Administration & Department Support

Lorna Gilbert, Ed.D. Director

(831) 630-2525                                   Ext. 504

Tarsha Foye, Coordinator

                                                            Ext. 509

Melinda Arellano , Adm. Assistant

Ext. 511

Laura Biagini - Rodrigues, Receptionist & Clerk

3.5 hours  per day

Ext. 518

Laura Biagini - Rodrigues, Health Clerk (ECSEC)

3.5 hours  per day

Ext. 518

Jennifer Mattson, School Nurse

8 hours per week

Ext. 530

Elizabeth  Sabo, Occupational Therapist

3 days per week

Ext. 512

In the public schools, occupational therapy services support the educational team and help the student to access curriculum and engage successfully in purposeful and meaningful school occupations.  Occupational therapists use techniques that correct, facilitate or adapt the student’s functional performance in postural stability, sensory registration and processing, motor planning, fine & gross motor, activities of daily living, social play/organization of behavior, and environmental adaptations/assistive devices.  OT therapists play a valuable role in assisting school administrators in planning and implementation issues such as building modifications and new construction, special transportation, curriculum development, safety and injury prevention, and technology.

OT may be added to a student’s IEP as related services only if they are needed for the student to benefit from the special education services being provided. The term educationally relevant means that the service must be needed to enable the child to benefit from his or her educational setting.  The goals and interventions address the child’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance. As with all other related services, school-based OT should be provided only if a student needs it to benefit from special education. These services are available to all special education programs operated by the SBCOE Regional Special Education Department.  

August Kraemer, School Psychologist

Ext. 534

Katy Keithly, School Psychologist

Part time/hourly

Ext. 534

Tere Linzey, School Psychologist

Part time/hourly

Ext. 534

School psychologists provide a variety of professional services to support students, particularly assessment and counseling.  They are critical team members involved in the placement of students in Special Education classes, programs and services.  They also provide important information and support to teachers and parents/family members regarding the students’ education, living skills and behavior management.  These services are available to all special education programs operated by the SBCOE Regional Special Education Department.   

Programs & Support Services

SBCOE Alternative Schools

San Andreas Continuation High School (831-637-9269)

Santa Ana Opportunity(831-636-8408)

Pinnacles Community/Court Schools (831-636-2870)

TBH, RSP -  SAHS & SAOS

Ext. 304

Ruben Albo, RSP- SAOS., & Pin. Court &Community

Ext. 304

Carmen Del Real, Instructional Aide –SAO/SAH

Ext. 304

David Mihaljevic, SAO 5^th -8^th Grade “STEPS 2” SDC Class Teacher

Ext. 507

Mayra Damián, SAO 5^th -8^th Grade “STEPS” SDC Class  Aide

Ext. 507

Adina Austin, Mental Health Therapist (ERMHS)

Ext. 504

Liz Talbot, LSH Specialist,                            (1 day per week)

Ext. 505

Keith Thompson Non-Public School

Liz Talbot, LSH Specialist,                                             (½  day per week )

Ext. 505

South County  Rural School Districts

Serving:  Bitterwater -Tully School District , Cienega School District, Jefferson School District, Panoche School District, Southside School District, Tres Pinos School District, and  Willow Grove School District

Colleen Forbush, RSP

                                                    Ext. 508

Yvonne Maheu, LSH Specialist & RSP

                                                    Ext. 505

Speech and Language Pathologists (SLP) assess students for possible impaired speech and language disabilities.   If eligible, students are provided direct or collaborative services in the areas of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and augmented communication systems.  The SLPs are also available for consultation and support to staff members and parents.  They provide formal and informal training related to the implementation of language and communication strategies within the classroom setting.  

Ludi Rodriguez , Instructional Aide                     (6 hours)

Lydia Arteaga- Morrison Instructional Aide       (6 hours)

Low Incidence Programs

Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Orthopedically Impaired, Visually Impaired, & Orientation and Mobility

Itinerant Programs Serving All Districts within San Benito County

Janna Rudolph, DHH Teacher

Ext. 519

Yesenia Campuzano, DHH Teacher

Ext. 526

Sylvia Rogers, Instructional Aide

Ext. 520

Lee Ann Britt, OI Teacher

 Ext. 521

Leonard Espinosa, Instructional Aide

Ext. 522

Sonja Biggs*, VI Teacher and O&M Specialist

Ext. 525

Madilynn Cudney, VI Teacher and O&M Specialist

Ext. 531

Amber Martinez, Instructional Aide

Ext. 523

Cherie Reuther, Braille Transcriber

Ext. 524

Debbie Jones, Intervener (assigned to SBHSD student)

