Get to know MDUSD's new Program Specialist Cynthia Remis

Tell us a little bit about your job I support students with special educational needs by supporting their team; parents, teachers, and administrators. Click here to know which sites Cynthia Remis covers. What inspired you to get into the field? I have always been drawn to helping those who, for some reason beyond their control, have been given extra challenges in life. What is your professional goal? Have you reached it? I would like to earn a doctorate in Educational Leadership. I have not yet reached that goal as all my extra funds have been handed over to the Regents of the University of California for my daughter's tuition at Santa Cruz. Thank goodness she is a senior! However, she is now applying for graduate schools, so Mom's plans may be put on hold awhile longer. What do you like best about your job? Seeing the fantastic work done with students by the teachers and assistants in our Special Education classrooms. Their caring and passion is extraordinary. If you could change anything about your job/services you provide what would it be? I would like to help improve the public's perceptions about the nature of work our teachers do, and have the public understand and appreciate the level of professionalism and expertise we have here in MDUSD. What are your hobbies/interests outside of work? I have many interests, particularly with anything that gets me into the great outdoors, such as hiking and biking. Indoors, I like to be creative with knitting and paper crafts. My favorite extracurricular activity is being a volunteer interpretive docent for the National Park Service at John Muir National Historic Site. It incorporates my love of the outdoors, my desire to volunteer for my country, and my interests in California history architecture, and conservation. Plus the uniform is pretty cool! (Although not as cool as the grey and green of a full-on NPS ranger!)