Entries by Ronaldo Gomez

Visions’ Largest Summer Commencement: Our Last Class Of 2024!

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Visions’ Largest Summer Commencement: Our Last Class Of 2024!

On August 15th, the Visions In Education community had the honor of celebrating the graduation of over 60 students in our 2024 Summer Graduation Ceremony—an overall increase of 200% from last year. Visions family, staff, and friends gathered to celebrate the achievements of their students as they walked the stage, marking the conclusion of their high school careers.

In her address, Director of Instruction, Sarah McFarland, spoke directly to the graduates, “A journey that you started from the first day of Kindergarten has brought you all the way to the summer of 2024. You’ve learned perseverance from the countless hours you spent studying and resilience from overcoming unexpected challenges.”

Ron Thomas, Associated Director of Equity & Student Engagement, also addressed the graduating class, stating, “You have shown unwavering dedication to your development and your accomplishments; a true testament to your hard work and dedication.”

Tales of Resilience 

Josh Imler, Summer School Principal, was instrumental in supporting students that needed additional help in order to graduate on time. “To the summer 2024 graduates, you’ve overcome a lot during your high school years. Remember to use that experience to your advantage in life. We are fortunate to have been a part of your educational journey. We wish you a heartfelt congratulations! Well done!”

For Visions senior Velentino B., this is a momentous occasion for not only himself but for his family as well. “I just had to lock in on school, I had the motivation of my mother to keep reminding me that I need to do this. Visions allowed me to work on school while also working a job to provide for my family.”

Tales of resilience that go back 25 years, Visions In Education commencement ceremonies are always special for those involved.

Graduation day is the culmination of a long road stemming back generations for some families. Visions senior Abdul Hafiz A., a first-generation graduate, expressed his eagerness to walk the stage, “I want to thank my parents for their support to get me through school. Because of their sacrifices, I’ll have a high school diploma and I’ll be able to go to a good university.”

A Family Affair

During our summer graduation, we offer students the opportunity to recognize themselves and those who have guided them through challenges. This is done through the Rose Ceremony. This moment emphasized the idea that education extends beyond the classroom; it is an experience enriched by the support of a community.

Graduates were provided white roses to hand to audience members who they felt had helped them significantly in their educational journeys.

By recognizing the efforts of those who stood by them, students were reminded of their achievements and the importance of these connections throughout their academic and personal growth. Ultimately, this celebration brings to light that education is a family affair, rooted in love, support, and shared aspirations of success for the future.

Achieving Visions Success

Congratulations to our 2024 Summer Graduates! We look forward to seeing all that you accomplish as you step into your lives! See all photos from the big day on our Facebook page!








Welcome Back! Over 500 Visionaries Gather for Back to School PD

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Welcome Back! Over 500 Visionaries Gather for Back to School PD

On August 13th, 500+ Visionaries, including classified staff, certificated staff, and leadership, kicked off 2024-25 at our annual Back to School PD. This event is the first time each school year that every member of the Visions organization is together in one place, and this year’s event was nothing short of special!

Our 25th anniversary has been at the forefront of this year’s initiatives, and what better way to share our impact than through a video? Check it out below!

To further commemorate our 25th anniversary, all staff were treated to swag bags with new 25th anniversary t-shirts and water bottles, a gift card to our Spirit Store, and more! The day ended with an all-staff photo on the lawn in our new shirts, the perfect way to capture the spirit of the year.

“It was truly inspiring to gather all of our staff members in one location. It was a wonderful way to commemorate Visions’ legacy and mark our 25th year of serving students by reconnecting with our shared mission,” says Superintendent Dr. Steve Olmos. “I feel privileged to be part of the Visions family and am excited to celebrate this milestone throughout the 2024-25 school year.”








25 in 2024-25

With the new school year right around the corner, our Back to School PD is the opportunity for staff to share space and get inspired to head into our 25th year of serving students. Thank you HR, Facilities, IT, and everyone else who had a hand in making the day so successful. We hope you all have a great school year!

Visions Is Proud To Announce Our Alumni Hall of Fame Program!

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Blue Graduation Cap with Anything is possible spelled out in gold glitter letters

Visions Is Proud To Announce Our Alumni Hall of Fame Program!

As Visions In Education celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, we wanted to recognize some of the thousands of students who have been a part of our school community over the years. Some Visions alumni have distinguished themselves as they have moved on to higher education, some in the working world, and some have made a lasting impact in their community. Whatever their path, we want to celebrate these Visionaries and their achievements.

