Volunteer Training Program

All course descriptions, instructor bios, and course outlines are listed in chronological order. Please scroll down to review the materials. They will all be virtual, are currently in development and may be subject to change.

Click here to complete the Registration Form for upcoming components of the Santa Fe Public Schools Volunteer Training Program.

Virtual Tutor Preparation

UPDATED COURSE!
Support for volunteers, who wish to help SFPS students through distance learning.

Thursday, January 14, 2021 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM To join the training, Click Here	Thursday, January 21, 2021 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM To join the training, Click Here
Friday, February 5, 2021 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM To join the training, Click Here	Tuesday, March 16, 2021 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM To join the training, Click Here

Course Description

As we move into a new virtual norm, the work volunteers do with students will be online. This course will help volunteers understand virtual teaching concepts and platforms, while sharing the framework and skills to engage our students and secure an exceptional education for them to be successful emotionally and academically. The course will go over best practices and expectations that differ from the traditional classroom and will provide ideas on full support for teachers and students during this time of distance learning and the hybrid model of classroom re-entry.

To view the course outline, Click Here

Instructor Biography

Sabra Romero is the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) Volunteer Coordinator under the Diversity, Equity and Engagement Department. She has held the position for four years and has built a comprehensive, all inclusive volunteer program. Last year, she launched the very first ever SFPS Volunteer Training Program and continues to expand the program and engage volunteers who work to ensure student success through supporting District and school goals.

Basic Math Tutor Preparation: Part B

Foundational Concepts and Understanding of Division and Fractions

Foundational Concepts and Understanding of Division and Fractions Updated Course!

Date: Thursday, March 25, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM To join training, Click Here
Course Description

This training is designed for tutors working with students who are primarily on the 3rd-5th grade levels of mathematics, working together to help them develop a deeper understanding of Division and Fractions. To this end, tutors will become familiar with SFPS Curriculum and the tools available, including those from enVision/Savvas. This training can be helpful to all grade levels of students who might struggle with Division or Fractions.
Tutors will help students to succeed through the confidence acquired working together to understand the progression of the conceptual process of Division. They will use skills and strategies based on Common Core Standards to solve and understand whole-number quotients and remainders, with up to three-digit dividends and two-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division.
Working with tutors, students will acquire knowledge and foundational understanding of unit fractions, finding equivalence, and comparing and ordering of fractions. Tutors will learn how to support students to apply and extend previous understandings of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions.
They will also become familiar with working with concrete and representational forms of fractions, to understand the abstract or algorithmic form of fractions.
To view course outline, Click Here

Instructor Biography

Cynthia Torcasso Photo

Cynthia Torcasso is a former Dallas ISD elementary school Math teacher. After a decades-long career in Advertising and Marketing Sales and Management, Cynthia went through the 2-year Dallas ISD Alternative Certification Program, beginning in April 2009. Upon moving permanently to Santa Fe in August 2012, Cynthia began tutoring at Salazar Elementary, joining Santa Fe For Students that became an affiliate of Communities in Schools (CIS). In October 2013, she became the CIS Volunteer Coordinator until August 2017. Cynthia was a part of the New Mexico Children’s Well-Being Study Group that provided research for Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign manager and policy director. Cynthia then worked as one of two NM Legislature House Education Committee Analysts in the 2019 session. Currently she is a volunteer tutor at Aspen Community School, since 2013, and also is a member of two Santa Fe Public Schools task forces, working with Sabra Romero to improve student academic outcomes through successful relationships with the District’s volunteers.

Working with Students Learning English as a Second Language (ESL)

This training session will review strategies that can be used by SFPS classroom volunteers to support students who are English learners (EL).

New Course!

Date: Friday, March 26, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM To join training, Click Here
Course Description

English Learners (ELs), or emergent bilingual students make up 30% of the SFPS student population. As a volunteer with SFPS it is important to think about academic strategies that support multilingual students. In this training session we will provide an overview of language acquisition and how the state of New Mexico and SFPS support emergent bilingual students. We will explore tools to use when working with English Learners and how to scaffold lessons to make them more comprehensible to students. The tips and tools presented are for English learners, but really, they work to support all students!
To view course outline, Click Here

Photo of Maeghan McComick

Maeghan McCormick is the EL Coach for the SFPS Language and Culture Department. She supports schools in identifying and serving emergent bilingual students and assessing students for English language proficiency. She also serves as an instructional coach for teachers in applying targeted language practices for English Learners in classrooms. Before joining the team at Santa Fe Public Schools she worked as a middle and high school English/ELD and Spanish teacher. She has experience working in traditional school models as well as bilingual and expeditionary learning schools in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. She has a B.A. in Spanish Language and M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of New Mexico.

Basic Math Tutor Preparation: Part B+

New Course!

Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM To join training, Click Here
Course Description

Math content objectives focusing on decimals, percentages, and solving word problems to support math tutors. The two hour workshop will offer teaching techniques, utilization of materials and further understanding and practice of the aforementioned math content objectives. Discussion of common errors will be addressed with the intention of heightened awareness during tutoring sessions.
To view course outline, Click Here

Photo of Maeghan McComick

Antonina Romp is a math teacher and math chair of Santa Fe High School. She became a teacher so she could help her students to grow to their fullest potential physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. Before teaching at Santa Fe High School, Antonina taught at the elementary level for 7 years. Her passion for math led her to transition to high school. She has a B.A in elementary and secondary education. Antonina is in the process of getting her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Outside of school she is the director of a local dance group, Los Niños de Santa Fe Y Compañía, that services ages three to adults in traditional Mexican dance.