The special education department has recently hired two new staff members over the summer. After going through a long process full of interviews and applications, Kathy Pate and Brenda Tilford became part of the CHS staff. Ruth Ojeda and Helen Roberts, the co-department chairs, helped guide Pate and Tilford through the process of arriving at CHS by explaining to them what to do during class time. Both Pate and Tilford received the training they needed before being hired at CHS. Ojeda and Roberts helped them with anything they needed, and answered any questions the teachers had.

“If they have any issues with anything, I try to guide them through the system and show them the ropes. It’s been a pleasure working with both of them,” Ojeda said.

Tilford has worked as a substitute teacher for five years at different schools around Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont. She was a math teacher at Oak Hills High School in the Hisperia School District. She attended Northridge University for her undergraduate education, and received her master’s degree in special education at Cal State University. Currently, she teaches Algebra 1 at CHS and resides in Rancho Cucamonga.

“I really like the collaboration among the students and teachers, and I like the high expectations for the students,” Tilford said.

Before teaching at CHS, Pate worked as a substitute teacher for CUSD and also as an art teacher at Cal State Fullerton. She switched to special education after being excused from Cal State Fullerton due to budget cuts. Currently, she teaches both the Intervention English and Senior Foundation classes and takes a few art classes at Cal Poly Pomona. Pate’s skills as an artist come from her time as an art teacher at CSF and a good amount of practice when she was young.

“The students in special ed try hard, and that’s what’s so great about teaching them,” Pate said. “I try to keep my classes fun, but serious, and I’m good at maintaining discipline and keeping an orderly classroom. But I don’t always need to, because the students are really good. I really love it here.”

Special education at CHS is, in fact, special because the department is full of good and hardworking instructors. Both the students and the teachers do their best under tough situations.

“The best thing about special ed is that I get to watch so many wonderful students achieve their goals, and their happiness when they reach those goals. It really is amazing to watch,” Tilford said.

Pate and Tilford are proud to be introduced to CHS and added to the mix. They are more than willing to stay on staff for as many years as possible.