Source: Coronado Unified School District
With the goal of maximizing personnel resources, Coronado Unified School District reorganized its administrative team to more effectively and efficiently serve the current needs of the district. An integral aspect of the reorganization, which happened over the summer break, was the creation of a new role: Administrator on Special Assignment.
Tanya White, who had served the past eight years as the assistant principal at Village Elementary, was selected to serve as CUSD’s first Administrator on Special Assignment. Job duties of the district-level position will include interaction and responsibilities at all four school sites across all grade levels.
“Ms. White will have a crucial role in developing systems for English Language Learners and implementing both initial and summative ELPAC testing (English Language Proficiency Assessments for California),” said Senior Director of Learning Dr. Megan Battle.
As the English Language Coordinator, White will be responsible for administering the ELPAC, a state mandated test that measures how well students in kindergarten through grade 12 understand and communicate in English when it is not their primary language. The state of California is currently revising assessment protocols and White will play an integral role in making sure CUSD is compliant and has systems in place to best serve the EL student population.
In addition to overseeing ELPAC, White will also provide administrative support at school sites and help analyze, evaluate, and implement disciplinary and behavioral structures.
“I see this role as a great opportunity to look at how we can improve our systems, district-wide, and see how I can support everything from our EL (English Learner) assessments as well as both academic and behavior interventions,” said White.
With administrative credentials and experience, White will also collaborate closely with the district principals, specifically Coronado Middle School Principal Brooke Falar and Silver Strand Elementary School Principal Jenny Moore.
“Due to our budget reality, we had to eliminate the Program Specialist positions at CMS and Silver Strand. It left Principals Falar and Moore in need of administrative support, especially on days when they are in all day IEP meetings (Individual Education Plans for special education students). Ms. White is an asset to CUSD and will continue to be a valuable resource for our students and staff,” said Superintendent Karl Mueller.
White will spend every Tuesday on site at CMS and every Wednesday on site at Silver Strand. “I am really looking forward to collaborating with Brooke and Jenny,” she said. “In the case of CMS, I had most of those students at Village and I know them, their families. I hope that familiarity will help me in this role.”
In the new position, White will have a unique opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to district wide systems and utilize her professional experience in developing efficient and effective structures that are consistent across the school sites. “I feel like I made a difference at Village and hope that I can make an impact on a broader level, across the district, in this new role,” she said.
White is excited to see what the year brings. “The first month or so will be consumed with ELPAC testing. After that I look forward to getting out to the sites and supporting administrators, students, and families. I believe that providing parent support is a critical component of student success. I look forward to seeing what and where I can make a difference,” she shared.
