Striving Toward Equitable Communities - Employee Recognitions
Striving Toward Equitable Communities
At East Side, perhaps now more than ever, we need to strive toward Equitable Communities as we pivot toward distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. But what does this mean? It means that we are continuing to strengthen our understanding, actions, and policies in order to continue building capacity among all staff members to ensure that equity and inclusion are essential principles of our school system.

It is incumbent on each and every one of us as employees of East Side to be committed to these principles, from myself as superintendent, to our teachers, PCIS, attendance clerks, directors, maintenance and operation, and so forth. It takes all of us to achieve success for our students! As coined by philosopher Aristotle, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which aptly describes us as a team joined together in this monumental effort.

Every month, we will be recognizing our employees in order to showcase the people behind our student success! Below are examples of our employees creating Equitable Communities at East Side Union High School District.

Thank you for all that you do!

With gratitude,
Chris D. Funk
Superintendent
Julie Kasberger
& Child Nutrition Services Team
Education Center + School Sites
Child Nutrition Services

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. What do you like most about your job? What I like most about my job are the people I work with. I've worked in school food service for over thirty years and the entire East Side group (CNS and administration) have a very loyal attitude toward the district. This has really shown during the pandemic we are experiencing now.  
  2. How do you know you have made a difference? I know I've made a difference when I visit schools. The CNS staff share all the great stories and experiences of the week. They make me feel part of the team.  
  3. What makes the Child Nutrition Services Team special? The thing that makes the team special is the fact that they truly know the importance of getting food to "their kids" and "their community". Without any complaints as we went into the shelter in place - the CNS staff stepped up and in some cases are feeding over twice what they normally serve. There were a couple of folks that fell into the "over 65" age group and insisted on working because they felt providing for the East Side community was more important than staying home. The amazing result of feeding the community is the sincere appreciation of the community - they pull up with signs in their windows thanking the staff for all they do. Child Nutrition does not normally get accolades for school lunch - MANY students, parents, and community members have gone out of their way to thank the CNS staff for all they do.  
  • The CNS staff has been VERY flexible in this shelter in place. Many new processes and procedures have been required and the staff has been quick to respond to these important safety measures.  
  • The staff has been VERY courageous in stepping up day one to expose themselves to this very dangerous virus. They have come to work every day - followed personal protective equipment requirements and have talent care of our community before their own families. There have only been three CNS staff that have not been able to work because of child care or serious health issues. That is 3 out of 75. This is very commendable for the group.  
Fun Facts:
  • We have served over 275,000 lunches to the community since March 16th - over 7,000 per day. - as of 6-1-2020 total 281,640
  • YTD Student meals = 209,259
  • YTD Adult meals = 15,080
  • We are sending student and adult meals to 7 low-income apartment complexes in the East Side area
  • We plan on continuing community feeding until regulations do not permit it
  • We are working with the City of San Jose and Revolution Foods to provide adult meals to the community
  • The program has used over 560 cases of brown bags
  • The community has been great with sending little thank you's in the way of Godiva chocolate gift boxes, PPE cloth masks and thank you notes
  • On May 1st the nation recognized the annual School Lunch Hero Day - it was a great day to thank these folks for all they do

Kudos from the Superintendent:
"Under Julie's leadership and the support of all of our Child Nutrition workers and school site administrators, to date, we have served over 280,000 meals to our community. I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate building more equitable communities than feeding our community." - Superintendent Chris D. Funk
Michael Payne-Alex
Santa Teresa High School
Associate Principal

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD/Santa Teresa High School? 22 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? The thing I like most about my job is helping to make things run well, especially finding solutions to issues that arise. Most recently, I'm very proud that we got all of the more than 2,000 lockers on campus emptied and eighty percent of the personal belongings bagged and returned to students in driver-through events with no-contact.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I am very fortunate that so many staff, students, and parents tell me that they appreciate my efforts. I find it especially gratifying when I help people get through difficult situations, like times when a student has made a really bad choice, but the family thanks me for how I handled it and helped them through it.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I think many people know this, but some may not know that I was a licensed contractor in Massachusetts before I got married and came to California twenty-six years ago. Most may not know that I had a job for two summers during college unloading fishing boats on docks in Maine.

