ABOUT MS. LARA
Hello. My name is Sharon Lara and I am a Special Education Teacher at PRIDE Academy for students with IEPs in grades 5-8. I have worked in the special education field, with students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities, for the last 31 years. I have been employed by Santee School District since 2015. I worked at Rio Seco for 6 years as both an SDC teacher and an RSP teacher, then I became the Special Education teacher for the Alternative School for grade levels K-8 and all disability levels in the Santee School District. This is my second year at PRIDE Academy.
To tell you a little about myself, I am a native to the San Diego area. I am the mother of three grown children, and the grandmother of four beautiful granddaughters, all living close by. My youngest child, and only son, is 34 years old and he was born with Down syndrome. As his mother, I experience first-hand the life changes that impact the family of a child with special needs. When my son started attending public school, at the age of 3, I began volunteering in his class. I discovered my calling, to work in the field of special education, and was soon hired as an Instructional Assistant.
While walking alongside my son on his educational journey I had the opportunity to see the effect special education teachers had on my son and our family. I realized that I wanted to have that same impact on other students with special needs, and their families, so I enrolled in college with the goal of becoming a special education teacher.
I graduated from National University, Summa Cum Laude, with my Master of Science Degree in Special Education. I hold cleared Special Education Teaching Credentials in both Mild-to-Moderate and Moderate-to-Severe disabilities. In addition, I have a Bachelor’s Degree with minors in Behavioral Science, Humanities, and Business. My Associate's Degree is in Interpreting for the Deaf.
Please know that I value communication with the parents/guardians of my students, so if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me at any time. I do check my email several times each day, so the best way to contact me is through email. However, you can also reach me at my office number or through Google Voice. If you contact me during the school day, I may be unable to answer your call. If you leave me a voice message or Google Voice text, I will return your call or text as soon as I am able.
Thank you for the wonderful opportunity of working with you and your child this school year!
- My Email: [email protected]
- My Office Phone: 619-956-5249
- My Google Voice: 619-483-1944 (texting only)