Coordinator/TOSA, Hemet USD Teacher Residency at Alder GSE
wsoto@hemetusd.org

Pronouns: she/her

Wendy Soto is the Director of the Alder Teacher Residency Program at Hemet Unified School District. She started her career in public education as an After-School Teacher at her children’s elementary school while finishing her degree. There she was hired as a Special Education Mild/Moderate Teacher and transitioned over to middle school, where she spent years instructing resource-leveled students with IEPs in separate classes and co-teaching with General Education Teachers across all content areas while supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of her students. In fall 2020, she moved up to high school before taking on her new role as Director of the Alder Teacher Residency Program at Hemet Unified School District.

During her secondary school tenure, Wendy gained leadership and organizational experience while serving in roles that included Special Education Department Chair, Grade-Level ELA Lead, and eventually Math Department Chair. From 2017–2019, she spent two years as a district TOSA Instructional Coach for all content areas at her site. At her middle school, she helped lead the Equity Team, was a technology lead, a member of the School Site Council, supported AVID and Student Success Teams, and sponsored student-led LGBTQ clubs. She has facilitated a variety of professional development sessions both live and online in addition to presenting at multiple CLMS conferences with a focus on using technology, data, and research-based strategies to support inclusion and equity to engage all students while providing access to rich and rigorous coursework.

Wendy earned her Bachelor’s degree, Teaching Credential, and Master’s degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University, and in the summer of 2021, she will start her Doctorate in Educational Leadership.