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| Veronica Miranda, Jose Sanchez prepare for principal duties in Patterson |
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| Written by Maddy Houk | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 09 July 2008 | |
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“I came back to Northmead because I enjoyed working in Patterson ... This is my home — my own children attend Northmead.” - Veronica Miranda “I like taking on new challenges. That’s just me. I love challenges. My life has been a challenge itself.” - Jose Sanchez Veronica Miranda and Jose Sanchez are passionate about education and passionate about working with children. Both are new principals in the Patterson Unified School District and assumed their duties July 1. Miranda started work at Northmead Elementary School, following in the footsteps of Cathy Silva, who retired June 30. Sanchez took over from Steve Charbonneau, who is the principal at the future Walnut Grove School and will act as vice principal at Northmead and Apricot Valley until new vice principals are hired. Miranda seeks to share the dream  Veronica Miranda “I’m passionate about working with kids, and I believe we can make a difference in educating our children so they can be successful in their own lives,” she said. The oldest of seven children, Miranda moved to the United Sates with her siblings and her parents, who found jobs in a flower nursery, in 1973. “We were all English-learners,” Miranda said. “My influence came from a teacher who believed in me. I want to give children the same opportunity I had to achieve their dreams.” Her first teaching job was at Northmead, where she taught first grade for seven years. She coached English-learners at the school for two more years, until 2005, and then became the districtwide English-learner coach. “Veronica Miranda is known as a team-builder who expects the best from her students,” district Superintendent Patrick Sweeney said. Miranda left the district in 2006 and worked as an assistant principal in Turlock before retuning to the 905-student Northmead Elementary. “I came back to Northmead because I enjoyed working in Patterson with amazing people — teachers, students, school staff and the community,” Miranda said. “This is home — my own children attend Northmead.” She and her husband, George, have three sons. The eldest, George, 11, will go to Creekside Middle School in the fall, and the younger boys, Cristian, 8, and Diego, 6, will attend Northmead. Miranda graduated from California State University, Stanislaus, in Turlock in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and earned her teaching credential the following year. She is working on her master’s degree in school administration at CSU Stanislaus. Education never ends for Sanchez  Jose Sanchez “I didn’t have a very good education when I was a kid,” Sanchez said. “I was a little discouraged by not being taught the English language until I was in the fifth grade. “That’s when I told my parents, ‘Why am I not being included in the English classes?’ I wanted to learn more.” His mother talked to his teachers, who put him in English classes for the whole day, and his education took off. As he begins his duties as principal, Sanchez looks forward to instilling his love of learning throughout the school. “I’m excited. I’m just thrilled,” he said. “This is my dream — especially becoming administrator, especially with the background I came from. My parents both worked in the fields.” Sanchez earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California State University, Fresno, in May 2002 and his teaching credential from California State University, Monterey Bay, the following year. Then, he went back to the town of Castroville, where he grew up, and taught second- and third-graders for a couple of years. When he moved to the Central Valley in the summer of 2004, Sanchez took a job teaching third- and fourth-graders in the Sylvan Union School District in Modesto. He left in 2006 to become vice principal at Apricot Valley alongside then-principal JoAnne Stewart — all while attending classes in the administrative credential program he began in 2005 at CSU Stanislaus. Sanchez said that besides running the local school, he will continue his education, following in the footsteps of his mentors, some of whom he has worked with in Patterson. He is working on his master’s degree at CSUS, and he aims to earn his doctorate one day. “I have a lot of good mentors I look up to,” Sanchez said. “Dr. Patrick Sweeney is one of them. I like his leadership style. And Steve Charbonneau and JoAnne Stewart — I’ve been surrounded by great people.” Sanchez says he remains undaunted by a full day of work and school. “I like taking on new challenges,” he said. “That’s just me. I love challenges. My life has been a challenge itself.” “Jose Sanchez brings high expectations, enthusiasm and experience as assistant principal to Apricot Valley School,” Sweeney said. His wife, Sonia Sanchez, just finished her teaching degree last month. The couple has an 8-year-old son, Adrian, and a 4-year-old daughter, Leena. To reach Maddy Houk at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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