Sequoia District Adult School

The Office Assistant Program is a technology course co-developed by Sequoia Adult School and Cañada College, modeled after Cañada’s CBOT 472: Beginning Word Processing. Designed for Level 3 and Level 4 ESL students, the class builds essential workplace digital skills such as creating presentations, organizing documents, and using common software. Students who complete the course earn 1.5 college units and can apply them toward Cañada College’s General Office Certificate.

Point of Contact:

Patty Medina (Teacher)

Office Number: (650) 306-8866 ext. 77925

Email: pmedina@seq.org  

Sequoia Adult School participates in the San Mateo County Consortium for Adult & Career Education, collaborating with five adult schools, three community colleges, and workforce organizations to share resources and support student success.

Contact Information:

Office Number: (650) 558-2111

Website: https://newfuturesanmateo.com/

Dr. Ka’Ryn Holder-Jackson (the Executive Director of SMCCACE)

Email: kholderjackson@smuhsd.org

Theresa Culverwell (Administrative Assistant)

Email: tculverwell@smuhsd.org

Sequoia Adult School partnered with Edgewood Community Center to bring their mobile drop-in center van on campus. The van provides hygiene kits, snacks, water, and information about Edgewood’s services and locations. A series of tabling events were hosted to connect students with these essential resources.

Point of Contact:

Hector Molina (Regional Outreach Coordinator)

Office Number: (415) 725-0173

Email: HectorM@edgewood.org

Sequoia Adult School partnered with Faith in Action to offer virtual “Know Your Rights” presentations for all students, regardless of immigration status. After each session, students could attend a Q&A tabling event to get guidance on interacting with ICE. A centralized Google Drive was created to provide easy access to workshop materials, flyers, and resources on immigration rights.

Point of Contact:

Triny Villagomez (Outreach Coordinator)

Email: trinidad@faithinactionba.org

Sequoia Adult School has partnered with CalFresh to bring the Healthy Living curriculum to the E.L. Civics program. This program helps students learn important health skills and supports them in completing the Health COAAP exam. Successfully passing the exam also helps the school earn recognition and funding to continue offering these resources.

Point of Contact:

Kristin A. Cunningham (Community Education Program Lead)

Office Number: (530) 750-1200 x1811

Email: kracunningham@ucanr.edu

The Student Ambassador Program offers ESL students volunteer opportunities to support Sequoia Adult School through event preparation, holiday celebrations, and assisting with registration and assessments. Ambassadors gain customer service experience while helping new students navigate the enrollment process. Their contributions are recognized at the end of the year with a special lunch and certificates honoring their service.

Point of Contact: 

Jennifer Leparmentier (Teacher)

Office Number: (650) 306-8866

Email: jleparmentier@seq.org

Sequoia Adult School hosted the Cardinal Free Health Clinic, offering free services like acute care, referrals, optometry, vaccinations, and sexual and reproductive health. The clinic provides in-person interpretation in Spanish and Mandarin and a Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Program with free cuffs and regular check-ins. Sponsored by Stanford Medicine, the clinic delivers culturally competent healthcare for uninsured students at no cost.

Point of Contact:

Emily Ruoyu Liu (Coordinator)

Email: emily712@stanford.edu

Sequoia Adult School hosts tabling events with El Concilio of San Meteo County, a nearby community partner offering consumer protection, family support, and community services. Students can be referred to El Concilio for help with bills, housing, mental health, Medi-Cal applications, and more. During the event, students had the opportunity to schedule appointments for personalized support from El Concilio staff.

Point of Contacts:

Ameyalli Rocha Coronel (Outreach Program Coordinator)

Office Number RWC: (650) 373-1080

Email: ameyalli@el-concilio.org

Guadalupe Juarez (Caseworker)

Office Number RWC: (650) 373-1080

Email: lupita@el-concilio.org

Aurelio Huizar (Program Manager)

Office Number RWC: (650) 373-1080

Email: aurelio@el-concilio.org

 

JobTrain is a local workforce development organization near Sequoia Adult School that previously provided on-site services in our classrooms. We promote JobTrain’s programs to help students access job development, career training, and employment support. Students are encouraged to visit JobTrain’s new office on North Fair Oaks for personalized guidance and resources.

Point of Contact:

Christopher Luna (Employment Specialist/ Supportive Services)

Office Number: (650) 391-3220

Email: cluna@jobtrainworks.org

Mohammad Popalzai (North Fair Oaks Site Manager)

Office Number: (650) 796-1386

Email: mpopalzai@jobtrainworks.org

Sequoia Adult School partners with the North Fair Oaks Library, whose staff visit classes to promote library services and help students sign up for library cards. The school also supports library events, workshops, and programs from San Mateo County libraries. A library book cart and a dedicated section on the community bulletin board make it easy for students to borrow books and stay informed about upcoming activities.