Kudos from the Principal:
“Mr. Payne-Alex is one of the hardest working people I've ever met. He is the epitome of a "giver"- always lending an ear, always ready to help, always there to count on. He gives 150% everyday. I am positive that everyone he interacts with knows that he genuinely loves what he does. As an administrator, he maintains an "always teacher at heart" mentality. He transforms even the most challenging events into teachable moments. This isn't easy to do, but he does this naturally, seamlessly, and with a lot of heart. During the COVID-19 Closures, Mr. Payne-Alex went above and beyond to ensure that we ran a tight ship with all of our logistics running smoothly, while leaving no one behind." - Principal Dr. Vivian Rhone-Lay
Silvia Pelayo
Education Center
Director of Finance

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 23 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I have always been a numbers and puzzles geek/nerd. Working in finance not only gives me the ability to be challenged on a daily basis in balancing and analyzing numbers and resources but it has also given me the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of people. I have held several positions in the finance department and in each one of them, I have had wonderful mentors and mentees. People who not only have been my colleagues but who I also consider my friends.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? Even though I do not work directly with students, when I see East Side students become successful and thrive in society, I feel accomplished. My team and I are an important working part of this great entity. We strive for excellence in ensuring the District fulfills its fiscal commitments while serving our students and community. I am proud to say my passion and my commitment to my work contribute to the success of the East Side community.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world with my children and my favorite cousin. On these travels, I have been exposed to many different countries, their people, and their different cultures. From these trips, I started a collection of nativity sets which remind me of the importance of being humble and open-minded about life and diversity.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Silvia continues to be a tremendous asset to the District. Her leadership has helped the Business Services Division prepare to implement the new Munis financial system, while constantly providing endless analytical support of the District’s finances." - Associate Superintendent-Business Services, Chris Jew

Silvia Pelayo is pictured second on the right-hand side.
Elizabeth Oing
Independence High School
English Teacher and Technical Director, IHS Performing Arts Center

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 16 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? What I like most about my job is facilitating discovery. I enjoy setting up an environment and watching students gets conclusions without my having to directly lead them, in any subject area. I get the greatest reward when that conclusion is a different place than I would have gone, and I get to learn from my students. That moment of discovery is a powerful blend of novelty, wonder, curiosity, competence, and fun, which is key to unlocking intrinsic motivation in lifelong learners.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I know I've made a difference when I see positive transformation, no matter what size. Sometimes it's an improvement in grades or subject area knowledge, but more often it's a transformation in perception or how the students see themselves. They might move from negative to positive, or incompetent to competent, or disempowered to empowered.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I'm passionate about assisting people in utilizing what they are already good at and then amplifying it, while also helping them realize what they never knew they were already great at. What I've found is when people can connect to those aspects of themselves, there's hardly anything that they can't accomplish.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Elizabeth responded to the call to provide support to teachers in a heartbeat as we shifted to distance learning. She was already working with teachers on her site and soon came on board to be the Zoom expert. Elizabeth has gone above and beyond for her fellow educators and prepared user-friendly zoom training that all staff was able to access. Her work to help and support teachers is to be commended." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Ava Chiao
Independence High School
Science Teacher

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 8 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I love my job. What other job lets you get your workplace flooded by a turtle? A student rescued a turtle on campus and brought it to me because I'm a Biology teacher. I put the turtle in the classroom sink with a fresh peach for food. The turtle escaped, and in the process, it stuffed the peach into the drain and somehow turned on the water faucet. I came back to the classroom to see the floor flooded with water, and one very happy turtle sitting in the middle of the new pond in my classroom.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I know that I have made a difference in a student's life when, after taking my class, they come back to visit my classroom just to say hello.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? Right after graduating high school, I volunteered to be a park ranger at Yosemite over the summer break.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Ava is always ready and willing to help. She cares about our students and cares about ensuring our teachers are supported through PD and resources. She jumped on board as soon as she was asked if she could help teachers with the tools needed to shift to distance learning. Ava took great care in planning the training sessions and made sure the teachers she worked with felt supported. Ava is a great advocate for students and teachers." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Chris Jew
Education Center
Associate Superintendent - Business Services

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 3 years (25 years total in business services).
  2. What do you like most about your job? I like trying to make a difference. I believe my primary role is to make sure the District has the resources to help educate students.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I know I'm making a difference if I can find ways to make things happen.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? Something that people may not know is that I have 10 close family relatives who are also in Education. All have been teachers at one point in time. I'm the only one who did not start out as a teacher.

Kudos from the Superintendent:
"Chris Jew has provided incredible patience, understanding and open access to our budget process. No question goes unanswered. He and his team are doing an amazing job guiding us through these incredibly tough economic times." - Superintendent Chris D. Funk

Chris Jew is pictured on the far right.
Virginia Yenter
Evergreen Valley High School
Activities Director and PBIS Coordinator

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 13 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? My students! and the flexibility to work with them and support them both inside and outside the classroom. My colleagues are pretty amazing too!
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? Every now and then I get an amazing heartfelt letter or email from students. It always makes me feel so happy to know I have made a difference and keeps me going forward. Also, my program gets larger and more and more students, staff and community members depend on us, so we know we are doing a good job!
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I am a farm girl from the midwest.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Virginia is always so energetic and ready to work collaboratively with teachers. She was instrumental in preparing teachers for distance learning by providing schoolloop trainings to hundreds of teachers. She went above and beyond by scheduling multiple sessions with additional one-on-one support provided to teachers needing more support. Virginia has led the charge with bringing forth new leadership courses and getting those courses A-G approved. She is an asset to the Evergreen Valley community and the district as a whole." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Steven Loya
James Lick High School
Counselor

