Jennifer Straw has worked in education since 2002 and has been part of the HTS family since 2006. She brings invaluable hands-on classroom experience to her role as our director of curriculum and instruction and her oversight of our middle school program.
After receiving her B.A. in liberal studies from CSU Monterey, Jennifer completed her teaching credential and master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in mild to moderate disabilities at SF State. She also has a certificate in autism education, is Barton System trained, and is a UC San Diego-trained mentor teacher. Jennifer has extensive knowledge of common core academic standards and ensures that our curricula meet them.
Jennifer began working at HTS as a paraeducator, then became a teacher before taking on a directorial position. Her experience in each of these roles at HTS gives her a deep understanding of our holistic, inclusive approach to education and makes her well-equipped to oversee the development and implementation of our educational programs.
Central to Jennifer’s role at HTS is training our teachers and paraeducators on Universal Design in their classrooms. Her leadership and support fuel the creativity, excellence, and innovation of our teaching staff and form the foundation of an HTS education. In overseeing our middle school students, Jennifer’s focus is on cultivating their love for learning and fostering excellence in every student’s academic, emotional, and personal journey.
Jennifer has been an invited speaker at EdMoto for her knowledge on creating a site more accessible to those with special needs. As our school garners international attention, she’s also been a part of training international delegations who visit our school in how we’ve developed our inclusive and innovative curriculum.
