May 19, 2009

CSUMB administrator honored for work with teachers

Alice Flores, regional director of CalStateTEACH based at CSU Monterey Bay, was recently honored by the Association of California School Administrators.

Dr. Flores was named administrator of the year in Region 10, professor of education. Region 10 covers Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.

According to the committee that selected her, she "provided dedicated leadership toward upgrading the skills and knowledge of the teacher candidates in the tri-county area."

Dr. Flores has been at CSUMB since 2005. She came from the CSU office in Long Beach, where she was involved with the program for five years.

CalStateTEACH is a California State University online teacher preparation program for those needing to complete a credential.

Using the latest technology, the Internet and print materials, CalStateTEACH delivers high quality education to people throughout the state. The program offers an intern option for employed teachers and a traditional teacher preparation option with no campus based classes. It integrates educational theory with daily hands-on classroom teaching.

With participants in schools from here to the Oregon border, the program now enrolls about 250 students per term in the region.

"In the late 1990s, California had a teacher shortage due to class size reduction," Dr. Flores said. "This program was seen as a vehicle specifically to help rural schools find and retain teachers. The program has been very successful in alleviating the statewide shortage and providing highly trained and qualified people for the classroom."