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked at James Lick? 6 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I'm a counselor who focuses on developing rapport with my students. I tell them that I have an open-door policy and I communicate that it's a safe space - one to talk about the new Star Wars movie, one to vent about frustrations, one to discuss how to come out to family and friends, or one to start dreaming big about where to go to school or what career they want to pursue. My favorite part of my job is when I know that I have developed trust with the student to the point where they can just walk into my office and kick up a conversation free of judgment and with unconditional positive regard.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? There's a certain thank you that you get from students. It's not the same "Thank you" like when someone hands you something, but there's a deeper meaning. Sometimes the words don't even come out, yet you know. Sometimes it's just a firm handshake right before or at graduation. Sometimes it's when they come back to visit and catch up.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I'm a woodworker. I have built a couple of desks around the house, shelves, and I'm wrapping up a giant toy chest for my daughter. The next project is a loft bed with stairs for my son's room.

Kudos from the Principal:
"Mr. Loya was called upon during the school closure to create a new school webpage that centralized all information as a one-stop-shop for the community. In addition he was responsible for keeping the school marquee up-to-date. He also designed the slideshow for the virtual Honor Night and the webpage for the school athletic awards videos. While keeping his counselor hat on throughout, it was clear that Mr. Loya was willing to go above and beyond to support the school community through virtual communications and presentations. All of his work has been widely admired." - Principal Marco Menendez
Shawna Forteamo
ESUHSD
Teacher Librarian

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 14 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I love the challenge. I love reworking lesson plans that aren't quite engaging enough. I love figuring out how to earn the trust of my most reluctant students. i love finding the right way to convince students that they don't actually hate reading. Even though I don't always succeed, I thrive for the challenge.
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I usually don't know that I've made a difference, at least not a meaningful one. There are ephemeral moments, but anything I've done that might make a lasting difference is in my students' future - a life I'm usually not privy to. I do hope that I am making a difference, but I wouldn't want to presume.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I hate public speaking, especially extemporaneously, and all my teaching strategies and techniques revolve around me not having to stand too long or speak too long in front of a class.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Shawna has been instrumental in supporting teachers during our school closures. She created a website for teachers with resources and also provided resources for teachers to use with their own children. She recommended books to ready and provided lessons to support teachers as they navigated distance learning. Shawna went above and beyond and should be recognized for her work." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Marcelo Leal
Oak Grove High School
AP Spanish Language Teacher

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 21 years (in many capacities- Spanish Teacher/Department Chair/Mentor/Academic Counselor/Future Principal). 
  2. What do you like most about your job? I came to this district from New York with only five years of experience. ESUHSD has been a place that has allowed me to grow professionally and as a person. This district has provided workshops on many topics on how to become a better teacher and a leader. As a teacher I have taken seminars that helped me to have deeper knowledge and passion for my subject matter. It also made me aware of the significance of the ability to build caring relationships with all the stakeholders. All of these skills gave me the opportunity to become Teacher of the Year in 2014. Lastly, I was able to be part of the Emerging Leaders Program which is course that works with teachers leaders who are inspired to become principals of our district. This program is a testament to promote teachers within our district.
  3. How do you know when you have made a difference? Being a teacher who has been teaching for 26 years, I am able to see results of what I have cultivated or inculcated to my students. I have taught all levels of Spanish and I've seen students who have become teachers because I was able to transfer my love of the language to them. I've also seen students who have moved to a Spanish country and have become fully bilingual. Most of all, I know I have made a difference when I was able to connect with my students by sharing my life experiences and I have overcome my obstacles and have these students who we share the same life experiences follow in my footsteps by becoming leaders and productive citizens in our community.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? Just like some of our students who are English Learners, I had to overcome many adversities. I was not raised by my parents. I was born in El Salvador where I grew up in a civil war where most of my friends were killed by this tragedy. I did not have many opportunities to have any enrichment classes nor a plan to be in this country. I came to this country to New York City where it taught me not to be a victim but forced me to become a better person and keep striving for the best of me. I have been able to have my masters in counseling and continue to study to hopefully one day become a coordinator or a program.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Marcelo truly enjoys helping students and teachers. He enjoys using technology to enhance instruction as well as helping colleagues learn more about how to integrate technology into their classrooms. Marcelo was instrumental in planning the virtual learning sessions for staff as we shifted into distance learning and even assisted teachers one-on-one if needed. He is always willing to help a fellow teacher in need." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez

Doreen Trenholm
Independence High School
English Department

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 3 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I love getting to know my students and their lives. I love helping them see themselves as successful and able to conquer things that get in their way..
  3. How do you know you have made a difference? I feel like I have made a difference when I see students make progress in my class, particularly when they have been struggling and I have helped them learn in a new way.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? I like to scuba dive!