With this in mind, we are pleased to officially launch the Alumni Hall of Fame. To build the hall of fame we will annually present the Visions Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award. It recognizes and honors our outstanding alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally and/or personally.

We will honor the award recipients with their photos and bios in the Alumni Hall of Fame in Visions’ main office for five years and permanently on our website and the WIRE.

  • Eligibility: The award is open to all Visions graduates or former Visions students for whom circumstances prevented them from earning a high school diploma. 
  • Criteria: 
    • The nominees must have realized distinctive achievements in their personal lives and/or in their chosen profession, including, but not limited to, business, science, medicine, education, public services, arts, entertainment, sports, etc.
    • The award is open to alums who may be living or deceased.

We are incredibly proud of the impact Visions alumni have had in our communities over the last 25 years. We look forward to hearing about who you think deserves this special recognition. Please use the links below to send in your nominations today!



ONLINE


MAIL OR EMAIL

Family Spotlight: How Homeschooling Benefits the Whole Family

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Family Spotlight: How Homeschooling Benefits the Whole Family

The Ayalas have been a Visions family for nearly eight years. Mom Sophia and dad Ruben have four boys – Josiah, Isaiah, and twins Ethan and Azariah – and had expectations for their children’s education long before they were students.

While safety and parental choice were high priorities for Sophia, Ruben wanted an educational environment that would go beyond traditional academics and teach his sons communication, cooperation, and life skills. The benefits of Visions’ Home School Academy, including curriculum options, a flexible learning environment, and numerous enrichment activities, was the perfect fit for both parents’ desires.

“I realized that at such a young age, it is necessary to teach our children the fundamental skills that could help them become productive citizens of society. In order to do that, they need to learn how to communicate and contribute to the community,” explains Ruben. “It is important to us to make sure that we teach our children values and principles that they can use every day, now and in the future. We hope that by their example, they encourage others also to contribute to the community and always be good neighbors wherever they may go, and what better place to do this than at home.”

As the Ayalas have adapted to a homeschool environment at Visions, they’ve found that not only are their fundamental needs being met, they are also experiencing countless other benefits of at-home learning. There is more time spent together as a family, the opportunity to meet the unique learning needs of each of their children, and the ability for their boys to give back to the community.

“Our children are gaining the fundamental skills they need to succeed in life, such as reading, writing and math. In addition, they are also learning that in many parts of life they have choices, but it is up to them to take responsibility for themselves so that they can accomplish their goals,” says Ruben. “Also, they are learning to give back to the community through volunteer work which is fulfilling, and they can take these principles and guidelines with them into adulthood to benefit themselves and others.”

Taking Advantage of Visions’ Advantages

In our Home School Academy, our parent partners work with our credentialed teachers to ensure that students stay on track with their education. The Ayalas are supported by CT Annmarie Woehler, who is a guiding light in all things curriculum, standards, and testing for the family.

“We have a fantastic relationship with our CT, Annmarie Woehler. We love her because you can tell she cares about each student and endeavors to work with them individually according to their needs. She is reasonable, communicates well, and has a great listening ear. We couldn’t ask for a better teacher.”

Beyond their academics, Josiah, Isaiah, Azariah and Ethan all love basketball, football, guitar, and ukulele, and the family uses their $3,000 budget to pay for these services from some of our Enrichment Vendors.

“We make good use of enrichment!” says Ruben. “All the boys take music lessons, from ukulele to guitar. In addition, the two older boys have learned to swim through swimming lessons.”

Azariah, Ethan, Isaiah, and Josiah with their CT, Annmarie Woehler, at one of our events!

Ruben and Sophia with Mrs. Woehler.

Homeschooling Tips & Tricks

Having homeschooled for eight years now, the Ayalas have certainly found their rhythm, even through teaching four boys in three different grades. With set schedules, go-to teaching methods, and more, Sophia and Ruben have found what works best for their family.

“Preparation for the school day begins the night before, where we make sure that they go to bed on time so that they can feel good in the morning. We have the older two children start school at 8:00am and the twins at 9:00am,” explains Ruben. “Although we make a concerted effort to have a schedule, we also try to be flexible.”

“All our boys start with Language Arts followed by Math and, depending on the day, then do Science or Social Studies. In between we eat lunch and often play basketball and, when the weather is nice, we take a walk in our neighborhood [or] practice music,” Sophia adds.

With regard to teaching methods and learning styles, Sophia prefers to work one-on-one with each child. Doing so benefits each of the boys, who may learn differently from their brothers (even identical twins in the same grade!). Then, Sophia loves bringing them all together for group learning activities.

