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Teaching and Learning TOSAs & COSAs

We, in HSD's Teaching and Learning department, exist to support the work of instructional improvement in our schools.  We are here to serve!  In order for us to maximize our resources, including our people and their time in the most impactful way, please contact your principal to request TOSA support.  TOSA time will be prioritized based on SIP goals of the school and their capacity to serve needs in a timely way.  We look forward to supporting your work in the effective implementation of quality instruction and building great classroom experiences for kids. 

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PK-12 Teaching & Learning TOSAs

TBD, Equity, Access, Engagement TOSA
The person in this role is collaborating with all to ensure a Culture and System of Care through all things Equity, Access, & Engagement within all (Foundations), for all (Connections), and through all (Supports). They are available to collaborate with co-planning & co-facilitation, to ensure the implementation of professional development and affinity groups while supporting SIP and department equity goals. She covers concepts such as tSEL, Restorative Practices, Affinity Spaces, Family Partnerships and LGBTQ2SIA+. 

Kristin Blomberg, CSE TOSA
Kristin supports Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) District-wide, K-12. This involves facilitating the selection, adaptation, and maintenance of curriculum, delivering professional development for staff, and providing logistical support. She also teaches all of the mandated sexual violence prevention content at the junior and senior levels, is assisting with the Health curriculum adoption, and is available to support health teachers/departments as requested. 

Kelly Purdy, Career & College Pathways TOSA
Kelly supports secondary schools by collaborating with teachers, industry, community, and post-secondary partners to ensure college level opportunities are offered and accessible for all secondary students. She supports buildings in identifying dual credit opportunities and supports teachers through the application process, curriculum alignment, and reporting.  In addition to dual credit, Kelly mentors new CTE teachers, supports implementation of K-12 CCP programming, supports Oregon Employability Skills (OES) and our district partnership with Junior Achievement and student access to Biztown and Finance Park. 

Ana Buthe, PK-12 Dual Language TOSA Ana supports PK-12 Dual Language Programs, principals, and staff in the areas of Spanish Literacy, Spanish Language Development, and Spanish Foundational Skills. She also supports Professional Development and common assessments as it relates to authentic and current literacy research and best practice in order to support SIP literacy and language development goals across the district.

Nicole Mito Ahern, K-12 Bilingual Programs TOSA
Nicole supports K-12 Bilingual Programs, content teachers, and building administrators. K-12 Bilingual Program includes EL Case Managers, EL Specialists, and Bilingual Assistants. She helps support all teachers to implement effective sheltered, FIELD instruction, and Systematic ELD for all K-12 EL students. Nicole also supports all District priorities, ELP Standards for speaking, listening, reading and writing, professional development, and common progressing assessments as it relates to current ELPA21. Nicole also works with World Language Teachers and the state to support students toward their Multilingual Seal. She is in charge of the STAMP Testing for HSD. 

Alfonso Lule, PK-12 DL Teacher Mentor/TOSA
Alfonso provides district-wide support in the knowledge and delivery of effective instruction and pedagogy for beginning teachers. He also helps plan and facilitate professional development based on student data, building, and district needs for new teachers. Other responsibilities include Dual Language Program articulation and the Dual Language High School Tutoring Program, which focuses on providing experience to high school students in working with younger students. 

Maxine Jennings  K-12 Title III TOSA
Maxine plans, coordinates, and monitors the development and implementation of services, including extended-day programs, for students participating in the English Learner programs (ELs) in accordance with federal and state Title III policy.  She collects, analyzes, and monitors EL student achievement data to help schools streamline support of student's instructional language needs, provides technical school program support for principals and case managers; coordinates and facilitates District EL professional development. 

Nicole Yam (née Brown), K-12 District AVID Coach
Nicole Brown is available to provide direct support to AVID Coordinators, AVID Elective Teachers, AVID Tutors, and Site Teams to improve and expand the implementation of the AVID Elective.  Additionally, Nicole is available to work with Instructional Coaches and PLCs to support the implementation of AVID School-wide through the use of WICOR strategies (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading).  She can help plan professional development, accompany teachers on instructional rounds, provide resources, etc. 

