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Husband and wife behavioral support workers Leonard and Gladis Espinoza have brought specialized abilities and a deep sense of compassion to their work with the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District.
But their most helpful tool might be the simplest one: listening to what a troubled student has to say.
“You have to sit down and just talk to them,” Leonard said. “Get them in the right state of mind and see if they’ll release something to us that will help us figure out what the problem may be and meet their needs the best we can.”
District Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga is one of the couple’s most enthusiastic supporters, saying she has watched them work and could not believe the difference they can make with individual students over the school year.
“Hiring them has provided a lifeline for kids who may have otherwise fallen through the cracks,” Dill-Varga said. “And the cool thing is that, as the kids are making progress, teachers are starting to use their strategies in their classroom.”
The birth of their first daughter proved to be the entry point in the Espinozas’ careers as specialists. Helping at her school sparked in them an interest that led to degrees in child development and a career in early childhood education. They came to the district in 2023, with Leonard working at San Juan School and Gladis at Aromas School.
Though they may be called in to help students of any age, they each have day-to-day caseloads of seven to 10 students, who have individual education plans based on their behavioral needs and any disability that interrupts their education.
“We go over their plan,” Leonard said. “See what their goals are, come up with ways to help them access their curriculum, and help them manage their behaviors.”
For those children, the plans help when they predictably begin acting in a difficult or disruptive way. They can be brought to “quiet” or “sensory” rooms with various tools designed to aid self-regulation, including fidget toys, water tables, sand tables, and coloring or painting materials.
“It helps the child self-regulate,” Leonard said. “Once we get to know a child, we see what works to get their minds to a nicer, calmer sense. And then they can return to the classroom to master the curriculum.”
For other students, the Espinozas have to find that path themselves through their communication skills and close observation. Gladis gives the example of a child who is “not ready to start his day,” and not listening to the teacher, or acting out for some unknown reason.
Responding to a call to come into the classroom to work with the student, she might begin with simple questions, like “Hey friend, how are you doing?” and “How was your night?” to try to assess their needs.
“That’s when we figure, ‘Oh, my friend might be hungry,’” she said. “Let’s offer him some food.’ Or maybe he just needs to compose himself. Let’s give him maybe 10 to 20 minutes, and when he feels better, we will take him back to class.”
The problem can be as simple as the child exhibiting too much energy because they need to use the restroom, but don’t want to miss whatever fun they are having in the classroom. Or children who had struggled that day due to the pressure of preparing to go to school.
“Sometimes parents are rushing them,” Leonard said. “They might be late already. The parents have expectations—‘get your books, get ready’—and it’s just so overwhelming for them. So we talk to them, go for a walk, and get them in the right state of mind.”
The Espinozas have another tool, small “social books,” for helping children with their regular anxieties, like being separated from their parents or taking part in activities they find disruptive to their schedules and feelings of security.
For students who are struggling after being dropped off at school, they might ask for a photograph of their parents to show the child, reinforcing the idea that their parents will return to pick them up. This can be built into a storybook with photos of the child interacting with the parents or other students to remind them of moments when they were happy in similar situations.
“We get a picture of them happy, walking with the mom as she is dropping them off,” Leonard said, “and then when she picks them up. And we can show them, ‘Remember? Your mom’s coming. She drops you off, and she comes back every time.’”
The same method can be used as a coping mechanism for other stressful situations, like riding on a bus. Photos of the child enjoying their interactions with other children during the ride can be shown to remind them that being on the bus is not so bad.
“Those books help big time,’ Leonard said. “When they’re feeling sad, they’ll get that book, and they’re hugging it, and you’re talking them through it. It helps to ease them and helps them move on.”
One huge source of behavior problems the Espinozas face is caused by the declining ability of students to focus or socialize due to constant contact with technology and social media.
Leonard says that children are isolating themselves and that increased screen time means less communication and interaction with other children.
“That’s a big problem when it comes to behavior,” he said. “Take that phone away, and their behavior jumps up tenfold. It takes a good 30 minutes to redirect their minds and get them to a place where education is a priority.”
Leonard said that parents should understand that electronic devices have a severe impact on their children in many negative ways, and that finding ways to interact with a child is critical to their growth and development.
“You have to be more interactive,” he said. “Get them out of the house, talk to them, read to them, sing with them. Take it back to the basics, right? Give them the flame of reading and writing to give them a foundation that is solid.”
Leonard said it is all part of a need to make connections with children, which is critical to the work the couple does at the school.
“People think we have magical powers with the students,” he said, “But once that child figures out that you’re there with good intentions and you really want to help them succeed, they’ll perform for you. It’s as simple as that.”
The district’s Director of Special Education, Michelle Dougherty, said that she considers Leonard and Gladis invaluable members of the school district’s team, saying their “positive ‘can-do’ attitude shines at every school site.”
“I deeply appreciate their flexibility and their unwavering commitment to our district’s mission,” she said. “They are truly essential to our success, helping ensure our students receive the guidance and encouragement they need to thrive in school and life.”
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