California School News Radio
California School News Radio is a weekly podcast focused on education issues at public school districts hosted by Kevin Ausmus and Drew Schlosberg. Peruse our library of clips from past shows.
New Beginnings: A Conversation with Lynwood Unified’s Top Administrators
Released: October 8, 2025 • Duration: 1:02:22
Lynwood Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Gittisriboongul and Asst. Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Maribel Martinez discuss their new roles in the district as top administrators, implementing a 100-day plan, the four pillars that make up the District’s strategic plan, their focus on mental wellness and commitment to students and families, and the personal journeys they took that inspired them to become educators.
Listen to older seasons of the California School News Radio podcasts:
Season 8 Podcasts
Listen to our older podcasts from this season:
| Date | Episode | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2025 | New Beginnings: A Conversation with Lynwood Unified’s Top Administrators | Lynwood Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Gittisriboongul and Asst. Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Maribel Martinez discuss their new roles in the district as top administrators, implementing a 100-day plan, the four pillars that make up the District’s strategic plan, their focus on mental wellness and commitment to students and families, and the personal journeys they took that inspired them to become educators. | 1:02:22 |
| October 1, 2025 | Breaking Barriers: Dual Language Immersion and Award-Winning Schools in Covina-Valley | Manzanita Elementary School Principal Amanda Vanessa Noriega discusses the Covina-Valley Unified school’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, its designation as a National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) 2025 Top Schools Award winner, administering DLI programs across the United States, growing up as an English learner, what training and education is needed to teach a DLI class, and how she came to love the Los Angeles Dodgers. | 57:37 |
| September 17, 2025 | Precious Resources: A Day in the Life of an Award-Winning Resource Specialist | Live Oak Elementary School Resource Specialist and Fontana Unified School District 2024–25 Teacher of the Year Michelle Vazquez discusses developing Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for students with a wide range of disabilities, preparing students to transition to middle school and encouraging them to advocate for themselves, talking with parents about the need for services, collaborating with classroom teachers and aides, assisting SPED teachers through her Stepping Into Special Education podcast, and her experience as a contestant on “American Idol.” | 1:00:32 |
| September 11, 2025 | Many Oceans to Cross: The Amazing Journey of El Monte Union Principal Jose Bañas | Mountain View High School Principal Jose Relson Bañas left a small farm village in the Philippines more than 20 years ago, traveling to Southern California to teach mathematics. The El Monte Union administrator retraces the steps of his journey, from the Philippines to Compton to El Monte, and discusses the metaphorical oceans he had to cross to be successful, those of fear, doubt, and insecurity. Bañas also discusses assimilating to American pop culture, his fascination with numerology, and how he found his community in Southern California. | 1:00:03 |