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Special Education

Welcome

Welcome

The Salinas Union High School District Office of Special Education Services provides supports, resources, guidance, and professional development opportunities to district school site staff, parents, and teachers in an effort to engage students in dynamic learning opportunities that encourage the development of requisite skills that enable students to create interesting and productive lives.The Special Education Services Department provides a continuum of programs, services, and supports for students with special needs from 7th grade through age 22. The SUSHD’s goal is to provide the services and supports necessary to enable students with disabilities to access curricular and extra-curricular activities in the general education setting.

Our role is to support the vision and mission of our district’s Special Education Services Department:

Vision: The Salinas Union High School District Special Education Services Department will support the needs of students with diverse disabilities to ensure they know their rights and are prepared to further their education and/or training to achieve sustainable employment. 

Mission:  The mission of the Salinas Union High School District Special Education Services Department is to identify and meet the diverse needs of each student with disabilities in order to maximize their independence with dignity. 
child find

child find

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all states to implement a policy to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities. This includes all school districts.
 
One method of locating and identifying children with a suspected disability is the Child Find program.
 
The Child Find program requires all school districts in California to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with a suspected disability, regardless of the severity. School districts are required to identify all children who may need special education services even if the district is not currently providing special education services to the child.
 
The following children are included under the Child Find mandate:
  • Children from birth to age 21
  • Children who attend public and private school
  • Children of migrant families
  • Children of homeless families
  • Children who are wards of the state
 
If you suspect a child has a disability, please contact the SUHSD Special Education Services Department at (831) 796-7050.
 
news and announcements

news and announcements

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Special Education Staff

El Sausal Middle School

Staff Name Title Program Extension 
Gerardo Zentento Assistant Principal   831-796-7200
Ana Rodriguez School Psychologist   8033
Manrup Khatkar Speech and Language Pathologist   8096
Ivan Aldama Education Specialist Resource 8056
Jeanne Leone Education Specialist Resource 8055
Samuel Magana Education Specialist Functional Academics 8054
Sara Sang Education Specialist Life Skills 8078

Harden Middle School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Ray SantaAna Assistant Principal   831-796-7300
Karla MatiasRomero School Psychologist   2030
Athena Hagerty Speech and Language Pathologist   8296
Amy Buchanan Education Specialist Resource 8239
VACANCY Education Specialist Resource 8238
Steve Napoli Education Specialist Resource 8261
Alyssa Reed Education Specialist Resource 8238
Carlos Campos Education Specialist Functional Academics  8247
Miguel Medina Education Specialist Life Skills  8237

La Paz Middle School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Mary Espinoza Assistant Principal   831-796-7900
Dr. Maritza Torrez School Psychologist   8421
Carolina TapiaRomo Speech and Language Pathologist   8489
Ana Lopez Speech and Language Pathologist   8489
Maxine Corella Education Specialist Resource 8500
Sharon Johnston Education Specialist Resource 8454
Shane McDonough Education Specialist Resource 8454
Sara Wirth Education Specialist Resource 8488
Norienne Mengote Education Specialist Functional Academics 8478
Antonio Ruiz Education Specialist Life Skills 8479

Washinton Middle School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Terri Lopez Principal   831-796-7100
Elizabeth Delgado School Psychologist   8680
Carina Low Speech and Language Pathologist   8685
Lan Clayton Education Specialist Resource 8682
Veronica Macias Ramirez  Education Specialist Resource 8681
Rosette Ramirez Education Specialist Resource 8681
Micah Hynes Education Specialist Resource 8681
Vanessa Montenejo  Education Specialist Functional Academics 8628
Kayla Cota  Education Specialist Life Skills 8663
Diego Ortega  Education Specialist TIP 8656/8679

