Teaching and Learning Instructional Coaches
Daniel Seward - PreK-3 Instructional Coach at Kalapuya Early Learning Center
Daniel has made his career in early childhood education for more than two decades. He began this work at the University of California, San Diego in the Preuss Lab School and the Autism Research Laboratory, while earning a bachelor's degree in Psychology. He then spent several years teaching in Head Start and community Preschool classrooms in California and Washington state before returning to graduate school to earn a master’s degree in education at the University of California, Berkeley. Since then Daniel has been a Kindergarten teacher in Oakland, California, the Hawaiian islands, and here in TTSD. He has mentored student teachers from education programs at UC Berkeley, University of Hawaii and Portland State, and worked for the Hawaii Department of Education as a coach supporting teachers in the implementation of formative assessment strategies and their interpretation through collaborative data teaming. Throughout his career Daniel has been an enthusiastic advocate for the importance of accessible and inclusive, developmentally informed early childhood education and is thrilled to continue furthering that mission in his current position as the PreK-3 Instructional Coach. Please contact Daniel Seward at dseward@ttsd.k12.or.us
Cheri Gamache - K-5 Instructional Coach at Alberta Rider Elementary
Cheri is an Instructional Coach at Alberta Rider Elementary. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Warner Pacific College and her Masters in Teaching with a Reading endorsement at George Fox University. Cheri also completed the Teacher Leadership for Equity and Social Justice Certificate at Lewis & Clark College in 2017. Cheri began her teaching career at Mary Woodward Elementary in the fall of 2000. She taught 1st grade there for 5 years and has been teaching 2nd grade at Alberta Rider Elementary since 2005. At ARE she has served on the Site council, been a member of the ARE Leadership team, and has been the Building Equity Coordinator since 2017. In her Instructional Coach role, she believes building strong relationships with staff, students, and families are the center of her work. She strives to be an effective change agent for her school and district. Please contact Cheri Gamache at cgamache@ttsd.k12.or.us
Janell Cooke - K-5 Instructional Coach at Art Rutkin Elementary
Janell received her bachelor's degree in Health Education from Linfield College and a Masters of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from George Fox University. She also holds a Reading Endorsement and a Teacher Leader Certificate, with a focus on Equity and Justice, from Lewis and Clark College. She began her teaching career in New York City as a second grade teacher in a dual immersion school. In 2007, she joined the TTSD community as a classroom teacher at Tualatin Elementary. Janell joined the Teaching and Learning Department in 2018 where she served as a district reading support coach and a K-5 Literacy/MTSS TOSA. As an instructional coach, she enjoys delivering job-embedded professional development to support new learning opportunities for adults. She is passionate about explicit and systematic instruction, as well as providing teachers with the tools required to best meet the needs of their students. Please contact Janell Cooke at jcooke@ttsd.k12.or.us
Jessica Ramirez Vasquez - K-5 Instructional Coach at Bridgeport Elementary
Jessica is an instructional coach at Bridgeport Elementary. Born and raised in Portland, she went to Macalester College in Minnesota and earned her bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies. Back in Portland, and after a year of teaching preschool, she went on to obtain her Master of Art in Teaching at the Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Jessica also earned her ESOL endorsement. She began her career in public education in the Hillsboro School District where she taught 3rd grade in the dual language program. Jessica then taught ELD in Hillsboro. In 2020, she joined the 3rd grade TWI team at Bridgeport. Now, as an instructional coach, she is passionate about supporting language learners and increasing engagement in the classroom. Please contact Jessica Ramirez Vasquez at jramirezvasquez@ttsd.k12.or.us
Jennifer Fitzpatrick - K-5 Instructional Coach at Byrom Elementary
Jen is an instructional coach at Byrom Elementary. She began her teaching career at Byrom in a job share at 4th grade in the fall of 2000. Jen has taught both primary and upper elementary grades prior to becoming a coach including grades 2, 3, and 4. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Oregon and her Master of Arts in Teaching from Pacific University. Jen is currently earning her reading endorsement through Portland State University. Jen has a passion for curriculum and instruction and has served on the district SEL Leadership Team and Byrom’s Instructional Leadership Team for many years. She finds joy in working with both students and adults to foster a love of learning. Please contact Jennifer Fitzpatrick at jfitzpatrick@ttsd.k12.or.us
Caitlin Ponzetti - K-5 Instructional Coach at C.F. Tigard Elementary