Deb Luther, District K-12 TAG TOSA 
Deb supports building administrators and building TAG Coordinators to ensure that schools operate in accordance with laws, statutes, and Board policy related to the state TAG mandate.  She helps support District priorities, and state and federal law; and design, deliver, and coordinate professional development and assessments related to the education of the District's TAG students. Deb is also involved in coordinating TAG enrichment opportunities like TAG, You're It! and SENG, a parent group focusing on the social-emotional needs of TAG students. 

Vanessa Ceccarelli, K-12 District Teacher-Librarian
Vanessa is available to work with all district staff in support of their information literacy, research, or reading needs. She supports all district library programs, by working with library media assistants. Vanessa can help teachers create lessons or units, and specializes in technology integration, culturally responsive curriculum, digital citizenship, and research skills using the databases in OSLIS. She can co-teach, give book recommendations, put together multimedia resource lists for your units, or plan and deliver professional development at your next meeting. 

Judy Ramer, K-12 PLC Consultant
Judy helps principals and their PLCs engage in the ongoing study of their data and the constant practice that characterizes a group committed to continuous improvement, a cornerstone to a well-functioning PLC.  She does this by assisting with PLC group goals, where needed, assisting with formative assessment creation to help gather data, helping in looking at the data and how to use protocols to analyze it, when data is gathered and analyzed, and assisting PLC groups in knowing what to do with the data, and assisting principals with creative scheduling to allow for the maximum use of their staff and their resources. 

Catherine Jager, Alternative Programs TOSA
Catherine Jager supports building administrators, instructional coaches, department heads, and teacher leaders in all middle and high schools with their humanities instruction and the implementation of Tribal History/Shared History, Ethnic Studies Standards, and Holocaust and other genocides standards. 

Taylor Connors, Inclusion TOSA
Taylor supports all building-level instructional teachers to ensure instruction is equitable and inclusive for all students. She assists teachers in making instruction differentiated, accessible, and meeting the needs of all students. Taylor collaborates with Student Services and the Equity Department to ensure all students have equal opportunities to be successful and thrive in the academic setting.

Brittany Bennet-Larson, Multilingual TOSA
Brittany is a part - time EL Specialist at Rosedale and part-time Multilingual TOSA. As a Multilingual TOSA, Brittany supports EL Specialists with resources that help them integrate ELP standards to enhance the learning environment, and provides access to rigorous content for our EL students in the four domains of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Jennifer Williams, PK-12 tSEL and Universal Supports TOSA
Jennifer supports by collaborating with building administrators, instructional/student success coaches, wellness centers and programs, recess supports and teachers with universal student supports and systems implementation PK-12 for Climate, Culture and Voice/tSEL. She also helps support District priorities, professional development, and community partner groups as it relates to building positive climate and culture with a focus on educational equity. 


Elementary Teaching & Learning TOSAs

Floricel Negrete, Early Learning Dual Language TOSA
Floricel coaches and mentors effective teaching practices based on developmentally appropriate and best practices for Preschool Learners. She facilitates professional development and collaboration for effective classroom instruction; oversees and coordinates preschool staff PLCs, and preschool assessment data; and assists Early Childhood staff in using the data to plan effective instruction. Floricel also supports preschools with bilingualism, biliteracy, and best practices in Dual Language instruction. 

Rachelle Mejia, Early Learning Compliance TOSA
Rachelle coaches and mentors effective teaching practices based on developmentally appropriate and best practices for preschool learners. She collaborates with the early learning team to develop and facilitate professional development and to promote effective classroom instruction. Rachelle supports the early childhood staff to ensure their classrooms are in compliance with state regulations and SPARK ratings. 

TBD, Early Childhood Support Specialist, TOSA
TBD coaches and mentors effective teaching practices based on developmentally appropriate and best practices for preschool learners. She collaborates with the early learning team to promote effective classroom instruction and supports preschools by providing support to implement systems and scaffolds to help students with disabilities thrive in their classrooms. Mariana is also part of the ECSE evaluation team. 

goldstein.jpgJaime Goldstein, Reading Intervention Compliance TOSA 
Jaime supports building administrators, coaches, and teacher leaders in planning, modeling, teaching, and leading CCSS and ELP standards for speaking, listening, reading, and writing across content areas. She also helps support District priorities, professional development, and common assessments related to current literacy research and best practice to support SIP literacy goals across the district. 

Mandy Wedel, K-8 Math/STEM TOSA 
Mandy supports building administrators, instructional coaches, department heads, and teacher leaders in all elementary and middle schools with their math instruction and STEM implementation. She is available to work with school teams in implementing best practices in math and science instruction while sheltering language and scaffolding content in order to give all students access to rigorous content. 

