CALSA Summer Institute 2025

In this powerful session, Dr. Zandra Jo Galván and the Salinas Union High School District Board Governance Team share how they built relational trust and launched a bold new district vision within their first 100 days together. Attendees will walk through real strategies for community engagement, board-superintendent collaboration, and co-creation of Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs. Participants will leave with tangible tools and inspiration to lead governance transformation in their own districts.

Building on the foundation set at CALSA’s winter gathering, this session shares the powerful second chapter of the Salinas Union High School District’s transformational journey. Dr. Zandra Jo Galván, Superintendent, and her Board Governance Team will present a detailed, authentic roadmap for how they deepened trust, empowered diverse voices, and translated months of engagement into an inspirational new vision, mission, and strategic action plan — all within the first 100 days.

This workshop is designed for superintendents, board members, and leadership teams seeking real strategies to transform governance practices, build relational trust, and move from listening to lasting systems change. Participants will leave with tools, templates, and a renewed sense of how authentic collaboration leads to extraordinary district-wide outcomes.

This session explores the intersection of language development and disability to ensure equitable assessment practices for multilingual learners who may meet eligibility for special education. Participants will examine how to distinguish language acquisition from potential learning disabilities through culturally and linguistically responsive assessment approaches. The session will cover legal and ethical considerations, the role of pre-referral interventions, bias reduction in assessment tools, and collaborative strategies across general education, special education, and English learner services. Attendees will leave with practical tools and frameworks to guide comprehensive, asset-based evaluations that uphold educational equity and support accurate identification and services for dually identified students.

Loyola Marymount University School of Education (LMU SOE) is designing and implementing  school counselor and teacher residency programs to address persistent staffing challenges in  partnership with local districts and charter networks. This session will showcase how LMU SOE  is co-creating a School Counselor Residency with Lawndale Elementary School District and  expanding teacher residencies with other partners to build sustainable, community-rooted  educator and school leadership pipelines.  
Participants will learn how LMU and partners are leveraging:
• Strategic funding: CTC counselor and teacher residency grants, golden state teacher grants, substitute teacher and paraprofessional allocations, LCAP-embedded funds
• Systems alignment: MTSS & CWA authorization integration, mentorship, and long-term workforce and leadership (PASC) planning
• Equity frameworks: recruitment from underrepresented communities, bilingual support, and mental health integration
The session will feature case examples, funding strategies, and practical tools for district and  charter leaders to cultivate lasting staffing solutions that start from within their communities.

Mentorship has the power to change lives — and MANA de San Diego’s nationally recognized programs, "Hermanitas" and "Tías", are shining examples of how culturally responsive support can transform the future for young Latinas.

Since 1987, the Hermanitas Program has empowered Latina middle and high school students to dream bigger, achieve higher, and lead with confidence. Through a dynamic curriculum of monthly educational seminars, leadership development, community service, and career exploration opportunities — along with participation in Girl Scouts of America — Hermanitas provides a comprehensive, empowering experience. At its core, the program matches each student with a successful Latina mentor, offering vital one-to-one guidance and inspiration. Serving first-generation and/or low-income students, Hermanitas has supported over 600 young Latinas in their journeys toward higher education and professional success.

Building upon this foundation, MANA de San Diego launched the College Success Program, extending mentorship beyond high school through its "Tías" initiative. Understanding the unique challenges faced by first-generation college students — from self-doubt to homesickness — the Tías Program pairs Hermanitas graduates with experienced MANA members who provide ongoing encouragement, advice, and a reassuring connection to "home." Whether attending a local community college or an Ivy League university, Hermanitas benefit from this support network that strengthens resilience, bolsters academic persistence, and fosters professional growth.

This session will showcase how these two interconnected programs create a powerful pipeline of leadership and success for young Latinas. Presenters will share program structure, key outcomes, and inspiring stories, while offering practical strategies for replicating similar mentorship models in other communities.

Together, we would explore key strategies that have proven effective across our districts, including:

Mentorship and sponsorship
Purposeful professional learning
Interview and budget preparation
Leadership coaching
Encouraging bold decisions to pursue advancement

A powerful throughline for our session will be confronting and dispelling the myth that the superintendency is “out of reach” or “meant for someone else.” By sharing our experiences and practical tools, we can help others see themselves in this role—and take the steps to get there.

“From Labels to Legacies: Honoring the Brilliance of Multilingual Learners” is a call to reframe how we see and support students who speak multiple languages. Rather than defining learners by what they are still acquiring, this approach celebrates the rich linguistic, cultural, and intellectual assets they already bring. It challenges educators and administrators to move beyond deficit-based labels and recognize the powerful legacies these students are building each day. This session will focus on how administrators can create intentional systems that meet multilingual learners’ goals, empower students to reclassify with confidence, and design environments that honor their brilliance. By centering asset-based practices and valuing home languages, we ensure that students are positioned to thrive academically and personally—leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.