Caitlin is an Instructional Coach at CFT Elementary School. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of British Columbia and her Masters in Teaching at the University of Portland. Caitlin also holds her ESOL endorsement and graduate credits in educational leadership, instructional coaching, and instruction. Caitlin began her career teaching grades 2 and 3. Her experience as a coach began in 2016, working with middle school teachers in TTSD as an Instructional Technology Coach. Caitlin thrives on the opportunity to think differently and reimagine the possibilities in TTSD classrooms in a way that is meaningful and long lasting. She is passionate about collaborating with colleagues and connecting with each person’s passion. Her core values are authenticity, integrity, belonging, and reflection. Caitlin loves the dynamic nature of education, thinking through new problems, finding better solutions, and being a resource to help students and teachers feel empowered and successful. She believes coaching is the best job in education because she is able to connect colleagues, shine light on their skills and successes, and offer space for teachers to reflect and grow. Please contact Caitlin Ponzetti at cponzetti@ttsd.k12.or.us
Rachel Hay - K-5 Instructional Coach at Deer Creek Elementary
Rachel is an instructional coach at Deer Creek Elementary. She has experience as a classroom teacher in grades Kindergarten through third. Rachel was born and raised in the Portland area. She has worked in the Hillsboro and Sherwood School Districts and has been a grade level team leader, served on various district level curriculum committees, and has supported student success through leadership on PBIS teams. Rachel attended Oregon State University and enjoys cheering on the Beavers whenever she gets the chance. Following her undergraduate degree, she attended Portland State University where she graduated with a Master’s degree in Education and Reading Intervention Endorsement. She also completed a leadership program with George Fox University. Rachel is a relationship builder and enjoys partnering with teachers while learning and growing alongside them to support the needs of each and every student. Please contact Rachel Hay at rhay@ttsd.k12.or.us
Stephany Weedin - K-5 Instructional Coach at Durham Elementary
Stephany is an Instructional Coach at Durham Elementary. Stephany has previous experience in the classroom as a teacher of second, third, and fourth grade for 11 years. She taught in Florida, New York and Oregon. As a STEAM Coordinator, she worked with her building in helping teachers become more STEAM oriented in their classrooms and connecting with community members with their classroom. Stephany also facilitates Becoming Trauma Aware courses, Facilitating Online Learners for Adults, and the Educator Empowerment Academy which focuses on improvement science through OEA. Stephany earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Literacy from the University of Florida. Stephany has a passion for supporting students by supporting staff in continuing to reflect on their educational practices and finding room for continuous improvement and growth. Please contact Stephany Weedin at sweedin@ttsd.k12.or.us
Sonia Lauer Sealy - K-5 Instructional Coach at Metzger Elementary
Sonia is an Instructional Coach at Metzger Elementary. Sonia has taught in the Two-Way-Immersion program since 2015 where she taught first and second grade for 7 years. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Lewis and Clark College with an endorsement in ESOL and is currently earning her math endorsement at Portland State University. Sonia has a passion for working with students and educators creating bilingual and biliterate citizens. Her favorite part of working in education is building relationships with students, and their families. Please contact Sonia Lauer Sealy at ssealy@ttsd.k12.or.us
Sonia Lulay - K-5 Instructional Coach at Templeton Elementary
Sonia is an Instructional Coach at Templeton Elementary. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree and her Masters in Teaching at Oregon State University. Sonia also holds her ESOL endorsement and completed the Teacher Leadership Certificate program at Portland State in the summer of 2020. Sonia began her teaching career at Metzger Elementary in the fall of 2000. She taught 2nd and 3rd grade there for 15 years before transitioning to the role of Instructional Technology Coach in 2015. Here she collaborated with the department of Teaching and Learning and the department of Informational Technology to deliver professional growth and development opportunities to teachers in grades Kindergarten through sixth grade. In the fall of 2021, Sonia was assigned as the Instructional Coach for Templeton Elementary. In this role, she is available to invest in job-embedded, personalized, reflective coaching cycles with teachers. Please contact Sonia Lulay at slulay@ttsd.k12.or.us
Tina Johnson - K-5 Instructional Coach at Tualatin Elementary
Tina is an Instructional Coach at Tualatin Elementary. Tina has previous experience in the Lake Oswego School District where she taught second grade, first grade and kindergarten for 13 years. Tina was a TTSD kid herself and is very excited to be working in her home community. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Oregon University with an endorsement in ESOL and reading. Tina has a love for working with educators to better support student learning. Tina is passionate about building positive relationships and believes we are better together! Please contact Tina Johnson at cjohnson1@ttsd.k12.or.us
Mona Khalil - K-5 Instructional Coach at Mary Woodward Elementary
Mona earned a Bachelor’s in Education from Washington State University and a Master of Science in Education from Eastern Oregon University. She has a Reading Specialist endorsement, an Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leader certificate, and fifteen years of elementary classroom experience in grades 3-5. Currently, Mona is enrolled in the Education Leaders for Oregon’s English Learners - ESOL Endorsement program and expects to obtain her ESOL endorsement in the spring of 2025. She has knowledge and experience with programs such as GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) and SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). Mona's leadership roles, including serving as an OEA Educator Empowerment Coach, TSPC Commissioner, Oregon State School Board Teacher Advisor, Instructional Leadership Team member, and Colleagues of Color Leadership Team member, have equipped her with the skills to collaborate with educators and drive initiatives that promote instructional equity and excellence. Mona is enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring her passion for educational equity, expertise in literacy and math instruction, and dedication to supporting all students and staff at Mary Woodward Elementary School. Please contact Mona Khalil at mkhalil@ttsd.k12.or.us
