Puente Teams

Each program site that implements Puente has an assigned team, consisting of a counselor and an English teacher(s) for the high school program, and a counselor and an English instructor for the community college program. These team members receive specialized initial trainings in program methodologies, which they then implement at each program school site. School-site administrators also provide program support, usually through released time and clerical assistance.

The Puente Statewide Office staff members provide additional component and regional trainings each year to site team members, as well as local support to assist with any implementation issues. Key responsibilities of each team member are clarified during program trainings and are summarized in a detailed Program Guidelines document provided to each program site. Parents and/or family of Puente students also play an important role.

Inspiring... Your creativity, new teaching theories, and counseling methodologies are worth overtime, and reflect in the way we are with our students. Adelante!"
— R.G., Community College Team Member

"Puente does more than simply tack on additional literature in the way that some schools take on holiday and food celebrations in their attempts to acknowledge campus diversity. Puente altered the teacher-student relationship as a bridge to the acquisition of power academic discourse."
— H. Duffy, Generating new possibilities: the role of ritual, routine and language in reconceptualizing teaching and learning for Puente teachers and students ( 2002)