Point of Contact: 

Emmanuel Landa (Community Program Specialist)

Office Number: (650) 502-2414

Email: landa@smcl.org

Amairany Bueno Sanchez

Email: bueno@smcl.org

Sequoia Adult School partners with NovaWorks to connect eligible students—ages 18–24, enrolled in HSE or HSD programs, work-authorized, and fluent in English—with career and workforce development opportunities. Together, we are developing an internship in which NovaWorks will place and fund an intern at the school, providing the student with a paid stipend. This opportunity is currently in progress as both partners work to select the right candidate.

Point of Contact:

Lelan Anders (Employment Training Manager)

Office Number: (408)730-7647

Cell: (408) 966-9885

Email: landers@novaworks.org

Daisy Gaeta (Employment Training Program Coordinator)

Office Number: (408) 730-7836

Cell: (408) 568-7776

Email: dgaeta@novaworks.org

Sequoia Adult School partners with the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center to offer a recurring summer workshop series for community members interested in starting or growing a small business. The workshops cover topics like promoting businesses on social media, using small-business-friendly platforms, and creating a vision board to set clear goals. This series is designed to help local entrepreneurs build skills and strengthen their business plans.

Point of Contact:

Beatriz Orozco (Peninsula Program Coordinator)

Office Number: (650) 321-2193

Email: borozco@rencenter.org

Laura Rubio (Program Assistant)

Office Number: (650) 206-9094

Email: lrubio@rencenter.org

Sequoia Adult School partners with the Sequoia Union High School District and the Stanford Teen Health Van to offer free on-site healthcare through a mobile clinic parked in front of the school. The clinic provides a wide range of services for individuals ages 18–24, including physical exams, vaccines, medications, acute care, and family planning. Students who do not meet the age requirement may bring eligible family members or children (18–24) to receive care.

Point of Contact:

Jackie Farias (Health Aide)

Office Number: (650) 3061755 ext. 79054

Email: jfarias@seq.org

Andrez Guevara (Health & Safety Project Manager)

Office Number: (650) 369-1411 ext. 22391

Email: aguevara@seq.org

Sequoia Adult School partners with College of San Mateo’s Dental Assisting Program to offer a free 4-week introductory course designed for English language learners interested in exploring the dental field. The Transition Navigator is recruiting students from all ESL levels for this program, which includes hands-on Saturday sessions at CSM. The course will be offered at Sequoia Adult School beginning in Fall 2025.

Point of Contact:

Beth LaRochelle (Director of Dental Assistant at CSM)

Office Number: (650) 574-6211

Email: larochelleb@smccd.edu

Sequoia Adult School connects students over 18 with the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) for support with special education accommodations and employment preparation. DOR provides career counseling, job search and placement assistance, job training, and workplace accommodations, including assistive technology and adaptive equipment. Local services in San Mateo County also include assessments, case management, work experience, job coaching, and independent-living support.

Point of Contact: 

Gurinder Pabla (Student Service Coordinator)

Google Voice Phone Number: (415) 320-5837

Email: gurinder.pabla@dor.ca.gov

Chase Love is a local organization that hosts “Mercadito,” a free clothing distribution event held every third Saturday of the month. Sequoia Adult School participates by providing a resource table to share school programs and services with the community. This partnership helps connect students and families with both essential items and educational opportunities.

Point of Contact:

Roberto “Tito” Alvarez (Founder)

Phone Number: (650) 385-1893

Email: titoalvarez.97@gmail.com

Sequoia Adult School collaborates with the Cañada College NOW program to help HSD and HSE students transition into college, especially those who may not be ready for full-time classes. Cañada College NOW provides orientation, academic advising, enrollment support, and workshops on study skills, time management, and college success. The program also assists with financial aid, applications, and placement testing to ensure a smooth and confident transition to college.

Point of Contact:

Jose Zelaya (Project Director)

Office Number: (650) 306-3304

Email: zelayaj@smccd.edu

San Mateo Adult & Career Education provides free and low-cost classes to help adults build academic, career, and life skills. Students can access programs such as ESL, high school completion, career training, and workforce development services. The consortium connects adult schools and community colleges across the county to offer more opportunities and support for student success.

Contact Information:

Website page:  https://sanmateoadulted.org/

Office Number: (650) 558-2100

Email:SMACE_info@smuhsd.org

Patty Villar (Transition Navigator)

Google Voice: (650) 242-5751

Email: Pvillar@smuhsd.org

Palo Alto Adult School is a community-focused adult education institution offering a wide variety of classes to help adults meet academic, career, and personal goals.They provide free or low-cost state-supported programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL), citizenship preparation, parent education, and services for adults with disabilities. In addition, they run career training and enrichment courses — including vocational training, hobby and lifestyle classes (e.g. cooking, art, computer skills), online certificate and skill-building courses, and job-readiness support.

Contact Information:

Website page: https://paadultschool.org/

Cubberly Campus (Palo Alto Adult School Location)

Office Number: (650) 494-2326

Email:esl@pausd.org