Teachers College of San Joaquin

08/29/2026

🌟 Welcome to the TCSJ Board!

Teachers College of San Joaquin is proud to welcome Donald Gatti and Greg Leland as the newest members of the TCSJ Board. Both officially took the Oath of Office on August 27, 2026, bringing decades of leadership and service in public education to TCSJ.

💼 Donald Gatti is the former Deputy Superintendent of Business Services for the Stanislaus County Office of Education, where he served for 18 years. His career in school business spans nearly four decades and includes leadership in fiscal oversight, facilities, operations, risk management, and other essential services supporting schools and districts.

🏫 Greg Leland is a former principal with Manteca Unified School District who dedicated 38 years to public education in San Joaquin County. During his career, he served as a teacher, coach, administrator, vice principal, and principal, retiring in 2023 as Principal of Lathrop High School. He continues his service to education as a Commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference and, in 2026, was elected to the San Joaquin County Board of Education.

We are grateful to welcome Don and Greg to the TCSJ Board and look forward to the experience, leadership, and commitment to education they will bring to our college community. 💙

Please join us in welcoming them to TCSJ!

08/28/2026

🌟 Featured Resident: Michelle Camargo

“Michelle has been so eager to get started in the classroom. She attended all of our pre-service meetings and Back-to-School Night. She even came in before the pre-service days and helped me set up the furniture. Her willingness to help and learn is amazing!”

— Tanya Norton
Mentor, Twin Rivers Charter School
Yuba City Unified School District

We love seeing residents like Michelle begin the school year with such enthusiasm, initiative, and a willingness to learn. Her dedication to showing up, lending a hand, and preparing for her students is a wonderful start to her teaching journey. 💛

08/27/2026

Build stronger early literacy instruction with strategies you can use right away.

Join us for the Early Literacy Institute, a one-day professional learning experience created for TK–3rd grade educators. Hear from Greg Smedley-Warren and a team of experienced presenters as you explore engaging, practical ideas to support young readers and writers.

Saturday, September 12
8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Teachers College of San Joaquin, Stockton

Registration:
$150 for CKA members
$160 for nonmembers
$75 for students

Reserve your spot today: https://bit.ly/ELI26

Early Literacy Institute $150 for CKA members, $160 for nonmembers, and $75 for students.Lunch is included. Meet the presenters… Molly Bricker:Moving Beyond Multisensory Instruction to Embodied Learning for Greater Literacy Outcomes Calvie Clement: Read, Move, Sing! Joyful Early Literacy Strategie...

08/27/2026

TCSJ staff enjoyed connecting with local professionals and community partners at the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce Summer Diversity Mixer! 🤝

The annual event brought together members of several local chambers for an evening focused on building relationships, celebrating our diverse community, and strengthening connections throughout the region.

We’re grateful for opportunities to represent Teachers College of San Joaquin in the community and connect with others who share our commitment to supporting and strengthening San Joaquin County. 💛

08/27/2026

On August 25th, Superintendent Dr. Troy Brown administered the Oath of Office to Jessica Escobedo, officially welcoming her to the Teachers College of San Joaquin Board.

Jessica brings extensive experience in TK-12 education and currently serves students in the Tracy Unified School District as the Program Coordinator of Expanded Learning Opportunities.

We're grateful for her commitment to TCSJ and to educator preparation. Welcome aboard, Jessica!

08/21/2026

🌟 Featured Residency@TCSJ Resident

“Charlotte joined me at Back to School Night and spent time meeting with families, students, and fellow teachers. She is going above and beyond to get to know each student and is thoughtful in recognizing how to best meet their individual needs. Her dedication to building strong relationships and supporting student success has already made a positive impact.”

— Jessica Almazan
Mentor, Live Oak Elementary School
Lodi Unified School District

We love seeing educators like Charlotte begin the school year with such intentionality—building connections, learning about their students, and creating a strong foundation for success. 💛

08/21/2026

Sometimes the most powerful teaching tool isn't a new strategy — it's a moment to pause and ask, "How did that really go?" Cassandra La Chance built her entire Master's Project around that question.

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Cassandra presented her Master's Project, "The Role of Ongoing Reflection in Supporting Effective Instruction in a Preschool Special Education Classroom." Fittingly, she shared that the seed for this project was planted early — inspired by one of the very first classes she took at TCSJ.

Using observational videos, reflective journals, and tracking sheets, Cassandra took a close, honest look at her own teaching practices in action. What she found was powerful: reflection opened the door to purposeful adjustments, and those small, intentional shifts led to real improvements in classroom routines, transitions, and student participation.

The committee was impressed by the strength of her Action Research design and the way reflection sat at the center of it all. In many ways, Cassandra didn't just study TCSJ's core value of Reflection — she lived it.

We are so proud of you, Cassandra, and beyond excited to see where this reflective, thoughtful approach takes you next! 🌟

08/20/2026

🎉 What a way to start the year! On August 7–8, Coordinator Holly Chesnut kicked off our CTE program with a warm welcome to our new Hybrid B cohort.

Two days packed with connection and learning — participants met some of their instructors, got to know classmates working in the same industries, and started building the kind of community that makes this journey so much richer.

Holly also dove into the essentials: Universal Design for Learning, content standards, lesson planning, and the resources our teachers need to walk into their classrooms with confidence.

Welcome, Hybrid B! We can't wait to see what you build this year. 👏

08/19/2026

Level up: unlocked. 🎮📜 Joseph Yturri turned his 8th-grade History classroom into something his students wanted to grind through — and the results speak for themselves.

On 7/22/2026, Joseph presented his Master's Project, "Gamification in a Social Studies Curriculum," featuring a year-long achievement system built into each History Unit of Study. By aligning State Standards and UDL Frameworks with game-based mechanics, Joseph boosted engagement and motivation without sacrificing academic rigor.

The committee was genuinely impressed by the depth and creativity of the system he built, and Joseph's impact isn't staying contained to his own classroom. His colleagues have already asked him to share the project so they can apply these strategies in their own practice.

From his students to his school site, it's clear Joseph is making waves. Well done, Joseph! 🌟

M.Ed. Concentration: Educational Inquiry