Teachers hold rally at Stockton Arena to prepare for new school year
STOCKTON — As 40,000 Stockton Unified students get ready to head back to the classroom, teachers and staff prepared with a pep rally.
The district's new superintendent kicked it off Monday morning at the Stockton Arena, and it comes at a time when many say it's sorely needed.
Cheers and mariachi music filled the arena to welcome thousands of district teachers and staff.
It's the first time in four years the district has hosted this kind of rally. During that time came the COVID-19 pandemic and then a change at the top. Dr. Michelle Rodriguez is the new school superintendent. She talked about the values of joy and trust moving forward.
"There's a reason behind children's actions. There is a reason behind adult actions," Rodriguez said. "You just have to figure out what that is."
Rodriguez took over in her role as the district races to fill more than 100 vacant positions, offering signing bonuses up to 10,000.
Brenda Fontenot, a special education teacher with more than three decades at the California Youth Authority, wants to make a difference. She said transparency is needed.
"I love working with the kids and because I worked at the prison, I know that these kids that are in our area need special people and special people who love them," she said.