“I enjoy doing science group projects because it’s fun to work together, and the older children learn to help and include the two younger ones.”

“I also enjoy helping them to learn to work together by learning from each other’s strengths and having them practice together with things like spelling words and math flash cards,” adds Ruben.

At the end of the day, both parents endeavor to teach responsibility in their children. Whether it be through chore charts, daily check-ins, or together time spent completing their school work, their goal continues to be instilling a sense of self-sufficiency in all four boys.

Reaping the Rewards

Although homeschooling can be challenging at times, it’s an endeavor that is more than worth it for Sophia and Ruben. As parents, educational partners, and lifelong learners themselves, Visions is a place where parents and students alike can thrive.

“Homeschooling is a lot of responsibility, but at the end of the day, it’s a joy to see our children grow. They all shine with qualities that really make life special,” says Ruben. “We believe that it is our responsibility to teach our children and feel that it is so important to be with them to see them grow, since we cannot get these years back.”

“Homeschooling four children is very rewarding. It take constant readjusting and teamwork and consistency. As children grow and change, we can rejoice together in their progress and changes in a way we would not see first hand otherwise,” adds Sophia. “The reward comes from knowing we have taken part in our children’s education, and for that we as parents are very proud.”

Supporting The Whole Student: A Spotlight On The Student Services Department

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Supporting the Whole Student: A Spotlight on the Student Services Department

At Visions, we operate with a students-first mindset. Whether it’s providing counseling and mental health services, English language support, Career Technical Education opportunities, clubs, or social events, we ensure that students have continuous access to important wrap-around services.

These resources are made possible by our Student Services team, which is made up of the Counseling Services Department, the Equity & Student Engagement (EASE) Department, the Multilingual Learners program, and our Career Technical Education (CTE) program. Each of these departments provide invaluable services to our students and families.

“In my role, I have the opportunity to support a variety of key staff in the organization. This includes the Counseling, EASE, EL, and CTE Departments,” explains Matt Patterson, Director of Student Services. “I have had the incredible opportunity to be on the ground floor in the design and implementation of these departments and support systems for all of our students. I am able to collaborate with a variety of teammates and departments in strategic planning to support student success.”

Currently in his fifth year at Visions, Matt, in collaboration with other instructional and business leaders in the organization, has been able to design and develop these departments, most of which are new to Visions. In our 1% better every day pursuit, each of these teams and their staff have been carefully curated to meet a need for our students.

“Our goal as a department is to look at the unique needs of each student and collaborate with a variety of individuals to create optimal services so each student can reach their full potential,” explains Matt. “Each team member is driven to do better every single day. They are so student-focused, and each decision and move has students first in mind.”

Let’s Get Granular

Although they all fall under the Student Services umbrella, each department has a unique position and purpose in student support.

“I support our multilingual learners by developing and implementing our Title III program, as well as assisting with Title I, state and federal reporting, educational partner engagement, and teacher induction,” explains Jamee Block, our former EL Coordinator and current Associate Director of State/Federal Programs. “My role is new this year, [and] I am excited to see how it evolves to better serve our students and meet their diverse needs.”

“I’m responsible for creating and managing our CTE pathways and dual enrollment courses,” says Keenya Powell, CTE Coordinator. “I have facilitated the building of a new CTE pathway, Cybersecurity, and coordinated and managed a relationship with Los Rios Community College District to partner with Visions to bring dual enrollment courses to our students.”

In addition to academic supports, our Student Services team tends to the mental and social-emotional needs of our students.

“As a school Counseling Manager, I support our counseling team in meeting students’ educational, social-emotional, and college/career needs, ensuring they have the resources to succeed,” says Mariah Ernst-Collins, Counseling Program Manager (pictured left in photo). “Through leadership and coordination, I strive to create a positive and supportive environment for all students.”

“As the Associate Director of EASE, I am honored to have the opportunity to work with and support an amazing team that provides a multi-tiered system of support for all students and staff that includes social-emotional learning, crisis intervention, student/family engagement, Career Technical Education, and mentorship,” explains Ron Thomas, Associate Director of Equity & Student Engagement.

In support of the whole student, these teams are taking into consideration each factor that can impact student success. Regardless of race, background, or economic status, our Student Services Department helps break down the barriers for students to receive a high-quality education and get access to important individual resources.

“A big focus is to support student who historically have not received the support and services they should, innovating every day to ensure students have the tools and resources to reach their full potential. It’s truly exciting work to do with some of the most dynamic and talented folks I have ever worked alongside,” says Matt.

