TVEA Spotlight

I am pleased to have the opportunity to present the TVEA Spotlight for March 2022.

It is a busy time at TVEA with the runup to Spring Break period. In the area of governance, we are in the campaigning period for TVEA Executive Board Elections, with electronic voting scheduled for March 14-17 next week.

I would like to acknowledge our eight (8) members according to ballot order who have declared candidacy for the two-year term of July 2022 to June 2024:

For TVEA President we have two candidates: Ricardo Salcedo, ELA LCAP Specialist at Temecula Middle School and Edgar Diaz, Social Science Teacher at Gardner Middle School.

For the four following offices, we have one declared candidate (I like their chances…)

Vice-President- Alan Underwood, VAPA Teacher at Vail Ranch Middle School

Secretary- Amy Eytchison, Teacher at Temecula Elementary School

Elementary Area Representative- Anastasia Bortcosh, Teacher at Jackson Elementary School

High School Area Representative- Doug Vomsteeg, Social Science Teacher at Temecula Valley High School

Finally, for one of two Specialist Positions there are two candidates: Tina Mey, Counselor at Chaparral High School, and Cyndi Lopez, Speech and Language Pathologist at Chaparral High and Vail Ranch Middle Schools.

In terms of advocacy for teaching and learning, TVEA is preparing to consult next week with TVUSD over the 2022-23 Local Control or Accountability Plan (LCAP). Our TVEA LCAP Committee under the leadership of Co-Chairs Julianne Dickinson and Lauren Davis are in the process of receiving and compiling member survey feedback.

Also on February 28th, TVEA Specialist Executive Board and Leadership Council members under the direction of Dana Portis and Melissa Gibson hosted TVUSD Special Education directors Breck Hilton and Ami Paradise for a focused discussion on how we can best provide supports to promote success for TVUSD Special Education students.

Lastly, from the “TVEA Members Doing Great Things File”, I would like to give a huge shout out to the achievements of three of our TVEA member teacher-coaches.

First, Jennifer Guinn, PE Teacher and Girls Soccer Coach guided her team to both a CIF Division I Championship and Southern California Regional Championship.

Also, at TVHS, PE Teachers and Wrestling Coaches Arnold Alpert and Lyndon Campbell led their team to a Division I Southern California Masters Meet Championship as well as producing two individual California State Meet Champions.

These are examples of TVEA member teachers leading their students to success at the highest level.

I would like to emphasize that these three coaches are “On Campus” Coaches as opposed to the more common occurrence of so-called “Walk-On Coaches”.

There should be emphasis of incentivizing and retaining certificated and classified on campus staff to serve in coaching roles. On campus coaches are assimilated into the daily fabric of school culture and provide an immediate contact for their athletes, fellow staff, and site administration. They can quickly check on the academic progress of their athletes and stand as a pillar of student-athlete social-emotional support as well.

When we consider as a district providing critical positions of student support on campus, let’s prioritize an investment to increase the ratio of our on-campus coaches.

Thank You