Greenfield Unified highlights growing special-education caseload, honors staff
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Summary
Director Christina Vasquez told the board the district serves more than 500 special-education students with 102 specialists and outlined staff training, county placements and upcoming events. The board recognized a school psychologist and a support staff member for service to students.
Christina Vasquez, Greenfield Unified School District’s director of special education and student services, told the board on Feb. 12 that the district is serving more than 500 students in specialized programs and is expanding services to meet rising demand. "Our why behind every IEP is a child with unlimited potential and a family trusting us to do right by them," Vasquez said as she reviewed program staffing, enrollment trends and training plans.
Vasquez said 509 students currently receive specialized services, supported by 102 special-education staff. Program counts she listed included 418 students receiving speech therapy, 193 supported by resource teachers, 108 in special day classes (89 in mild-to-moderate settings and 19 in moderate-to-severe), and 143 receiving occupational therapy. She reported 111 pending referrals currently under assessment and projected the caseload to approach 600 students by year end.
Vasquez outlined the department’s professional learning structure: a four‑week cycle of PLCs that pairs site teams, grade- or job-alike groups, and embedded time for teachers and severe‑needs aides to collaborate and write reports. She said the department conducts regular trainings, will offer an IEP note‑taking workshop on Feb. 18 to improve legal defensibility of documentation, and will participate in the Mariposa special-education conference on March 14. The district also supports students placed in regional county programs; Vasquez reported 67 students currently attending Monterey County regional programs and 37 preschool‑age children receiving home or off‑site services.
The board paused to recognize staff. Vasquez introduced school psychologist Joe Bello, honored for 11 years with the district, and staff member Diego for his dedication to students. Bello told trustees he considers Greenfield Unified home and praised the district’s collaborative leadership. Vice President Smith added personal praise for the department’s patience and work, noting his own experience as a parent of an adult child with special needs.
Superintendent and trustees thanked the special-education team and said they would use the LCAP and site planning processes to follow up on staffing and facilities needs. The board recessed briefly for photos and then resumed routine business.
What’s next: staff will incorporate special-education needs into LCAP and facilities planning and will provide trustees with follow-up materials and event invitations listed during the presentation.