Group photo of Student Services department

Don’t Forget Graduation

Since 2017, Visions’ graduations have been headed by Angelica Gallardo, former Administrative Assistant to the Director of Student Services and current Business Analyst on our Internal Data & Systems Services team. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities supporting Director Patterson, she is the brains behind the big day, and is responsible for one of the most important, and intricate, events at Visions.

“In my former role, I supported Matt Patterson and all the members of the Student Services Department. I assisted with various programs and projects within the department, including Find Your Voice, the Steve Phelps Scholarship, 504 plans, grad checkouts, and high school graduation,” explains Angelica. “I have cherished being the frontrunner for graduation over the past seven years, and it’s bittersweet to leave that behind. However, I’m thrilled about the new opportunity that has come my way and the growth and potential it brings.”

Angelica (and Director of Technology Uriel) on the graduation stage!

Ron testing out the camera at grad checkout!

Matt (pictured left) at our 2023 graduation ceremony.

The Joy of the Job

The Student Services team is highly collaborative, with multiple voices, including student voice, continuously being included in their day-to-day work. With assistance from other departments in the organization, they remain focused on their main goal of supporting students.

“My role involves continuous program evaluation and improvement based on data and feedback to maintain high-quality services,” says Mariah. “I collaborate with colleagues and other departments to develop and implement effective practices, services, and supports.”

“Collaborating with academy administrators, as well as our special education, Professional Learning and Innovation (PLI), and EASE teams, has been instrumental in finding impactful ways to benefit our students and support our instructional staff,” adds Jamee.

Of course, with a team of such dynamic and passionate people, it’s no surprise that through the often difficult nature of their work, they find a little fun in every day.

“The Student Services team is highly collaborative, innovative, and student-centered,” says Ron. “We also like to laugh and understand the importance of bringing joy into all things we engage in.”

Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed August 13th (8:00AM – 1:00PM)

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Visions’ Main Office & STS Closed August 13th (8:00AM – 1:00PM)

Visions In Education’s Main Office and Student Technology Services (STS) will be closed on August 13th, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Our main office and STS will reopen at 1:00 PM on August 13th, 2024. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

Welcome to Visions! Leadership Hosts Kick-Off Event For New Staff

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Welcome to Visions! Leadership Hosts Kick-Off Event For New Staff

On July 30th, we had the honor of welcoming over 50 new staff members to Visions during our Welcome to Visions Kick-Off event! This annual gathering introduces our new staff and teachers to the Visions organization and gives them the opportunity to meet their fellow colleagues before diving into the year ahead.

Starting Off the School Year Strong

The day began with a catered breakfast and time for our staff to mingle. After a brief word from Superintendent Olmos, the group was treated to a session from keynote speaker Armoni Easley, co-founder and CEO of Project Optimism and author of LifeWork, an interactive self-development book designed to inspire readers to find and connect to their purpose. During his session, Armoni challenged staff to find their “why” and encouraged them to reflect on how they want to start the new school year.

New team members were also introduced to StrengthsFinder, a strengths-based tool that helps individuals find and hone their personal talents to become more engaged with their work, perform at higher levels, and achieve their personal and professional potential. Executive Director of Youth Development Network (YDN) and leader of StrengthsFinder, Adrian Ruiz, encouraged staff to begin finding their strengths through prompts and group activities. In both sessions, our newest Visionaries were inspired to go into the new school year with passion and determination.

“As a new hire, it’s important to hear from leaders within your organization as it can create a strong sense of community and belonging. It’s inspirational to share our stories of why we chose Visions In Education as a workplace. I left feeling more connected with my Visions family,” said Ronaldo Gomez, Communications Coordinator.








“It’s Good to be Visions!”

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Micah Studer and Chief of Operations Tom Tafoya closed out the day by discussing instructional initiatives, the fiscal landscape, and the future of the organization. As we continue into our 25th anniversary, we could all use a reminder that it’s good to be Visions!

“There was lots of contagious buzz and excitement in the air as we approach the 24/25 school year,” said David Villegas, Assessment & Evaluation manager. “As new and continuing staff rev up (some never stopped!) to serve our nearly 7,200 students and support their academic success, it’s impossible not to feel inspired.”

See all photos from the event on our Facebook page!

Visions To Renew Charter Petition

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Visions To Renew Charter Petition

Visions In Education will request a renewal extension aligned with the Charter renewal for the July 1st, 2025 – June 30th, 2030 term. Every 5 years, Visions will renew its charter petition through its authorizing district, San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD). However, due to the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Visions was granted an extension to submit its charter petition.