Angela Harkness - K-8 Instructional Coach at Fowler MS
Angela is an Instructional Coach, Professional Developer, and Equity Coordinator in the Portland area. She earned her Master’s in Education from the University of Portland with an endorsement in Reading. She also has her ESOL endorsement from Portland State University. She has spent the last 18 years as an educator in five schools across three districts. In 2020, she co-authored and published The EduCoach Survival Guide. Angela’s fondest memories of teaching come from the four years she spent as a 6th grade teacher attending Outdoor School in rainy Oregon. Please contact Angela Harkness at aharkness@ttsd.k12.or.us
Michelle Edwards - K-8 Instructional Coach at Hazelbrook MS
Michelle is in her 23rd year in education. Her career focus has been at the elementary and middle school levels. She has experience and training in the areas of special education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), educational technology, and administration. Michelle also co-leads Hazelbrook’s Affinity Group for Pacific Islanders and serves as a member of the Equity and Instructional Leadership Teams. She has a passion for serving staff and students and strives to find ways to keep the joy of learning alive. Please contact Michelle Edwards at medwards2@ttsd.k12.or.us
Ying Knipe - K-8 Instructional Coach at Twality MS
Ying is an Instructional Coach at Twality Middle School. She has spent the last 14 years as a middle school teacher, and has previous experience in the world of hi-tech as a project manager. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) and her Masters in Teaching at Lewis & Clark College with endorsements in Language Arts and Social Studies. Ying also advises Twality’s Asian Student Union and serves on the Equity and Instructional Leadership Teams. Her favorite parts of education are building relationships and the opportunity to be creative, and she loves the weird wonderfulness that is middle school. Please contact Ying Knipe at yknipe@ttsd.k12.or.us
Kristi Latimer - 9-12 Instructional Coach at Tigard HS
Kristi has been teaching at THS for 19 years. She taught Language Arts, eventually divided her time between teaching and coaching, and no coaches full-time. She has been trained to support students and teachers using strategies from IB and AVID, as well as various trauma-Informed and language-learning protocols. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English at Reed College and her Masters in Teaching at Lewis & Clark College. Her goal is to support teachers as they help students think critically, love learning, and create a more just and equitable world. Please contact Kristi Latimer at klatimer@ttsd.k12.or.us
Becky Beeler - 9-12 Instructional Coach at Tualatin HS
In her 25th year at Tualatin, Becky is a halftime instructional coach, along with her colleague and friend, Craig Hausman, and she teaches halftime 9th grade Language Arts as well. She is currently in the implementation phase of a new program called Design Core, an interdisciplinary house based on Design Thinking, where their mission is to foster a collaborative learning environment that promotes genuine curiosity, the confidence to create, and the initiative to lead to transformational change and connection in the community. This program functions as a learning lab for any educators to come in and see what the students are creating. Becky hails from the University of Portland, where she earned both her undergraduate and Master’s degrees. She is co-chair of the Language Arts Department (with Shem Malone). Passionate about transformational change in education, she loves working with her colleagues to try innovative ideas that promote student agency and equity, engagement, critical thinking, and reminding high school students that there is joy in learning. Please contact Becky Beeler at bbeeler@ttsd.k12.or.us
Craig Hausman - 9-12 Instructional Coach at Tualatin HS
Craig is both a 0.5 teacher and a 0.5 instructional coach at Tualatin High School, as well as co-chair (with Chris Duke) of the Social Studies Department. He attended the University of Southern California, earning degrees in Journalism and Political Science, with a minor in History, before attending Seattle Pacific University to earn his teacher certification (followed by a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from City University). After teaching 5 years in the Seattle area, he returned to Oregon in 1996 and has been teaching at Tualatin High School since 1997-98. As an alum of Templeton, Fowler and Tigard High, it has been great to work in the same district, building partnerships with superb teammates and colleagues. Over the years, he has taught Newspaper, Yearbook, and Personal Finance, along with almost every Social Studies course. He served as IB Coordinator from 2003 to 2005 and taught IB History for 16 years. He has been fortunate enough to work with Becky Beeler as an instructional coach, and currently teaches Government, Economics, and History of Popular Music. He believes our teaching becomes richer as we learn from fellow teachers and reflect upon our own practice, and is excited to discover new ways to engage students in learning. Please contact Craig Hausman at chausman@ttsd.k12.or.us