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School district welcomes new employees 

New teachers paso robles

Damien Capalare, Celia Moses, and John Azevedo. Not pictured: Lauren Handley.

– The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District recently announced the addition of four new employees:

Damien Capalare – Pat Butler Elementary Principal

Capalare joined Paso Robles Joint Unified School District in 2015 and is “grateful and excited,” for the opportunity to join the Pat Butler staff as Principal. Having served multiple school districts in the Central Valley, he moved his family to Paso Robles to be part of the positive transformation that the district is making. Capalare studied and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree and teaching credential at California State University, Fresno, just down the street from his childhood home. After teaching fourth grade in Fresno, he spent a short time working for the Hawaii Department of Education before moving his family back to the Central Valley where he then taught mathematics. After receiving his administrative services credential at Fresno Pacific University, he began his administrative career in Central Unified School District at Steinbeck Elementary School where he served as Guidance Instructional Advisor. Capalare is leaving his current position as Assistant Principal at Flamson Middle School. Capalare says he considers himself a family man above all else. He is happily married to his wife, Stormy, and is father to two sons, the older of which attends transitional kindergarten in the district. He said he looks forward to the many challenges and celebrations ahead and hopes to be a fixture as an administrator in the district for years to come.

Celia Moses – Bauer Speck Elementary Guidance Specialist

Celia Moses attended Azusa Pacific University in Southern California where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She began her career as a teacher in 1992 in Pomona. She moved to Paso Robles in 1998 where she worked part time for the school district while raising her family. She served as a Spanish language translator, teaching adult English as a Second Language classes, teaching parent literacy classes, and as a substitute teacher. She returned to teaching at Virginia Peterson and Georgia Brown followed by Flamson Middle School for seven years. She was honored as teacher of the year at both Georgia Brown and Flamson Middle. Most recently, she worked as the Instructional Coach at Georgia Brown and Bauer Speck. Moses lives in Paso Robles with her husband, Mike, and two daughters who attend PRHS, Cassidy, a senior, and Sofia, a freshman.

Lauren Handley – Pre-School/Campus Connections Coordinator

Handley will be joining Paso Robles Joint Unified School District as the new Pre-School Coordinator. The district will be offering a universal pre-school beginning this August at Bauer Speck Elementary. Born in San Luis Obispo and raised in North County, Handley has been working with families in our community for nearly 20 years. After completion of high school, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in child development from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She worked as a substitute teacher while returning to school for her multiple subject teaching credential. Her love of early human development bloomed as she was hired by Cuesta College in 2006 to be the Assistant Supervisor for their Early Childhood Lab/Children’s Center, and in watching her own twin boys grow from infants to preschoolers. She said that she is excited for the opportunity to work in PRJUSD.

John Azevedo – Paso Robles High School Wrestling Coach

Azevedo grew up in Modesto, California where he was a two-time high school state champion wrestler. He earned a degree in physical education at California State University, Bakersfield. While there, he won three NCAA championships including the Division 1 Championship in 1980. Azevedo made the 1980 U.S. Olympic team (which missed the Moscow Games because of the boycott), and was ranked as high as fourth in the world in freestyle wrestling. After an injury ended his hopes of making the 1984 Olympic team, Azevedo turned his attention to coaching. He spent eight years as an assistant at Arizona State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Bakersfield. In 1989, Azevedo took over the wrestling program at Calvary Chapel High School in Santa Ana where he led the team to a then-record seven state championships and 10 CIF championships in 12 years. Mr. Azevedo became the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo head coach in 2004. While there, he coached nine All-Americans, two NCAA finalists, and nine PAC 10 champions, and the list goes on. Azevedo continues to train hundreds of wrestlers in the Hitchcock/Azevedo Wrestling Camps in Squaw Valley. He has been married to his wife, Theresa, for 35 years and has two daughters: Jessica who works as a paralegal in Grover Beach and Janelle who is a nurse in Sacramento. He is also the proud grandfather to Blair and Gideon.

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.