Welcome to the Central Valley Charter Schools
Dr. Steven James
I want to welcome everyone to the Yosemite Valley Special Education Department website. We believe that this is going to be a great year as I have a team of educators passionate about working with students with special needs. We do not quite have the Pandemic behind us, but it is currently business as usual for in-person services. I am confident that my team will continue to offer the best education and supports that will meet the needs of all of our special needs students.
My team believes that every student can succeed at a high level, and we will push them to places that you and your child might not have believed they could reach. Learning is hard and as educators it is our job to ensure the supports are in place. These supports must not be a crutch, but a tool or resource that will bridge and narrow the gaps between our students and their general education peers. We must always remember that a special education student is a general education student first.
I am entering my 26th year in education and my eighth working with special education and related departments. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be a classroom teacher in social science and intervention mathematics. I began my career as a special education teacher working on an emergency credential and my assignment had me assigned to a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in San Diego.
In addition to my teaching duties, I coached baseball and football for many years, before moving into administration. I had the opportunity to be a site level Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, and district level Coordinator and Director. I am entering my fourth year with the organization and my second as the Senior Special Education Director for Yosemite Valley and Monarch River Academy Charter Schools. If I can be of assistance at all, please email me at steven.james@monarchriveracademy.org or call me at (559) 370-0403.
In closing, I want to leave you with the following: “Build a bridge for all students and they will exceed your expectations. Give them a crutch and you’ll never know what they are truly capable of.”
Thank You,
Dr. Steven James
Senior Special Education Director
Yosemite Valley and Monarch River Academy Charter Schools.
"Fight On"
