Assembly Member Toni Atkins visits COOK Education Center

Assembly Member Toni Atkins (center) poses with Dr. Suzy Fitch, TIEE Executive Director, and Carol Nielsen, COOK Education Center Program Coordinator

California State Assembly Member Toni Atkins and her Senior Field Representative, Lindsey Masukawa, were given a tour of TIEE’s COOK Education Center by TIEE Executive Director, Dr. Suzy Fitch. Assembly Member Atkins’ tour came as a result of her desire to learn more about the continuum of publicly funded school options for students with special needs.

Both Assembly Member Atkins and her Senior Field Representative, Lindsey Masukawa, were very complementary of the highly skilled teaching staff of COOK Education Center. They witnessed students being actively and positively engaged in instruction that met wide-ranging individual needs from personal grooming to vocational skills to high school biology.

Assembly Member Atkins also met with the San Diego region members of the California Association for Private Special Education Schools (CAPSES), who constitute the majority of non-public schools in the San Diego area. The CAPSES region members thoroughly enjoyed interacting with Assembly Member Atkins who eagerly discussed various issues of concern for schools in providing special education and services to children in these difficult economic times. Dr. Fitch, current CAPSES President, noted that Assembly Member Atkins showed great interest in CAPSES’ concerns and asked to be kept apprised of issues of concern to CAPSES members.

Assembly Member Atkins was elected in November 2010 to represent California’s 76th Assembly District in which three of TIEE’s four schools are located, including COOK Education Center, Urban Skills Center, and Children’s Workshop.