Welcome TO PUSD
DISTRICT WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS THIS SUMMER COURTESY PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
N
ew school years bring new staff members and Pasadena Unified School District is no different. Here are a few new faces to PUSD this school year.
Marco Villegas Dr. Marco Villegas is associate superintendent of specialized student support. Villegas is responsible for administering all programs and services for children with disabilities, leading cross-departmental strategic planning, improving standardized procedures and training for staff, strengthening collaborative partnerships with parents, and improving the organizational efficacy of the special education department. With nearly three decades of experience as a teacher, successful principal and regional director, Villegas has provided leadership skills training and coaching, and customized professional development for schools across the state. “I am pleased to welcome Dr. Villegas to PUSD where he will focus on improving the efficacy of systems that serve students with disabilities,” says Superintendent Brian McDonald. “As a teacher, successful principal, district administrator, and mentor to emerging educational leaders across the state, Dr. Villegas is uniquely qualified to lead our district’s special education department in developing effective teams and creating systems that support a culture of learning for all students.” Villegas joins PUSD from the Ontario-Montclair School District in San Bernardino County where he served as regional director of learning and teaching since 2015. In this position, he was the direct supervisor of 16 schools in the region while supporting the general administration of instructional, business and operational functions. “I truly feel honored to join the Pasadena Unified School District family, and I am excited about the level of collaboration and the systems already in place that support students with disabilities,” Villegas says. “I look forward to partnering with general and special education educators and families to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all of our students.”
Villegas earned a Ph.D. in urban educational leadership from Claremont Graduate University and has been an adjunct professor in the educational administration department at Azusa Pacific University and California State University Los Angeles. An experienced educator and leader, he has served as a mentor for aspiring school administrators and leaders through the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators’ (CALSA) mentoring program. He has also presented at numerous state and national educational conferences over the past 10 years. He replaces Dr. Cherilyn Lew, who accepted a position with another district. Ana Maria Apodaca Ana Maria “Ria” Apodaca, director of health programs. Apodaca leads the planning, development, implementation, evaluation and maintenance of all district student health programs, including the delivery of health services, health education, staff development, and assistance pursuing competitive grants. “I am pleased to welcome Ms. Apodaca to PUSD at this crucial time in our history,” McDonald says. “As a proven educational leader with deep ties to our community, non-profit administrator, and devoted advocate for the health and well-being of our students and staff, Ms. Apodaca is a crucial member of the PUSD team as we confront the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and plan for our district’s return to normal times.” With 25 years of experience as a leader and advocate for student wellness, a trauma-informed practices administrator and coach, school principal and classroom teacher, Apodaca brings a dedication to the academic, physical, social and emotional growth and development of the children of PUSD. She has extensive experience working with nonprofits and has deep ties to the community, having grown up in the area and devoting her professional life to serving the needs of the students of PUSD. “In these challenging times, services that support the health and well-being of our students, teachers, staff, and families have never been more essential and therefore the work of the Health Programs Department is even more valucontinued on page 8
6 | ARROYO | 08.20