Visions community members were invited to express their thoughts on Visions In Education’s petition on May 23, 2024. This public hearing can be viewed on www.viedu.org under Board Documents.

Petition In The Making 

The project planned since July 2022, incorporated input from various stakeholders, including Instruction, Student Services, Special Education, Human Resources, Business, Senior Executives, Academy Advisory Groups, Business Leadership, Instructional Leadership, the Advisory Board, Office Staff, and feedback from our internal communication site, The Wire.

Some of the major updates to the Charter Petition Elements I-XV include a revised Mission Statement replacing “interpersonal, intrapersonal” with “social-emotional, postsecondary” for better measurability.

Dr. Micah Studer, Chief Academic Officer, explained that these terms were changed to better measure our commitment to our students and community. These terms are widely common and recognized throughout education.

“Visions was challenged with measuring interpersonal and intrapersonal growth, to make this more measurable we chose to update the terminology to better measure and find actionable results for our student’s needs,” said Dr. Studer.

Growing 1% Better

Soren Gutierrez, Director of Accountability & Data Services, added that Visions has grown and changed significantly since its last charter renewal in 2017.

“The challenge was catching up to all the new laws and describing our current practices but at the same time also not being so prescriptive or detailed in our charter that we can’t be flexible in the future,” says Mr. Gutierrez, “On top of that, our educational programs and student demographics changed markedly so there was a wholesale rewrite of many significant portions of the charter to accurately describe the students we serve and the programs we offer.”

What Is A Charter Petition?

Visions’ charter petition outlines rules and regulations regarding school operations, fiscal management, student outcomes, and more. This allows us to operate as an independent charter school.

Why Do Charters Renew

Visions is accountable for documenting its clear practices as outlined for taxpayers, stakeholders, and CA state laws/legislation; this is important for transparency to our communities.

For more information regarding the Charter review process, visit the California Department of Education.

Renewal Process

Visions prepared their charter school renewal cover sheet, written notice, an updated petition (including new legislation enacted after the charter school was originally granted or last renewed) as approved by the chartering authority, and a copy of the written plan adopted by the governing body of the charter school (SJUSD). This totals over 1000+ pages of consolidated work. 

The next steps include a submission to the SJUSD in September 2024 and anticipated approval in December 2024.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to drafting this renewal so that Visions can continue to be a driving force in charter education. Visions looks forward to sending its charter petition in September to San Juan Unified partners to reach approval.

Summer School: Visions Staff Attend PLC At Work Conference

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Summer School: Visions Staff Attend PLC At Work Conference

Over the past two years, Visions In Education’s instructional administrators, teachers, and counselors have been participating in PLC at Work Institutes hosted by Solution Tree. The PLC (Professional Learning Communities) model teaches instructional teams how to unify processes and goals in an effort to deliver quality education to students.

Last week, 140 more Visionaries gathered at Safe Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento to continue learning new strategies for working collaboratively in PLCs. This included leaders from our Business Services Department who were in attendance to continue our 1% better every day pursuit and strengthen Visions’ practices.

“Witnessing the dedication and professionalism of our Visions staff at the PLC Conference was truly inspiring. The sheer number of our team members who attended highlights our collective commitment to excellence and continuous improvement,” said Heather King, Director of Instruction for Home School. “It’s exciting to see, and be a part of, such enthusiasm and eagerness to implement new ideas and strategies.”

“It was great to gather with many Visions employees at the PLC Conference,” said Michael Brubaker, Senior Director of Operations. “Although I attended many great sessions during the conference, my favorite session was when the entire Visions team met together Thursday afternoon. In that meeting, each Visions Professional Learning Community (also called a Guiding Coalition) shared what they have been working on this past year. I am excited to continue this process and to see what great things we can achieve as we all work together to strengthen each other to support student learning.”

Future-Focused

The PLC model will continue to be applied to Visions’ systems moving forward, benefitting students and families by bettering systems of support, transforming school culture and sustaining school improvement. We look forward to continuing this work with Solution Tree throughout the 2024-25 school year to ensure all staff are trained on the strategies that Visionaries will be using to become a PLC.

Check out some photos from the conference below!






Read more about how we’ve been engaging with PLC work: 

Instruction Gets To Work At PLC Institute

190+ Visionaries Attend PLC At Work Conference 

Solution Tree is an organization dedicated to transforming education through empowering educational leaders. You can read more about Solution Tree’s mission and initiatives here.

