! Her ability to connect to every single student in the classroom is amazing. Shannon sees everyone’s musical gifts and creates an inclusive classroom. Students and teachers love music with Shannon! It brightens our day!

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Live Oak School District

Rebecca is a very patient and thoughtful administrator who comes form solution based mindset and always helps set her teachers up for success. Rebecca brings exceptional knowledge and experience. She works exceptionally hard at creating training opportunities for all levels of staff. She is focused on equity by highlighting pre-referral interventions within an MTSS model.

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Suzzie Walters describes herself as having "the IT factor". What she means by that is that she understands students well and understands well how to help them accomplish and exceed their goals.

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Scotts Valley Unified School District

Jenny is an outstanding educator and fantastic part of our leadership team at SVHS. Jenny compassion for sped students, relationship building, and support for students is so instrumental for their success.

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Lisa Jacobs

Scotts Valley Unified School District

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Lisa Jacobs

Lisa is the educational specialist at Brook Knoll Elementary School. She always goes above and beyond for the students at Brook Knoll. Her compassion for the students and enthusiasm to teach has been such an inspiration.

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Live Oak School District

Melissa Nix works tirelessly towards the benefit of students. Her work is clearly her passion and she has so many tasks on her plate that she gives attention and care to.

My nominee is exceptional because she goes above and beyond, day after day. She wakes up early, and works hard from sunrise to sunset, taking care of our school and community. She truly cares and deserves to be recognized for her work.

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Live Oak School District

Michelle is one of the most hard working individuals I have ever met. She is an Occupational Therapist in the Live Oak School District serving many students at each school and despite her abundant caseload, she treats each student with so much respect and care, is always very compassionate, and puts these students above everything else in her life, even if it means working many hours outside of her scheduled work time. She has been a mentor to me this year as I have joined the team and is exceptionally patient and respectful to help me do the best job I can because she deeply cares about the students on our caseload. Michelle is an incredible OT and while she is very humble, she is extremely deserving to be recognized for her amazing contribution to this district.

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Bonny Dune Union School District

For many years, Pat Ward has served the general education and special education students and families. For the past several years, Pat has represented our community as an advocate both in our community and at CAC.

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Soquel Unified Elementary School District

Carissa Lemos is an amazing addition to our Special Education Department and definitely worth recognizing! As a 1st Year Director she has & continues to do an outstanding job day in & day out, week after week and month after month! Carissa takes extra time to connect with the people in our department and schools on a caring and professional level. She is genuinely committed to our department and all those therein, striving to and creating positive impacts all around. Even through a health challenge this school year, she is making time for balance, encouragement and weekly staff check-ins & monthly celebrations. She is incredibly organized and efficient! We are all so very Blessed to have her! Carissa makes working with our Department and District a place to stay and continue to support. Our students, families, schools, staff, district and community are vastly better because of her! So huge thanks to you Carissa!

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2021-2022 CAC Award Winners!

Koa Ryan

Soquel Post Senior Program

Koa will be graduating this year. With the help of his work specialist, Koa acquired a part-time job for Santa Cruz City Schools as a custodian. After a day of school, he starts his shift and gives it his best efforts. He has already been recognized as a hard-working employee.

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Cabrillo Post Senior Program

Patch is an inspiration and positive influence amongst his classmates & peers! He is empathetic and always thinks of others; he brings an inclusive and warm spirit to our classroom community. Patch has grown in maturity, confidence, and self-advocacy since joining our program in Summer 2020. Patch is currently working at the Goodwill in Scotts Valley through the Work Experience Program and has received an excellent review from management! Keep up the good work Patch!

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Kyle Cook

Green Acres Elementary

Kyle's determination breaks through stereotypes and limits. She advocates for herself, knowing her strengths and challenges. With her positive attitude and red cowgirl boots her teachers agree, "working" with Kyle is not actually work, it's more like enjoying a ray of sunshine. Kyle is an inspiration to all who have the honor to know with her.

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Barbara Crosser

Santa Cruz City Schools

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Barbara Crosser

Barbara Crosser tirelessly helped me during CALPADS reporting season (and off season as well). She had nothing to gain by assisting me with the task but the smooth operation of a position she no longer held. I will never be able to repay her for what she did to me. I believe this nomination belongs to her. She is gifted in what she does and helps others that can not even return the favor. That's true giving. I believe she more than deserves this nomination. Please consider this remarkable human being. Thank you so much!

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Cheryl Ruyle

Scotts Valley Middle School

Cheryl Ruyle

Cheryl has filled a critical hole in our special education staff at VH mid-year and supported in the completion of multiple additional IEPs with her high level of knowledge and experience as well as professionalism and collaborative attitude. Cheryl is a team player with high standards of excellence and dedication to her students.

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Elaina Rapoza

Brook Knoll Elementary School

Elaina Rapoza

Elaina has demonstrated excellent work as dedicated supportive aid for one of our special education students and been an excellent representative for the district in her knowledge of the case, the student, communication and rapport with the family, documentation and presentation at IEP meetings.

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Erica Sowder

Green Acres Elementary School

Erica Sowder

Erica goes above and beyond to support her students, families and colleagues. She is thoughtful and compassionate and loves her job. It is a privilege to work with someone so intelligent, kind and fun. We love Erica’s sense of humor and contagious laugh. We nominate her with appreciation and gratitude.

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Greg Stein

Live Oak Elementary

Greg Stein

During these unprecedented times, Mr. Stein has been an incredible leader. He has led our team with kindness, compassion, understanding, and respect. Despite all of the chaos and unknown that this pandemic has created, not once have I felt a lack of confidence in our school and my role as a teacher here. I believe that Mr. Stein's disposition around campus has been integral in that.

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Julie Williams

Harbor High School

Julie Williams

Julie is kind, dedicated, knowledgeable and an asset to the students and school she serves! She provides a safe engaging space for students to grow and learn. Julie goes above and beyond to advocate and empower the students she works with because she genuinely cares about their success and wellbeing.

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Michelle Hodsdon

Scotts Valley High School

Michelle Hodsdon

Michelle is very thorough and thoughtful in her role. She is wonderful to work with and always stops and takes the time to answer a question or provide input/feedback. She is so kind to all and I love working alongside her.

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Stephanie Espinola

Scotts Valley Middle School

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Stephanie Espinola

Stephanie is one of the best parts of our classroom. She treats all of my students with dignity and respect, and cultivates kindness by her actions. She works especially well with students who have more challenging behaviors, and her calm nature and easy presence attracts students to her. My students ask to be with her at lunch and during breaks because they love her and feel safe with her. She is always there to help students through their problems, and is a team player in the classroom.

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