For Jeff Gabrielson special education is not just a job
– it’s a way of life.
Gilroy – For Jeff Gabrielson special education is not just a job – it’s a way of life.
The new head of the Gilroy Unified School District’s special education program knows the educational issues from both sides. In addition to running the program, which serves children with special needs, advanced or remedial, Gabrielson is a parent to a child living with cerebral palsy.
“She had a stroke when coming down the birth canal,” he said as he proudly talked about his four children, ages 11, 7, 6 and 4.
The 33-year-old Marina resident brought 11 years experience in education to the district, including two years as a first- and second-grade bilingual program teacher in San Jose and two years helping to bring troubled students into mainstream education in Saratoga. Gabrielson was most recently director of special and health services with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.
The Spanish-speaking, bicultural Gabrielson was first attracted to special education when he was getting his master’s degree.
“I love to differentiate curriculum,” he said. “I love to think outside the box and be creative in serving all our students.”
The special education program deals with students who have learning difficulties whether they result from physical disabilities, behavioral issues or mental deficiencies. The program also governs the district’s accelerated Gifted and Talented Education Program. The program encompasses students living with
“We’re working with the full spectrum of exceptionalities,” he said.
Gabrielson was attracted to the district because of the leadership team of Superintendent Deborah Flores and assistant superintendents Michael Lyons and Basha Millhollen.
“The opportunity to work with this team was just too good to pass up,” he said.
Despite only three weeks on the job and facing lackluster state test results from last year in both special education and the broader academic assessments, Gabrielson is optimistic about the ongoing academic year.
“I think there’s an opportunity for working collaboratively with the curriculum and instruction department to develop intervention programs that meet all of our students,” he said. “It’s a matter of analyzing (data) and prescriptively identifying the appropriate curriculum that will address those needs.”
