Job at SVA: Instructional Coach

 

Favorite Word: Conundrum

 

Favorite Color: Yellow

 

Favorite Beverage: Coffee

Favorite Snack: Kind Bars

 

Favorite Local Restaurant: Figaros

 

Wanderlust Destination: Thailand

 

A Visalia native descended from a long line of educators, Jennifer Denham was destined to end up in a classroom.  After attending Crestwood Elementary, Divisadero Middle School, and Mt. Whitney High School, she moved to Davis, California where she earned a degree from UC Davis.  After two years in the nonprofit sector, she returned to California State University Sacramento, where she earned her Teaching Credential. 

 

Ms. Denham’s experience prior to joining SVA includes three different elementary schools in two different countries, five different teaching assignments, and three years as a Curriculum Support Provider, where she provided instructional coaching for teachers and assisted the principal with administrative duties.  Jennifer has taught kindergarten (three years), fourth grade (six years) and fifth grade (three years).  During her three years teaching in El Salvador, she also earned her Master’s Degree in Education, met and married her husband, and became fluent in Spanish.  In addition to her teaching assignments, Jennifer has also led many professional development workshops on reading and writing, Common Core standards, Response to Intervention, and school-wide positive behavior and intervention supports. After two years teaching 3rd and 4th grades at SVA, Ms. Denham joined the administrative staff as Instructional Coach in 2015. 

 

Jennifer is known for her expertise in curriculum design and implementation, particularly in the area of English Language Arts.  She is passionate about teaching and is an extraordinary resource for the teaching staff at SVA. She wholeheartedly supports SVA’s mission and dedication to hands-on, project based learning, as well the school’s commitment to providing an enriching education to all students, including the arts, foreign language, and service learning. 

 

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband, Emilio, and their son, Sebastian.  Together they enjoy outdoor activities, reading, and traveling to visit friends and family across the United States and in El Salvador.