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Simi Institute principal outlines program growth, ESL expansion and industry partnerships
Summary
New Simi Institute principal Stacy Cashman told the Simi Valley Unified board that the adult education campus is expanding CTE offerings, adding ESL capacity and satellite classes, and strengthening employer partnerships; she cited enrollment growth and scholarship support from industry partners.
Stacy Cashman, the newly installed principal at the Simi Institute for Career Education, told the Simi Valley Unified School District board the campus is expanding programs, enrollment and partnerships that connect adult learners and high‑school students to careers.
Cashman described the site as both a career‑technical hub and an adult‑education center, offering building and construction, cosmetology, manufacturing, medical programs (including surgical‑tech and respiratory‑therapy tracks in which students can earn associate degrees), and Continuing Education classes such as ESL and citizenship. "When you walk around our campus, it seems very quiet, but if you peek inside the doors, it's Candyland," Cashman said, describing a broad set of evening and daytime courses taught by credentialed and part‑time industry experts.
The principal said the site reported 3,295 students last year and has added roughly 300 students per year since the COVID dip; she also said ESL demand has required program expansion. Cashman said the school is increasing ESL sections (adding five intermediate sections and expanding offerings to a satellite site at Apollo High School with the dean's help) and is exploring additional satellite campuses to improve access.
Cashman highlighted industry partnerships and scholarship support: she said machining instructor Igor Linscog has helped raise more than $120,000 in scholarships from Haas Automation to supplement student tuition and that other partners have offered hiring pathways for graduates. She also noted an unusual gift to the EMT program: an ambulance that students can use for hands‑on practice with instrumentation, patient lifts and ambulance procedures.
On workforce connections, Cashman said the institute holds annual program advisory meetings with workforce‑development boards and professional partners and is expanding outreach across Ventura and the San Fernando Valley. She described efforts to increase enrollment and reduce waiting lists—especially for welding and ESL classes—by adding stations and shifting class locations.
Trustees praised the presentation and asked about nursing pathways and partnerships with Moorpark College; Cashman said she and staff are exploring collaborations and noted the institute's partnerships with local trade unions and employers. The board did not take action; the presentation was provided for information.
