QTEL Apprentices Continues with Professional Development
December 18, 2025
Huntington UFSD continues to move forward with professional development sessions related to its Quality Teaching for English Learners apprenticeship initiative.
On a recent Saturday, Huntington elementary grade level QTEL apprentices, Wendy Bonilla, Miriam Gonzalez Engle, Karen Swanson and Katie Kalkau, led a full-day professional development session.
The day highlighted the depth of their learning and growth as facilitators, as they guided colleagues through research-based strategies and practical applications to support multilingual learners.
WestEd’s QTEL works to provide both elementary and secondary educators with the tools they need to accelerate language development, academic literacy, and disciplinary knowledge of all students, particularly English learners.
Last Saturday, Huntington UFSD’s secondary grade level QTEL apprentices, Kim Schiller, Teresa Connolly, Alison Capewell and Christine Will facilitated a professional learning experience to amplify curriculum and better support multilingual learners. Teachers explored high-impact scaffolds through an exemplar lesson and then examined their own lessons to identify opportunities for amplification.
Through purposeful tasks, participants reflected on how to increase student interaction, deepen understanding, and ensure all learners can meaningfully engage with a rigorous curriculum.
“These two weekends showcased the powerful work across elementary and secondary levels and the expanding leadership of our QTEL apprentices in supporting teachers and elevating students' learning experiences,” said Judy Moroff, district director of bilingual programs and world languages. None of this work would have been possible without the support of Superintendent Beth McCoy, who has believed in this professional development since 2022.”
QTEL supports teachers’ development of expertise in providing students high challenge learning opportunities coupled with high support by offering services tailored to address the unique language assets facing individual classrooms and districts.