Aurora Lopez, Elementary Humanities TOSA
Aurora supports building administrators, coaches, and teachers at the elementary level with humanities instruction and strategies to teach all our HSD students. Primary support will be directed towards Wonders/Maravillas instruction and implementation of Ethnic Studies Standards and the Social Studies Adoption. Aurora will also be continuing to further our knowledge, reclaim a shared history and provide diverse lessons and learning opportunities to our students. 

Angela Adzima, Elementary Digital Curriculum TOSA
Along with the Tech Teach Grow Team, Angela coaches and mentors educators in the effective use of technology for assessing student learning, differentiating instruction, providing rigorous, relevant and engaging learning experiences accessible for all students. Responsibilities include supporting the HSD bond tech-enhanced classroom, K-12 1:1 device initiative, elementary school adopted digital curriculum, digital citizenship and supporting the active use of technology tools across all subjects (Lightspeed Classroom, Synergy, Google Workspace for Education, Pear Deck, Kami, EdPuzzle, WeVideo, Formative, Smore, Remind). 

Neill Twigg, Elementary PE TOSA (.1)
Neill coaches and mentors effective PE teaching practices based on developmentally appropriate and best practices for PE teachers. He facilitates professional development and collaboration for effective physical education and oversees and coordinates elementary PE teacher PLCs. Neill is also the PE teacher at Patterson Elementary.

Steve Johnson, Elementary PE TOSA (.1)
Steve coaches and mentors effective PE teaching practices based on developmentally appropriate and best practices for PE teachers. He facilitates professional development and collaboration for effective physical education and oversees and coordinates elementary PE teacher PLCs. Steve is also the PE teacher at Orenco elementary. 

Carissa Shrout, Elementary Music TOSA (.1)
Carissa mentors beginning music teachers to provide district-wide support in the knowledge and delivery of effective elementary music instruction and elementary music pedagogy. She also helps plan and facilitate new music teacher professional development based on student data, building, and district needs. Other responsibilities include teaching general music and band at Quatama Elementary. 

Regan Geiger, Elementary Music TOSA (.1)
Regan supports elementary music and band teachers with materials and methods. She oversees the district-owned instrument pool of band instruments for 6th grade beginning band. She facilitates professional development and collaboration for effective music education and helps coordinate elementary music teacher PLCs. Other responsibilities include teaching general music at Mooberry Elementary.

Mark Anderson, Elementary Music TOSA (.1)
Mark supports elementary music teachers by facilitating our district-wide music PLC, professional development, and meetings. He provides additional support in fielding questions, implementing curriculum and standards, organizing piano tuning, music grants and more. Other responsibilities include teaching general music at Free Orchards Elementary. 


Secondary Teaching & Learning TOSAs

Carissa Fleming, Secondary Humanities TOSA
Carissa Fleming supports secondary schools with Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum, instruction and assessment, including the implementation of Tribal History/Shared History Essential Understandings, Ethnic Studies Standards, and Holocaust and Genocides Learning Concepts. 

Gretchen Erlandsen, Middle School Multilingual TOSA
Gretchen supports content teachers at the middle school level. She helps content teachers integrate effective sheltered instruction strategies into their classrooms in order to support the language needs of all students. Gretchen also supports teachers during lesson planning to integrate ELP standards to enhance the learning environment and provide access to rigorous content for our middle school EL students in the four domains of reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

Hollee McNamee, Secondary Math TOSA
Hollee supports building administrators, instructional coaches, department heads, and teacher leaders in all middle and high schools with their math instruction and STEM implementation. She is available to work with school teams in implementing best practices in math and science instruction while sheltering language and scaffolding content in order to give all students access to rigorous content. 

Jem Wong, High School Options TOSA
Jem coordinates and supports alternative educational options programs, including the development and implementation of the HSD Early College High School program. She works with high school counselors to identify students for options programs and facilitates communication with stakeholders. She partners with Portland Community College to increase opportunities for dual credit and early college experience.