Ext. 525

The staff of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program serve students ages birth to 21 in home-based, early childhood, general education, special education and transition settings throughout many of the twelve San Benito County school districts. The Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing is responsible for conducting assessments to establish eligibility for deaf/hard of hearing services and to identify programming needs for students with a hearing loss. The Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing serves as a resource to all team members including parents, instructional and support staff, and students to provide unique information on the impact of a hearing loss on language, communication, academic and functional skill development. Related and support services such as audiology, interpreting/transliterating, transcribing, tutoring, and note-taking are also available to students as determined by IEP teams. FM amplification equipment is provided according to student need. If a deaf or hard of hearing student needs alternative, or more intensive, services than can be provided in an itinerant model, the Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing works with the district of residence to facilitate other placement options.  

The staff of the Orthopedically Impaired Program serves students with identified mild to severe orthopedic impairments, ages birth to 21 in home-based, early childhood, general education, special education and transition settings throughout many of the twelve San Benito County school districts. The Teacher of the Orthopedically Impaired (OI) is responsible for conducting assessments to establish eligibility for services and to identify programming needs for students with physical impairments. The OI teacher serves as a resource to all team members including parents, instructional and support staff, and students to provide unique information and services to enable them to function effectively in the classroom and develop skills necessary for inde

ECSEC Center

Early Start  Infant Program and Special Ed. Preschool Program

Serving all Districts within San Benito County. 

Room 3 - Special Ed Preschool

Maria Romero, ECSE Teacher

Ext. 513

Mario Bencomo, Instructional Aide

Marisa Callias, Instructional Aide

Room 4 - Special Ed Preschool

Vicki Wanken, ECSE Teacher

Ext. 514

Maria Elena Zarazoa, Instructional Aide

Briana Warnshuis-Scully, Instructional Aide

Room 5 - Special Ed Preschool

Kaleena Scargill, ECSE Teacher

Ext. 515

Norma Castaneda, Instructional Aide

Linda Buchanan, Instructional Aide

Room 6 – Early Start/Infant Program

Janet Moreno, Early Start Teacher

Ext. 516

Sandra Akers, Instructional Aide

Mari Morin, Instructional Aide

Special Assignments   

TBH, ECSE Teacher

Charlene Smith, Instructional Aide

Tracy Loveless, Instructional Aide

Liz Talbot, LSH Specialist,                            3 ½ days per week

Ext. 532

Saisha Alicea*, LSH Specialist,

Ext. 506

Aishah Patterson*, LSH Specialist,

Ext. 507

San Benito COE Regional Early Start Program provides family-focused services to infants and toddlers with disabilities (age’s birth to three years). The program goal is to provide early intervention to assist children with delays in developing and meeting milestones.  Early Start requires ongoing collaboration with San Andreas Regional Center for intake, assessment, service delivery and transition to pre-school options. It uses a planning process (Individualized Family Service Plan - IFSP) and intervention/service model components (home-based services, center activities, nutrition and parent education) that are unique. 

Some family support services and intervention opportunities available are home visits, baby group, parent participation classes/workshops, and the “Play Based Toddler Group.”

A pre-school age child may be eligible for special education if he or she meets the criteria of one of the disabling conditions recognized by the IDEA. The child must have one of the following conditions: speech-language impaired, other health impaired, hearing impaired, visually impaired, orthopedically impaired, cognitively delayed, multiply-disabled, deaf/blind, seriously emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, autism or traumatic brain injured.

Serving all the school districts in the county, the San Benito COE Regional Early Childhood Special Education Pre-school Program provides screening and assessment services.  If a child, age 3-5, is found eligible, for special education services, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meeting determines the most appropriate program and related services based upon the students’ individual strengths and weaknesses.    Some related services might be Speech and Language Service (LSH), Occupational Therapy (OT), Assistive Technology (AT), Parent Education, and Counseling.  

The program offers an integrated, non-categorical special education program with a variety of support services to assist with early learning needs.  Program and services are based on neuro-developmental and research based instructional practices.  Educational focus is on language development, social development, self-help skills, motor development, and pre-academics.  Curriculum is aligned to the CA Pre-school Foundations, integrated and multi-sensory.   Children are guided to engage in play –based instructional activities.