About Ms. Calarco

My favorite food: Tortilla chips and guacamole

I have been an educator or administrator for nearly two decades. I came to education by way of Teach For America, a domestic Peace Corps like program. After graduating from Indiana University I headed to teacher boot camp in the Bronx, NY, and weeks later I was teaching elementary special education in innercity Los Angeles, CA – (where everyone was bilingual!).

After finishing my teaching commitment, I was recruited to work for Teach For America where I coached teachers as a Program Director and raised $3.2 million dollars in one year as the Director of Development. Working at Teach For America taught me important skills in business and organizational management. In my grant writing, I wrote about the amazing work teachers were doing and it inspired me to return to the classroom and school site. I quickly began taking on school administrator roles, and I helped to reform schools from the inside out. I worked in both charter schools and non-charter schools. Also during this time, I completed my Master’s in Special Education, taught new teachers at the graduate level, and completed two years towards my PhD in Educational Psychology at UCLA and CSULA before my husband was transferred to Colorado. I am humbled by the opportunity to co-found and lead the AXIS organization. And one day I will finish my dissertation and doctoral work - I believe it is never too late to learn!

Some of my favorites...

Food: Plants

Movie: Star Wars

Book: Hound from the Pound

Subject: Psychology

Color: Purple = Green (tie!)

Candy: Gummies

Season: Spring

Hobby: Exploring with my boys

Animal: Our dogs Quincy and Lia