Residency program graduates join Lancaster classrooms; district highlights hires

Rhonda Conti, co‑coordinator for the BETTER Residency program with CSU, told the board the program provides an alternative pathway to a preliminary teaching credential and supports culturally responsive pedagogy. She described residents’ weekly schedule — classroom mentoring Monday–Wednesday, CSUB coursework Thursday, and district substitute assignments on Fridays — and said the residency focuses on serving Black, Indigenous, and students of color.

The board and mentors recognized 2024 program completers and noted placements: the presentation named graduates and their school assignments (for example, a graduate assigned to third grade at Jack North and another to second grade at Miller). District staff said four residency graduates have been hired by the Lancaster School District and five new residents were already beginning classroom placements this year. Mentor teachers and principals called up residents and praised their classroom contributions.

Board members thanked mentors, human resources and instructional staff for supporting the residency and welcomed the new educators into district schools.