Alisal Union spotlights New Teacher Academy and district presentations at CALSA

The Alisal Union School District on July 15 highlighted the New Teacher Academy (NTA), a multi-day orientation and professional-development sequence for new certificated staff, and reported district staff participation in the CALSA Summer Institute.

Edie Porter, director of teaching and learning, told trustees the NTA will welcome roughly 25 new certificated employees next week (July 20–22) at the Barton Professional Development Center. "I'm Edie Porter, director of teaching and learning, and I'm here to celebrate the upcoming new teacher academy," Porter said. She described the academy as a collaboration among the Alisal Teachers Association, site administrators and the district’s ed services department and noted the work contributed to the district’s CSBA Golden Bell recognition.

Porter described the NTA theme, "teaching from the inside out," and explained that the program connects into a year-long new-teacher collaborative with monthly mentor sessions covering topics such as classroom management, parent-teacher conferences and teacher wellness.

A second spotlight recognized staff who presented at the CALSA Summer Institute. A district cabinet member identified as Diaz said Julio Castro and Sylvia Perez presented on the community schools and family engagement model, Mary Bill (transcript) partnered on LCAP/student voice work, and Diaz presented on leadership across generations and social-emotional practices. The district thanked staff and invited trustees to attend the NTA sessions and the Great Alisal Teaching Conference (GATC) in February 2027.

Porter invited trustees to join next week’s New Teacher Academy; district staff indicated Sofia Ramirez sent invitations and logistical details. The district emphasized the NTA and follow-up collaborative work as central to supporting teacher retention and effective classroom starts for the new school year.