Jess Nies, Secondary Digital Curriculum TOSA
Along with the Tech Teach Grow Team, Jess coaches and mentors educators in the effective use of technology for assessing student learning, differentiating instruction, providing rigorous, relevant and engaging learning experiences accessible for all students. Responsibilities include supporting the HSD bond tech-enhanced classroom, K-12 1:1 device initiative, secondary school adopted digital curriculum, digital citizenship, and supporting the active use of technology tools across all subjects (Lightspeed Classroom, Google Workspace for Education, Pear Deck, Kami, Canva, Adobe, EdPuzzle, WeVideo, Formative, Remind, and Synergy).

Ben Adams, Secondary Music TOSA (.2 FTE)
Ben supports the needs of Secondary Music teachers in the Hillsboro School District. His purpose is to advocate for music education by collaborating with secondary music teachers, administrators, and the district office. He works for a comprehensive and equitable approach to music for all students throughout the district which includes music course opportunities, financial support for programs, and publicizing music events. In addition, he collaborates with the Elementary Music TOSAs to create a seamless transition in educational standards for elementary students to succeed in secondary music courses. 


PK-12 District COSAs

Erin Hanson, Health and Wellness COSA
Erin supports programming that promotes k-12 health and wellbeing. She is involved with attendance systems and improvement, implementation of health curriculum, and implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) frameworks. She helps to develop strategies to address chronic absenteeism, provides training and resources for health educators, and assists in the implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) focusing on SEL and mental health. Erin also provides professional development for elementary counselors and success coaches and supports these Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). 

Kate Fay, Mental Health COSA
Kate is a Licensed Professional Counselor and works with educators and district leaders to promote mental health and well-being in our school communities. She leads professional development around mental health awareness and promotion, the continuum of student supports, Social/Emotional health and wellness, and Trauma Informed Care. Kate supports the implementation of our district comprehensive suicide prevention, intervention and postvention plan. She also supports our school-based mental health and substance use programming K-12. 

Maritza Carranza, Youth Engagement Counselor
Maritza works with counselors, administrators, and teachers to provide screening, individualized support, intervention, and referral to students experiencing barriers to school engagement due to various risk factors, including but not limited to, substance use, behavioral issues, high risk social networking, and chronic absenteeism. This includes working with students currently navigating involvement with the juvenile department, addressing academic, social, and emotional challenges, and collaborating with school teams and community resources to ensure comprehensive support. 

Michelle Buyas, K-12 School COSA
Michelle supports the work of counselors in both elementary and secondary levels in order to improve student achievement outcomes. She is tasked with coaching counselors with 3 years or less of experience and welcoming them to the district, as well as providing professional development to all K-12 counselors. Collaborating with building teams and district leaders, Michelle focuses on the systems related to counseling departments, ensuring that a strong voice for K-12 counselors is represented in the Hillsboro School District's work. Additionally, she supports counselors in meeting the academic, emotional and postsecondary needs of students using the American School Counseling Association's National Model and ODE's 6-year Educational Plan & Profile. 


PK-12 Supervisor/Super-Tech/System Analyst

Alma Hernandez, Supervisor/Super-Tech Extended Learning Programs, Mental Health in Education
The Extended Learning Programs Supervisor provides support for Hillsboro School District and the City of Hillsboro staff, community partners, and essential workers within established procedures. The supervisor works as a part of the Equity, Access and Engagement team and ensures the accuracy of school and grant records within an area of responsibility and demonstrates knowledge and experience in the areas of public and community outreach, grants for after schools programs and strengthening mental health management, community, family and student partnership development, and action-oriented inter-agency collaboration.

Gaspar López López, Language Liaisons Supervisor
Gaspar oversees the Language Liaisons Department, which provides a wide range of interpretation and translation services to the district. This includes telephonic, on-site, and virtual interpretation services and the translation of essential documents, such as curriculum materials, transcripts, handbooks, policies, course catalogs, and district-wide newsletters. Gaspar also plans and provides interpretation/translation training to bilingual school staff and collaborates with external agencies to ensure that district staff and families have access to high-quality interpretation services.

Jeremy Carter, Systems Analyst
Along with the Tech Teach Grow Team, Jeremy coaches and mentors educators in the effective use of technology for assessing student learning, differentiating instruction, providing rigorous, relevant and engaging learning experiences accessible for all students. Responsibilities include supporting the HSD bond tech-enhanced classroom, K-12 1:1 device initiative, secondary school adopted digital curriculum, digital citizenship, and supporting the active use of technology tools across all subjects (Google Workspace for Education, Pear Deck, Kami, EdPuzzle, Screencastify, Formative, Remind).