The California School-Age Consortium is proud to highlight Sarah Izquierdo from CalSAC's Leadership Development Institute 360°/365 fellowship. Sarah is a leader who has demonstrated unrivaled commitment to the field and drive for advanced leadership in the out-of-school time and early learning field.
Sarah Izquierdo, Poway Unified School District - San Diego
Sarah Izquierdo has been working in Poway Unified School District’s Extended Student Services for the past seven years. It began as a side job to get her through college, but she quickly discovered this was where she wanted to be. She is now an ESS Supervisor and loves every wacky, hectic, fun loving minute of it. Sarah will find any reason to get out of her office and meet the kids on the playground, excite and engage them with a STEAM activity, or encourage them through their homework.
Growing up Sarah always knew she wanted to work with kids. Over the years, her goals seemed to endlessly morph; ranging from a high school history teacher, a kindergarten teacher, and even a biology professor. While these goals have ebbed and flowed one thing has remained constant, a passion for impacting children’s lives in a positive way. Sarah has found her niche at Extended Student Services in San Diego’s Poway Unified School District.
Sarah loves before/after school because of the sense of safety, security and growth that is provided for these children. While ESS may not be a typical classroom setting, students are learning priceless life lessons regarding social skills, communication, and establishing trust. This positive environment is so vital, as many of these children will be here from six in the morning all the way until six at night.
Sarah grew up in a small town in North County San Diego, her schools didn’t offer on-site childcare and many children walked home or hung around local parks unsupervised. Being shy, Sarah had a hard time finding her place and struggled amongst her turbulent home life. She found support from teachers and mentors that gave her a sense of empowerment and belonging. Sarah gives back by being that support system that she felt she lacked growing up. ESS is a place where she can connect with students and empower them to persevere, even when life feels overwhelming.
Sarah is currently working hard planning summer for her site. This will be her third year at one of PUSD’s largest ESS sites. For Sarah, summer will be full of field trips to the beach, lost sandals, endless sunscreen, a little yoga, art club, garden club, karaoke club, counting kids on the bus, waiting for the bus, dealing with cuts, scrapes and bee stings, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.
In Sarah’s free time you can expect to find her running with her dog, Sagan, hiking with her husband, Vilas, or teaching/practicing yoga.
“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”