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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Letter to the Tattler: Regina Chagolla

Received from Regina Chagolla:

Hello Emeryville Tattler,

First I would like to thank you for informing the public about the big
discussions that are being made in this small city.  In the Summer 2014 my
former director told me about a job opening at Anna Yates Elementary School.
 I got the job and months later my partner and I qualified for the City of
Emeryville's Below Market Rate Ownership Program.  I felt fortunate to live
where I work.  I finally got the chance to see students and the families in
the community.  Unfortunately, I recently made the decision to resign from
Emery Unified after an unique school year, to say the least.  I am returning
to my old job at the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley.

Being a first year teacher with a new superintendent, two new principals
and a new vice principal wasn't the best way to start nor did it help.  I
have to thank the two sources that informed me enough to get through the
year.  I thank the Emery Teachers Association, sadly it had to being during
what many of the teachers refer as their worst year.  I also thank the
Emeryville Tattler for informing the new kid on the block.  I can't tell you
just how confused I was when I showed up on on my first day as a teacher to
find out there wasn't a principal on site.  Thanks to the Tattler I
understood just why my superintendent was my substitute principal.  The
Tattler was the first to share who my board members were and how they
voted.  Does Anna Yates stay or go?  Student programs cut or increase student
access to 21st century skills?

The Tattler inspired me to attend board meetings.  As a non-tenure teacher I
feared how I would be perceived but at the same time I am a resident.  So
although I am a teacher dropout, I plan to be acquainted with the operation
and the programs of the school from a resident perspective.

Thank you,
Regina Chagolla


Regina Chagolla is an Emeryville resident and a (soon to be former) science teacher at Emery's Anna Yates Elementary School.

4 comments:

  1. As a former district employee...
    You did the right thing. There is a cancer at that district that has been there for 40+ years. I don't know what it is, administrators come and go, but it just cant seem to be excised.

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  2. Regina.....please run for the school board.

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  3. Thank you for your transparency Ms. Chagolla! It's about time someone told the truth because we all know it wouldn't come from the district. To put it simply, the 2014-2015 school year with Emery USD has been the worst that I have seen in years and that includes having Dr. Lindo as superintendent. The problem lies with the current superintendent. He came in with his own agenda and after a full year, it is clear that he has no regard for the well being of the staff, teachers, students, and their families. At the beginning of the year last summer, the superintendent gave this long speech about INTEGRITY. I'm not going to get into the long list of items, but staff members and families were upset with the schools being open during the massive storm in December. While other major districts closed around us, Emeryville stayed open. We're still waiting for a valid reason for that one. The superintendent is a micromanager and if you blink the wrong way, you're on his hit list. Cutting programs, staff, and providing limiting resources while hiring his friends with big salaries is not only unnecessary, but it's also showing a lack of concern about the well being on the staff, students, and their families. Emeryville is in a BIG mess now and with the current superintendent having no clue of what he is doing.....well......we are in BIG trouble!!! Can we bring back Dr. Lindo? Yeah, it's been that bad! I hope our Emery USD family can stick together because it is obvious that the current superintendent tends to divide our community in order to acheive HIS own goals. It should be about the students and their families, not upsetting everyone because believe it or not, we were doing a LOT better without him and his "My way or the highway mentality." Thanks again Ms. Chagolla for your transparency. It's MUCH NEEDED in our community!

    P.S. I agree with the previous comment......you'd be a GREAT addition to our school board! Best of luck to you Ms. Chagolla!

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  4. This wasn't Ms.Chagolla's first year as a teacher, as stated in her letter to the editor here, on this webpage. On the contrary, i'm aware that she worked as a kindergarten/first grade lead teacher in the 2013/2014 school year in a neighboring school district. She resigned her position mid-school year. I heard many rumors as to why she left. My child is still a student at the school Ms. Chagolla left mid-year in 2013-14.

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