Laurie May Virtusio is the Third year Coordinator, Expanded Learning at Newport-Mesa Unified School District.
As a district-level administrator, Laurie Virtusio joined Newport-Mesa Unified School (NMUSD) District in July 2022. She manages the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program at five district-run sites and nine community partner-run sites. This program serves over 2,000 elementary school students, focusing on English Learners, low-income, and foster youth students. Before joining NMUSD, she worked at Beverly Hills Unified School District as an English Learner (EL) Coordinator and was with the district for six years.
During the pandemic, at the time of social unrest due to the murder of George Floyd, Laurie decided it was time to align her personal and professional values and to grow in her educational leadership toward equity for all students. She looked into many programs but found LMU to be the most responsive and able to accommodate her work schedule with online classes.
Laurie’s dissertation, “Elementary Summer School: Culturally Responsive Practices and Academic Outcomes for English Learner Students in Grades 4–6,” chaired by Karen Huchting, Ph.D., examined the culturally responsive practices of a district run summer program and the academic outcomes of grade 4-6 grade English Learner (EL) students. Her personal experience of entering a California public elementary school as an English Learner led to her professional advocacy for English learner-classified students.
Laurie’s doctoral journey has shaped her lens of education and herself. Using self-reflection as an ongoing personal and professional practice, she knows the importance of uplifting students, staff, and communities in their individual and collective identities. Together, we can meet the needs of our students and families in culturally responsive ways to improve student outcomes.