Special Education Programs/Directory


Dear SVUSD Families, 

Welcome to the Special Education Department at Scotts Valley Unified School District. We look forward to partnering with you, your child, and our education team to guarantee your student gets the best education support and services needed to be a successful learner. 

Sincerely, 
Amy Churchill, Director of Special Education 

If you suspect your child has a disability, do not hesitate to contact our department or your site administrator. 

Early detection and intervention is important! 

Churchill, A.

Amy Churchill
Director of Special Education
831-438-1820
Ext: 123

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Special Education is a specialized instruction provided for children from birth to age 22 who qualify according to the laws and regulations outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004).  In accordance with State and Federal law, SVUSD offers a range of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) programs based on student needs.

Please find the proposed 2023-2024 Special Education Local Plan (SELPA) below:

Please find the 2022-2023 Special Education Local Plan (SELPA) below:

Christina V

Christina Vienola
Administrative Assistant
Student Services
Ext: 102

Special Education Personnel

Director of Special Education                  

Amy Churchill
(831) 438-1820 ext. 123
achurchill@scottsvalleyusd.org

Administrative Assistant

Christina Vienola
(831) 438-1820 ext. 102
cvienola@scottsvalleyusd.org

Occupational Therapist

Nicole Melwani
nmelwani@scottsvalleyusd.org

School Psychologist/Program Specialist

Sonia Rodriguez
srodriguez@scottsvalleyusd.org

Adapted Physical Education Teacher

Lewis LaHood
llahood@scottsvalleyusd.org

School Psychologist/Program Specialist

Juliet Drumm
jdrumm@scottsvalleyusd.org

School Psychologist

Marilyn Veincentozs
mveincentozs@scottsvalleyusd.org

Brook Knoll Special Education Teachers/Providers

Resource Specialist

Edie Creamer
ecreamer@scottsvalleyusd.org                  

Special Day Class Teacher

Samantha Nielsen
snielsen@scottsvalleyusd.org

Speech Language Pathologist

Georgia Stein
gstein@scottsvalleyusd.org

 Special Day Class Teacher

Meghann Gelter
mgelter@scottsvalleyusd.org

Vine Hill Special Education Teachers/Providers

Resource Specialist

Stacey Barros
sbarros@scottsvalleyusd.org                 

Speech Language Pathologist

Kirsten Maure
kmaure@scottsvalleyusd.org

Middle School Special Education Teachers/Providers

Resource Specialist

Emma Thorpe
ethorpe@scottsvalleyusd.org

Resource Specialist

Katie Payne
kpayne@scottsvalleyusd.org           

Speech Language Pathologist

Caroline Norton
cnorton@scottsvalleyusd.org

Special Day Class Teacher/Educational Specialist

Denise Gorelick
dgorelick@scottsvalleyusd.org

High School Special Education Teachers/Providers

Resource Specialist

Cheryl Ruyle
cruyle@scottsvalleyusd.org

Resource Specialist

Glenn Soto
gsoto@scottsvalleyusd.org

Speech Language Pathologist

Caroline Norton
cnorton@scottsvalleyusd.org

Special Day Class Teacher

Jenny Daniels
jdaniels@scottsvalleyusd.org