District spotlights model continuation school and expands teacher-residency program
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Summary
The Lodi Unified board recognized a continuation high school’s state designation and heard district leaders and school staff describe expansion of a teacher-residency partnership that doubled resident numbers since 2023–24 and aims to scale to more sites next year.
The Lodi Unified School District on April 7 recognized Hazardous High School’s designation as a state "model continuation high school" and highlighted a district-wide teacher-residency initiative that administrators said has doubled in size since 2023–24.
Board President Alexander opened the spotlight segment and invited district staff to present. "We took a lot of pride and a lot of hard work and dedication to accept the model continuation high school via the state of California," said Richard Shipley, who described the three-year process of self-study, blind review and a validation visit that led to the designation. He said the state’s process focuses on serving the "whole child," including academics and social-emotional supports.
District presenters said the designation is intended to rebrand continuation and alternative‑education programs and to highlight successful practices. "This is a new springboard for them to see success, to know that they matter," one presenter said, describing Plaza Robles’ three‑year journey and plans to strengthen A–G course alignment and visible‑learning work.
The board also used the spotlight to showcase the district’s teacher‑residency partnership with Teachers College. District leaders said residency teams have grown from six residents in the program’s first year to 13 residents this school year and that many residents have been hired into district positions. "We’ve seen the number of residents grow almost double," a district speaker said.
Oakwood Principal Cassandra Sotelo and teachers described team teaching, shared planning and data-driven instruction as the model’s core features. "This model puts students at the center, and really builds the capacity of our educators," Sotelo said. First‑grade teachers described rotating science units and in‑class collaboration that lets students access multiple adults each day.
Jeff Pappas, principal at Julia Morgan, said the residency program has been "the engine to help drive our district initiatives," adding that the program has supported early literacy and visible‑learning goals. Resident Ian Deak described his experience as transformative: "I fell in love with teaching because... I felt surrounded by people with all these different ideas and different experiences."
District staff said they plan to expand residency teams to more schools next year, add additional grade levels at participating sites and recruit at a May 6 county mixer for prospective residents. The presentation concluded with an invitation for board members and the public to visit participating sites to observe team teaching in person.
The board noted the broader recognition and retirements during the spotlight, including a tribute to Sandy Warburdam, the district’s counselor of the year.
