.

ABOUT OUR STAFF

The SRP team provides integrated services that build strong families with healthy children, 0-5 years of age, who are learning and ready for school through health consultations, physical exams, immunizations, parent education, parent/child interactive classes, skills-based classes, child observations and interventions, comprehensive case management services, early childhood professional education and consultations, and transition services.

 

Sandy Avzaradel, School Readiness Program Coordinator savarad@iusd.org Sandy holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Fullerton and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from California State University, Long Beach.  She has been a teacher in the Irvine Unified School district since 1993.  As the School Readiness Program Coordinator, Sandy administrates School Readiness program services including child, parent and provider support and education both on site and in outreach to the community.  Sandy maintains collaborative relationships with various agencies within the City and School District, including Guidance Resources, Early Childhood Learning Center, Families Forward, Pretend City, Human Options, Community Preschools and CHOC/UCI Neurodevelopment programs.  Sandy is a member of the Irvine Childcare Committee and the Irvine Children, Youth and Families Advisory Committee as an advocate for the development of young children.

Linda Scott-Katz, R.N., P.N.P, Nurse Practitioner lscottka@iusd.org Linda Scott-Katz is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (P.N.P.) with more than 30 years experience in the field, having received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Rutgers University.  After working in a pediatric inpatient unit in New York for several years, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Columbia University in 1982.  Since then she has worked as a P.N.P. providing primary care in hospital-based clinics in San Francisco and Long Beach, and in a private practice in south Orange County.  In 1996, she joined the Irvine school district as a School Nurse.  I.U.S.D was awarded a grant in 2000 to create the School Readiness Program, and Linda joined the School Readiness team.  Linda works with parents and children to help them create healthy families.  She teaches classes on a wide variety of health-related topics, provides physical exams and immunizations for children, and works collaboratively with several community agencies to provide health education programs.

Michael DuBois, R.N. mdubois@iusd.org Michael attended Oregon Health and Sciences University and received his nursing degree in 1998.  He then moved back to Seattle and worked from 1999-2009 at Seattle Children’s Hospital on the acute care surgical unit and in the pediatric intensive care unit.  In 2009 Michael and his family moved to southern California and he has been working at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in the cardiovascular intensive care unit.  In September, 2009, Michael started with the IUSD School Readiness Program as our second school readiness nurse and will be working with Linda Scott-Katz and the rest of the team conducting health screenings and education on health related topics for children and their families.

Marla Weingart, Early Childhood Education Specialist mweingar@iusd.org Marla Weingart is a Credentialed Teacher, with more than 15 years in Early Childhood Education and teaching theater and dance to children of all ages.  Marla holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Fullerton.  As the School Readiness Program Educator, Marla teaches supplemental skills classes for preschool and kindergarten students, parent/child interactive classes, conducts trainings and workshops for preschool staff and parents in Irvine, and develops & implements curriculum and support for ECLC and IUSD Kindergarten programs.

Sarah McGuire, Early Childhood Education Specialist smcguire@iusd.org Sarah McGuire has her Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies with a focus on education from California State University Fullerton.  In addition to her degree, Sarah has 12 units in early childhood education classes.  As the Early Childhood Education Specialist for the School Readiness Program, Sarah teaches parent/child interactive classes to prepare both parent and child for a bright future in their education endeavors.

Hayley Goldberg, Program Parent Coordinator/Marriage and Family Therapist Intern hgoldber@iusd.org Hayley is a registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UCI and her Master’s degree in Counseling from Pepperdine University. Before joining the School Readiness Program she worked as a guidance counselor for the Irvine Unified School District. Most recently Hayley worked as a therapist with children and families in the area of adoption and foster care. Hayley joined the School Readiness Program team in 2008 as the Parent Educator and Counselor. She provides parent education classes and workshops on a variety of topics relating to parenting and child development. Also offered are parenting support groups, school observations, teacher consultations, in-home parenting support and coaching, and short term solution focused family and individual counseling.

Tiffany Ferguson, Behavior Coach Tferguson84@hotmail.com Tiffany Ferguson is currently a senior at California State University, Long Beach and is majoring in Child Development.  Upon graduation, Tiffany will be applying to graduate school where she plans to earn a Master’s in Education along with a credential in Special Education.  In March 2009, Tiffany joined the School Readiness team as a Preschool Behavior Coach.  She has also worked as a teaching assistant for the School Readiness Program Educator.

Leslie Arreola, Behavior Coach lparreola@gmail.com Leslie Arreola is a Behavior Coach with the School Readiness Program as of summer 2009.  She is a student of Psychology and Child Development at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa and is working towards her Bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology.  She began her work with children in 2007, simultaneously working as a Spanish teacher’s assistant as well as a tutor for school-age children.  Subsequently, she joined Abrakadoodle’s after school program and began teaching process art to children ages two to six in community centers and elementary schools across Irvine.  After discovering a passion for working with younger children, she began working as a teacher’s aide in a preschool with her primary training in developmental curriculum.  She endorses positive discipline and promotes constructive pro-social behavior in young children in preparation for kindergarten and life.

Sharon Fitzpatrick, Secretary shfitzpa@iusd.org Sharon holds an Associate Degree in Secretarial Science (medical emphasis) from Western Wisconsin Technical Institute, LaCrosse, WI.  She worked as an Executive Secretary for Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Neenah, Wis., transferring to the World Headquarters in Dallas, TX.  Sharon moved to California and has worked in the legal field as Office Manager and Legal Assistant since 1988.  Sharon joined the IUSD School Readiness Program in 2007 providing administrative support to the program.

Joanna Ekstrom, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer vista.isrp@gmail.com Joanna Ekstrom is a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) volunteer who joined the School Readiness Program team in August of 2009.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Women’s Studies from UC Santa Barbara in June of 2009.  As a VISTA, Joanna’s focus is on maintaining and developing sustainable programs that will help the School Readiness Program thrive and grow.  During her service year, she will be working on volunteer management, fundraising projects, outreach and education, community development, and anything else that comes up during the busy workday here at the School Readiness Program.  Joanna hopes to use her year as a VISTA volunteer to gain experience and start to get a sense of what career she would like to pursue in the future.

..