2004 Conference - Susan Gunnewig

Susan Gunnewig, BS, ME was the keynote speaker for the 2004 conference in Redding August 27-28.

Ms. Gunnewig is the Associate Director of CIRCLE (Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education) located at the University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center in Developmental Pediatrics. At CIRCLE she oversees twenty-seven research projects under the direction of Dr. Susan Landry. Prior to joining CIRCLE, Susan retired from the Houston Independent School District as Associate Reading Manager under the direction of Secretary Rod Paige. She was a classroom teacher for twenty-eight years and a registered Reading Diagnostician.

2004 - Workshop Presenters Information

Janet Barnes - Topic: Make and Take Literacy Activities, The Home Connection

  Janet Barnes explored literacy projects that attendees would want to share with their   families. Her training experience includes parent education, early childhood mentor teacher,   Pre-K guidelines facilitator, Desired Results Consultant trainer, and the California Reading   and Literacy project.

  Janet has an AA in Early Childhood Education and has been a preschool teacher for 17   years. She has also served as site supervisor and Early Reading coordinator.

Sarah Kania Topic: Building A Strong Literacy Foundation

Sarah Kania's workshop focused on early literacy and what activities promote early learning. She has a masters degree and a 6 year Certificate in Reading from Central Connecticut State University as well as her Administrative Credential.

Janet has been a classroom teacher for 11 years and has coordinated the Gifted Program for 10. Sarah has also been the district Reading Specialist and the Language Arts Coordinator for Tehama County Department of Education.

Lisa Sandberg - Topic: Numeracy Activities for Classroom and Home

  Lisa Sandberg's Workshop focused on activities that are simple and fun for children. She   has taught for over 27 years in education field specializing in Early Childhood and   Elementary Mathematics.

  Lisa has served as an Early Childhood Reading Specialist, a Curriculum Consultant for Math   and Science, and Director, GEMS Center #60 (Great Explorations in Math and Science). She   is currently pursuing a masters in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood and   Elementary Mathematics.

Kathy Villa - Topic: First and Second Language Development

Kathy Villa began her career as an educator in 1977 at a preschool in Guadalajara, Mexico, teaching English. She received her Bilingual Cross Cultural Multiple Subject Credential from Cal Poly, Pomona, California in 1984. She received her masters in Education from Sacramento State University in 1998. She has taught in Los Angeles, Shasta and Tehama Counties, grades K-8. She also has been a Bilingual Resource Teacher and is an English Language Development Teacher. Since 1989 she has taught Spanish for the Tehama County Department of Educations Summer Teachers Institute. Also, for the past four years, Kathy has been with the Family Literacy Project, working to develop literacy with migrant families in Tehama County. She also provides in-service to teachers needing to receive authorization to teach English Learners.

Paula Brown-Almond - Topic: What Do You Mean You Can't Teach Early Literacy In A Developmentally Appropriate Way?

Paula Brown-Almond is the Project Director for the California Early Reading and Literacy Project (Early Reading First Grantee). Paula has been with the Tehama County Department of Education for the past four and one half years as the Coordinator for the Local Child Care Planning Council, Program Director for the Tehama County State Preschools, and currently as the Early Reading First Director. She has a strong voice in the community as an appointed Children and Families Commissioner, and as an appointed Interagency Council Member. Paula also is a member of the Tehama County Preschool Learning Standards Committee, California Mentor Advisory Committee, California Child Development Administrations Association, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She has been an adjunct instructor in early childhood education for Shasta College since 1989. Paulas early childhood education experiences include: Coordinating a Child Care Resource and Referral Office, directing two cooperative preschools, teaching for Head Start and as an Instructional Assistant for the California public schools, childrens centers and elementary school systems.

Michelle Larsen - Topic: Healthy Students Learn Better

Michelle Larson has been a care Health Consultant in the Health Linkages Program for three years. That program focuses on health and safety issues for children 0 5 years of age. For the last year, she worked as a Supervisor for the Resource and Referral in Tehama County. Her current position, which she has had since July 1, 2004, is Supervisor of Health and Nutrition Services. Some of the programs she works with are the Nutrition Network Grant, Child and Adult Care Food Program for homes and centers, and National School Lunch Program. Prior to SCOE, she was the Nursing Supervisor for three years for Golden Umbrella at their Adult Day Health Care Center, where she monitored the health of the medically fragile and mentally disabled adults in the program. Michelle has worked as a staff nurse at different hospitals on the medical/surgical floor after receiving her Bachelors of Nursing Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently involved with the issues relating to childhood obesity and is working with Shasta CAN, Coalition for Activity and Nutrition, to keep our kids healthy through healthy lifestyles and education.

Tanya Marshall - Topic: Healthy Students Learn Better

Tanya Marshall is a Nutrition Educator with nine years experience in Nutrition Education and Dietetics. She has worked for the University California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) for the last three years as the Youth FSNEP Representative, and is currently the FSNEP (Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program) Coordinator for Shasta and Trinity County, Adult and Youth Program. In her position, she implements and trains Pre-K through grade eight teachers on using UCCE Nutrition Education Curriculum to low-income schools. Additionally, she oversees the operation of the youth and adult representatives throughout Shasta and Trinity County. Prior to her position, Tanya has worked as a Nutrition Consultant, as well as operating her own home business, while raising her two sons. In 1989, Tanya graduated for the University of California, Chico, where she received her Bachelors Degree in Dietetics. She is currently involved with issues related to childhood obesity and working with Shasta CAN (Coalition for Activity and Nutrition) to further promote community education.

In their workshop, Tanya and Michelle shared ideas for food safety, healthy lunches and reading labels. There were many activities that attendees could use successfully with parents.

Jeannie Early Jacobs, L.C.S.W. - Topic: An Asset Based Approach to Healthy Brain Development (What You do Makes a Difference)

Jeannie Early Jacobs is a psychotherapist, trainer and consultant. Jeannie has degrees in child development and social work. She has a private practice and works as coordinator of the Bridges to Success Program, an intervention and treatment program for children five and under with emotional, social or behavioral problems. Jeannie teaches for UC Davis and provides education for parents, teachers, childcare providers, foster parents and professionals. She has been a preschool teacher, a family childcare provider and is the mother of a 13 year old son and a one year old horse.

Carla Piper Ed.D. - Topic: Music, Literacy and Numeracy

Carla Piper earned her Ed.D. from the University of the Pacific in Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis in Music Education and Educational Technology. She began teaching music in junior high and elementary schools after completing her BME at the University of Nebraska. She left teaching to pursue her MA in Early Music at Stanford University. She began a performing and recording career in the San Francisco Bay Area, writing music for publishers and television producers including scores for Sesame Street, MacMillan, and Addison Wesley Publishing. She began her own music production company, Soundpiper Music, and wrote and produced musical activity recordings for preschool children, as well as all of the music for Zoo-phonics. She then returned to teaching K-5 music and Title I language arts, participating in the California Literature Project. Dr. Piper served as multiple subject faculty, and then as single subject faculty for Chapman University, as well as assistant professor at the University of the Pacific. She has combined her interests in music, literacy and numeracy as she participates in an Early Childhood Education Professional Development grant with the U.S. Department of Education.
Click here for the Music, Literacy, and Numeracy Presentation