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Doreen stepped up as soon as I asked if she was available to support teachers in learning how to use digital tools for Distance Learning. She was extremely open to helping anyone and worked with a fellow teacher to co-host sessions. Her willingness to support her fellow teachers is to be commended." -Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Joseph Frankina III
Mt. Pleasant High School
English Teacher

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 5 years (a total of 20 years teaching). I have also coached wrestling at Mt. Pleasant High School.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I most enjoy the relationships that I build with students. Teachers must create close communities in their classrooms, This helps ensure day-to-day learning runs smoothly. It also makes class a place where students want to be as they can learn and have a fun time.
  3. How do you know when you have made a difference? I know I have made a difference when students reach out and tell me about their adult lives. I know students who are now over 30, and I love seeing them lead productive lives as great members of the community. As teachers those are the types of people we hope to build and I enjoy feeling like I have helped to make that happen.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? Many people do not know that I am in a blues band (Rockin' Blues Express). I play keyboards and sing. We have played all around the Bay Area at festivals, parties, bars, restaurants, street fairs, city events, etc.
Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Mr. Frankina stepped up to the plate when asked to support his fellow teachers in making the shift to distance learning. He facilitated virtual trainings and provided resources for teachers to access. Mr. Frankina was collaborative and accessible. He has demonstrated what is possible when we use our teachers' expertise." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Adrian Buenrostro
Silver Creek High School
Spanish Teacher/LTEL Mentor

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 3 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? I What I like the most is being able to build relationships with my students, parents, and colleagues. I strongly believe that having deeper connections with one another facilitates the process of students' performance. I enjoy the people that surround me because they are full of energy, positive vibes, and are always willing to do what is needed in order to create equitable communities.
  3. How do you know when you have made a difference? I have been fortunate enough to have students expressed to me that I have made a difference in their life. Many of them have stated that the cultural events, college trips, one-on-one check-ins, student-led conferences that I have led have impacted their lives. They have also told me that the topics and discussions we have engaged with in class have helped them become better prepared for their next steps as global citizens.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? People may not know that I came to the United States when I was 17 years old with the only intention of graduating high school and returning to Mexico to continue my studies. The idea of going off to college here seemed impossible because of the language barrier and the fact that my parents were far away from me. After immersing myself in this culture, I slowly began to feel confident and comfortable communicating in English, which allowed me to continue with my studies. Through this journey, I have been blessed with so many people who believed in me and made a difference in my life, many of them were teachers and professors. Without their guidance, I would not be here today, pushing our next generation forward. I was able to stay and graduate with my BA and MA from San Jose State University.

Kudos from the Associate Superintendent:
"Adrian has been a great resource during our school closures. He has facilitated extensive trainings for teachers on zoom and google classroom, and has shared instructional strategies to use within a virtual classroom setting. He is a leader at his site and works closely with teachers across our district to ensure our English Learners are supported. Adrian has gone above and beyond to ensure our students' needs are met. He is very deserving of this recognition." - Associate Superintendent-Educational Services, Teresa Marquez
Guadalupe Godoy
James Lick High School
Head Custodian

People Behind ESUHSD's Success:

  1. How many years have you worked for ESUHSD? 5 years.
  2. What do you like most about your job? Seeing all the faces that greet me throughout the day that I've become familiar with throughout the years. I have learned that the diversity at work every day ensures me that even though it's repetitive, no day is like the day before or any other day.
  3. How do you know when you have made a difference? When a staff member or student surprises me for something that I have done or said and it's encouraged or enriched their lives without me knowing. Sometimes, at a later point, they let me know that my words and actions had a positive effect on them.
  4. What is something that people may not know about you? That my hobbies are crocheting and reading.

Kudos from the Principal:
" While the entire custodial staff at James Lick has gone above and beyond the call of duty during the closure, Ms. Godoy has continued to provide exceptional leadership and flexibility to accommodate all admin, staff, students, and parent needs. Her team has worked tirelessly to set up the food distribution site, provide PPE and access to any staff who needed, and increase the cleaning and sanitation efforts for the school. Through it all Ms. Godoy and her team have kept a positive outlook and a friendly demeanor. It has been appreciated by the whole community! " - Principal Marco Menendez
If you would like to recognize a colleague, please contact ornelasl@esuhsd.org.
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If you have positive stories about teachers, staff, students and exciting events at your site, we'd like to know about it. Email Linda Ornelas at ornelasl@esuhsd.org.