Alisal High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Pedro Edeza Assistant Principal   831-796-7600
Christian Guillen School Psychologist   2178
Maritza Aguilar School Psychologist   2030
Ernesto Rodriguez School Psychologist   2173
Alison Guerin Speech and Language Pathologist   2171
Ana Lopez Speech and Language Pathologist   2171
Elizabeth Barron Education Specialist Resource 2119
Heidi Castro Education Specialist Resource 2055
Liliana Cortez Education Specialist Resource 2112
Francisco Iturbe Education Specialist Resource 2057
Liliana Mendez  Education Specialist  Resource 2067
Ana Maria Plaztek  Education Specialist  Resource 2196
Ivan Ramos  Education Specialist  Resource 2064
Yvette Rocha Education Specialist  Resource 2059
Antonio Salcedo-Sanchez Education Specialist  Resource 2106
Salvador Coronado Education Specialist Functional Academics 2130
Zenayda Torres Education Specialist Functional Academics 2122
Daniel Juarez  Education Specialist TIP 2121

Everett High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Jerry Soriano Assistant Principal   831-796-7800
Maria Lopez School Psychologist   2339
Adriana Paz School Psychologist   2325
Timothy Carroll Speech and Language Pathologist   2517
Rinnu Chacko Speech and Language Pathologist   email
Clarissa Adriano Education Specialist Resource 2422
Bradely Baldwin Education Specialist Resource 2380
Cecilia Dodson Education Specialist Resource 2460
Jamie Gandara Education Specialist Resource 2379
Rafael Gandara  Education Specialist  Resource 2460
Derrick Marsten  Education Specialist  Resource 2460
Chole Zarza  Education Specialist  Resource 2379
Efrain Gabriel Education Specialist  Resource 2460
Jose Gavazan Education Specialist Functional Academics 2390
Branson Cowan Education Specialist Functional Academics 2381
Daniel House Education Specialist Life Skills 2452
Eugene Mosqueda Education Specialist Life Skills 2453
Susan Hernandez  Education Specialist TIP 2463

North Salinas High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Rebecca Vivit Assistant Principal   831-796-7500
Xochitl Reyes School Psychologist   2631
Angel Calderon School Psychologist   2756
Carrie Beckwith Speech and Language Pathologist   2736
Xochitl Calleja Torres Education Specialist Resource 2447
Kassandra Fernandez Education Specialist Resource 2743
Ellen Harrison Education Specialist Resource 2748
Pamela McCarley Education Specialist Resource 2669
Pedro Osorio  Education Specialist  Resource 2733
Roxana Pina-Donat  Education Specialist  Resource 2703
Kenji Yoshinobu  Education Specialist  Resource 2673
Cassandra Winner Education Specialist Functional Academics 2676
Cassie Pierson Education Specialist Functional Academics 2696
Ivan Mejia  Education Specialist Life Skills 2706
Vicente Velasquez   Education Specialist Life Skills 2705

Ranch San Juan High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Yolanda Campos Assistant Principal   831-273-7700
Monica Alvarez-Corona School Psychologist   3534
Sara Flores School Psychologist   3431
Carrie Beckwith Speech and Language Pathologist   3433
Marthinique Hussar Education Specialist Resource 3454
Melissa Miranda Education Specialist Resource 3454
David Morris Education Specialist Resource 3454
Trina Morris Education Specialist Resource 3454
Jessica Nieves  Education Specialist  Resource 3454
Robert Reneker  Education Specialist  Resource 3454
Angela Telles  Education Specialist  Resource 3454
Tari Johnson Education Specialist Functional Academics 3451
Jennifer Villa Education Specialist Functional Academics 3516
Megan Lavengood  Education Specialist Life Skills 3452

Salinas High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Vivian Moises Assistant Principal   831-796-7400
Jennifer Ibarra School Psychologist   2975
Maria Pince-Tinajero School Psychologist   2939
Melissa Tuck Speech and Language Pathologist   3433
Scott Brearton Education Specialist Resource 2959
Angela Calendar Education Specialist Resource 2959
Jennifer Fanoe Education Specialist Resource 2957
Holly Hollingsworth Education Specialist Resource 2957
Jennifer McCord  Education Specialist  Resource 2959
Jules Reyna  Education Specialist  Resource 2957
Lawerence Zenk  Education Specialist  Resource 2957
Joseph Bledsaw Education Specialist Functional Academics 2970
Kim Milward Education Specialist Functional Academics 2984
Kathy Bravo  Education Specialist Life Skills 2935

El Puente School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Johnathan Green Principal   831-796-6900
Yisell Lopez School Psychologist   1380
Sunil Smith Education Specialist Resource 1336
Caitlyn Thurston Speech and Language Pathologist   email

