We are thrilled to announce that our last Staff Spotlight of the 2023-2024 school year is for South Bay’s Lead Teacher and Education Specialist Ms. Lewis!
Ms. Lewis was nominated for her unwavering commitment to student achievement. “Ms. Lewis goes the extra mile to assist students in achieving milestones as they work towards obtaining their high school diploma. Her dedication to seeing others succeed is truly remarkable. She stands by those who lack support, speaks up for the voiceless, and provides stability for those who have never had it. Her impact on our students is truly unparalleled,” said Instructional Technical Assistant Ms. Vergara.
Ms. Lewis has been with SIATech schools for 19 years! She currently serves as the instructional leader at SBIS and is responsible for a caseload of 30 independent study students ensuring that their academics, health and wellness are maintained. In addition she supports “the SIATech mission of a premier drop-out recovery program engaging students through relationship-focused, high-tech and rigorous learning experiences."
Before serving SIATech students Ms. Lewis worked as a Physical Education Specialist and Deputy Head of Year for ten years. In 1994 she participated in a Fulbright Teacher Exchange where she swapped places with another teacher in the United States. She taught for one year at Roosevelt MIddle School in San Diego. “The purpose behind the exchange is to provide opportunities for educators to develop their practice and bring global knowledge and perspectives to the classroom,” said Ms. Lewis.
1998 was the year that kickstarted Ms. Lewis' career in the direction of serving At-Promise youth as she worked as an Education Specialist at Abraxas Continuation High School. There she assisted students in special day class setting to complete high school requirements. She was also responsible for all IEP students and eventually became Department Head for Special Education. In 2004 she began her journey with SIATech as an Education Specialist at SIATech San Diego. She also worked closely with Job Corps staff to provide accommodations and support for students in their trades until 2016 when she transferred to South Bay.
Not everyone is able to find their true calling in life however Ms. Lewis is not one of those people. She is an exemplary model for support and advocacy in the lives of the students she serves. “I've been fortunate to learn from her about the significance of being a positive advocate for our students. She always greets students with a warm smile and looks for ways to brighten someone's day. It's a joy to see the sparkle in our students' eyes as she teaches them; her passion for teaching is like witnessing a beautiful art form come to life,” said Ms. Vergara.
Ms. Lewis said she chose to pursue a career in education because of a couple of impactful teachers that encouraged her to do so. In fact, she is still in contact with those teachers today and is grateful for their continued support. It is no surprise that she has also made a great impact on the students she works with and still keeps in touch with as well. This year one of her past students Grant Goodale graduated from the Space Force. Due to the strong student, teacher relationship that had formed Grant extended an invitation to his graduation to Ms. Lewis. She flew to San Antonio Texas to witness Grant's accomplishments.
Ms. Lewis shared that watching students graduate from South Bay is something that brings her an immense amount of joy. “Witnessing students who were once struggling find their path is profoundly rewarding. I am also incredibly proud of all of our alumni who come back to SBIS and share with our students their SIATech journey and their chosen career path,” said Lewis.
When she is not diligently impacting the lives of South Bay students she enjoys traveling, “do-it-yourself” home improvement projects, and all things music. “I love listening and playing music and have a go to Karaoke song list. I also play the piano, violin and other instruments. During CovidI lI taught myself how to play the ukulele,” said Ms. Lewis.
She stated that her favorite thing about working at SIATech is the supportive and collaborative work culture among the staff. “I am privileged to work alongside a great team at South Bay who are passionate about providing a premier program at South Bay,” said Ms. Lewis.
Congratulations to Ms. Lewis for this nomination! Thank you for your dedication to building relationships with our students and positively making an impact on their lives!