Fulfilling His Purpose at Visions: A Spotlight on Gregg Moses

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Fulfilling His Purpose at Visions: A Spotlight on Gregg Moses

Growing up as a small town Nevada man, Gregg Moses knew there was a big world waiting for him. A good student with a passion for service, he realized that he wanted to help others, but wasn’t quite sure what that would look like. At only 17 years old, Gregg enlisted in the Marine Corps, hoping that would put him on his future path.

“I’m a desert kid, born and raised in (some urban and some rural) Nevada,” says Gregg. “I was a pretty successful high school student, but I thought that I’d never go to college and enlisted in the Marine Corps.”

The Marine Corps ended up putting Gregg through a college setting anyway by sending him to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California to learn Russian. After six years of deployments around the world, he decided that college was the right choice for him after all, and achieved a Bachelors in English Literature and a Bachelors in Russian from UC Riverside.

After receiving his teaching credential from National University, Gregg became a high school English teacher and also supported students in AVID. He found his way to Visions in 2007, accepting a role as the Testing and Assessment Manager. Almost five years later, Gregg left Visions to become a site principal at Western Sierra Collegiate Academy, but eventually returned to Visions in 2016.

“I returned to Visions In Education as a teacher with EL Core in the 2016-17 school year,” he explains. “I plan on remaining with Visions In Education for the remainder of my career because the level of support we provide to students is exactly the kind of environment I want to be associated with.”

Gregg is now serving as an Independent Study Academy Principal, where he’s able to push the idea of student support by ensuring that teachers have the tools needed to foster student success. Gregg also ensures that our teachers teach in an environment that champions the idea of accomplishing student support through personal health and welfare.

“I like to think that what I do at Visions In Education is support students. As a principal, the way that I can most effectively do that is to create an environment where teachers are able to support student learning effectively and with a high-level of care and concern for student welfare.”

Want to see Gregg in action? Check out this video featuring him and Independent Study Academy grad, Kaylee!

Guiding Growth and Learning

Gregg is someone who is constantly learning, reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching videos to help him get 1% better every day. Recently, he has taken on the additional responsibility of spearheading our new Credit Recovery Program, helping students who may have fallen behind in a traditional setting get their education back on track.

“I’m excited that we’re developing and enacting a plan that will do a few important things – we will recognize and respect the learning that a student has already accomplished in their past attempts in a class, we will guide students to an efficient and effective learning environment that guides them to their diploma, and we will provide clear guidelines to what post-high school experiences will look like.”

The 1% better every day mentality is evident in Gregg’s team of administrators and teachers as well, who are always striving to learn, grow, and develop in support of their students.

“Learning something new every day is maybe one of the most important things I can be doing to improve. I feel that I’m surrounded by those who believe the same thing,” says Gregg. “The current teachers I work with are amazing, and I really appreciate the hard work, compassion, and care that Vice Principal Cristina Buss has to ensure that we’re supporting students. The community’s Lead Teacher, Kim Grant, is the absolute glue of making things cohesive for teachers and administrators at Visions In Education.”

“An unapologetic, lifelong Dodger fan.”

Outside of work, Gregg is a dad and a diehard LA Dodgers fan. He’s often listening to music (he considers himself an alt punk Deadhead, but with reggae and pop backings), or cheering on his teams, LA Kings included.

When he’s not listening to music or watching sports, Gregg is spending time outdoors, playing good video games, or watching bad TV. His favorite thing to do, however, is hang out with his family and his PBD (poorly behaved dog).





Through it all, this “desert kid” knows that he’s fulfilling his life’s true purpose – to help others.

“Truly, in life, I really just have one desire, and that is to help. Being in education fulfills that desire in many ways, and being an educator at Visions In Education really allows that to happen,” says Gregg. “Visions feeds my desire to help by having a population of students who have a history of having needs that have rarely been recognized or supported. We have a great opportunity here to make a large difference for all students.”

Gregg’s Favorite Memory From Visions

“Graduations are always a memorable event at Visions, but one of my favorite conversations that sticks with me is with a student who was severely ill, and we were figuring out the best way to support the student on his graduation path. We were talking about classes and accommodations and internet needs, and after a bit, the student said that the best part of his learning experience was simply seeing the teacher’s cat be part of the Zoom meeting and being happy that the teacher specifically would bring the cat in for him. By the end of the meeting, I knew that I was having a uniquely Visions conversation that just wouldn’t happen in many other environments.”