Mount Torro High School

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Gloria Chaidez Principal   831-796-7700
Yisell Lopez School Psychologist   1380
Suzanne Flemming Education Specialist Resource 1312
Caitlyn Thurston Speech and Language Pathologist   email

Carr Lake

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Gloria Chaidez Principal   831-796-7700
Yisell Lopez School Psychologist   1380
Maria Cano Education Specialist  Resource 1390
Bella Garcia Education Specialist Resource 1389
Caitlyn Thurston Speech and Language Pathologist   email

Adult Transition Program

Staff Name Title Program Extension
Katherine Redondo Assistant Director of Special Education   831-796-6900
Yisell Lopez School Psychologist   1380
Caitlyn Thurston Speech and Language Pathologist   email
RJ Adams Education Specialist Life Skills 1329
Joseph Ballatore Education Specialist Life Skills 1326
Alexis Puga-Camel Education Specialist Life Skills 1330
Jocelyn Acosta Education Specialist Life Skills 1327
Nicole Kelley Education Specialist Functional Academics 1404
Anne Valdez Education Specialist Functional Academics 1403
Jason Tadman Recreation and Leisure General Education  6900
Contacts

Contacts

Special Education Services Department
Location: 584 South Main Street Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: (831) 796-7050
Fax:      (831) 796-7033
Email: SpecialEducationServices@salinasuhsd.org
 
Jennifer Smith picture
Jennifer Smith
Director, Special Education Services
831-796-7050 ext. 1079
 

Assistant Director of Special Education - Katherine Redondo smiling

Katherine Redondo

Assistant Director Moderate/Severe Programs
Office at the Adult Transition Program (ATP)
831-796-6900 ext. 1420

 

Assistant Director for Mild/Moderate Programs- Brendan Bloom-Sweeney
Brendan Bloom-Sweeney

Assistant Director Mild/Moderate Programs
831-796-7050 ext. 1027 

Renate Rios

Senior Administrative Secretary to Director
831-796-7050 ext. 1079

Jessica Jimenez-Tafolla
Administrative Secretary to Assistant Directors
831-796-7050 ext. 1027

Nelli Juarez
Parent Involvement Coordinator
831-796-7050  ext. 1120

Graciela Martinez
Student Information System Specialist
(SIRAS, web-based IEP system)
831-796-7050 ext. 1029

Timothy Martinez
Typist Clerk II  

831-796-7050 ext. 1027

icon of a fillable document with a writing utensil   Records Requests (follow link to request form)


Veronica Espinoza
Instructional Coach
Moderate/Severe Programs
831-796-7050  ext. 1069

Desiree Williams
Instructional Coach
Mild/Moderate Programs
831-796-7050  ext. 1068

Ruth Grimes
Itinerant Ed Specailist  

Susan Meade
Itinerant Ed Specailist

VACANCY
Itinerant Ed Specialist

 

Special Education Interpreter/Translators

Beatriz Martinez  ext. 1064
Paulina Pacheco  ext. 1059
Yesenia Acevedo ext. 1060
Monica Cortez      ext. 1062  
Brenda Gonzalez ext. 1061  
Lizbeth Gregorio  ext. 1064
VACANCY             ext. 1067  

Itinerant Services
Beverly Grant, Special Education Department Nurse
Dr. Antony Thomas, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Shakilla Player, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Ciara Fitzpatrick, Occupational Therapist (AHS, SHS, ESMS, WMS, LPMS)
Nicole (Talbot) Lincoln, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)
Dr. Melissa Brown, Occupational Therapist (EAHS, NSHS, RSJHS, HMS, SEC)
VACANCY, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)
Berlin Bernaldo, Adaptive Physical Education (APE)
Kelsi Jordan-Griffith, Physical Therapist (PT)

Vocational Education Service Providers
April Davis, Vocational Evaluator
831-753-4209 ext. 1212

Lucia Rodriguez, Vocational Evaluator
831-753-4209 ext. 1210  

Rachel Barnes, Transition Partnership Program Job Developer
831-753-4209 ext. 1209

Katrina Shah, Transitional Partnership Program Job Developer
831-753-4209 ext.1249  

Audrey Sharp, Transition Coordinator/Vocational
831-753-4209 ext. 1211