Cal State L.A. honors three ‘Distinguished Educators’
Nov. 1 dinner also recognizes CSULA’s former Dean of Charter College of Education
Los Angeles, CA – For their major contributions to teaching and learning, three educational leaders—Angel Barrett, Laura Tellez-Gagliano, and Susan Wang—will be honored as Distinguished Educators at Cal State L.A.’s 24th Annual Distinguished Educator Award Dinner on Friday, Nov. 1.
Additionally, a Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Mary Falvey, former dean of the Charter College of Education at Cal State L.A.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Charter College of Education at Cal State L.A., the event will be held at the Golden Eagle Ballroom on the Cal State L.A. campus, beginning with a reception and silent auction at 5 p.m. and followed by a dinner at 6 p.m.
Angel Barrett, lead instructional director, LAUSD Division of Intensive Support and Intervention
Angel Barrett (Northridge resident) has been an educator with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for more than three decades. Beginning as a bilingual teacher, she now serves as lead instructional director in the LAUSD Division of Intensive Support and Intervention. In this role, Barrett is supporting the implementation of the California Office to Reform Education (CORE) waiver in LAUSD. She was also in charge of restarting 24th St. Elementary School, the first “parent trigger” school to remain a district school and also the first district/charter partnership of its kind in the nation. A CSULA alumna, Barrett also serves as state co-president of the Elementary Council for the Association of California School Administrators and as a commissioner on the Instructional Quality Commission for the California State Board of Education. During her tenure as principal of Plummer Elementary School, Barrett transformed one of the lowest performing schools in the LAUSD into a California Distinguished School. In 2009, the National Association of Elementary School Principals honored her as a National Distinguished Principal.
Laura Tellez-Gagliano, superintendent, Alhambra Unified School District
With a 35-year stellar career in education, Laura Tellez-Gagliano (Alhambra resident) currently serves as superintendent of the Alhambra Unified School District. She began her career as a teacher in the LAUSD, first teaching at Latona Avenue School. Tellez-Gagliano joined the Garvey School District in 1987 after receiving a master’s degree in education and an administrative credential at CSULA. In her 17-year tenure within the district, she worked in several capacities, including as a resource teacher, intermediate school assistant principal, elementary school principal, director of curriculum and assistant superintendent of human resources. In 1994, Tellez-Gagliano was awarded Manager of the Year for her outstanding service as a school principal. She has been trained in interest-based bargaining methods and attended the ACSA Personnel Academy and Personnel Institute. A CSULA alumna, she is also involved in the Alhambra Rotary Club, Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of California School Administrators. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (International Society for Key Women Educators).
Susan Wang, principal, Broadway Elementary School, LAUSD
Susan Wang (West Los Angeles resident) has served as the principal of Broadway Elementary School since 2008. Coupling an emphasis on strong teacher-student-parent collaboration with her ability to translate assessment data into actionable intervention plans, Wang’s efforts have yielded a remarkable 138-point API increase over the past five years. In her second year as principal, she began building the Mandarin Immersion program, which has become the fastest-growing dual-language program in LAUSD. With the unprecedented success of the Mandarin immersion program, Wang is forging ahead with a new Spanish immersion program, the third program she oversees at Broadway this year. Before becoming a principal, Wang had a long apprenticeship as an educator. She spent 14 years teaching at McBride Special Education School and working with severely autistic children. She went on to become a program specialist for the local district, followed by a six-year stint as a full-time Assistant Principal and Elementary Instruction Specialist (APEIS) at Richland Avenue Elementary and Loyola Village Elementary.
Distinguished Service Award: Mary Falvey
Mary Falvey (Whittier resident) is a national authority on inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. She joined the CSULA faculty in 1980, and assumed the responsibility of coordinating the program in severe disabilities and inclusive education. For her excellent contributions as a professor at CSULA, Falvey received recognition as an Outstanding Professor in 1987-88. She was director of student services for the Charter College of Education (CCOE) from 2004 to 2006. Falvey also served as Dean of the CCOE from 2006 to 2013. Under her leadership, the CCOE has been at the forefront of preparing diverse urban educators and has a history, brimming with lively scholarship and professional support and leadership for preK–12 urban public schools. Falvey has taught courses in the credential and masters programs in moderate to severe disabilities and inclusive education. In addition, she has taught advanced courses in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education at CSULA. She has authored four books within her field of expertise, and co-authored more than 20 book chapters and numerous journal articles.
The Friends of the Charter College of Education is a group of alumni, educators and community members who support scholarships for students in Cal State L.A.’s teacher-preparation and school administrator programs and other activities.
All proceeds from the awards dinner will support the Friends’ Scholarship Endowment and Faculty Development funds. For details, call the Cal State L.A. Charter College of Education Development Office at (323) 343-4300.
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