CARLSBAD UNIFIED CONNECTIONS

The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework provides CUSD with a structure of evidence-based supports to help teachers address the needs of the whole child. Prior to the 2026-2027 school year, dedicated MTSS teachers were present only at the elementary level in CUSD. This year, those roles and the paradigms they embody have expanded to CUSD’s secondary schools as well.

Support through MTSS has never been a solo endeavor-multiple tiers almost by definition describes educators and staff in constant collaboration. At Carlsbad High School, the term “MTSS teacher” describes a two-person team: Catsy Downie and Katrina Waidelich. And at Sage Creek, MTSS is embodied by Andrea Fett and George Porter

Carlsbad High School

At CHS, Ms. Downie and Ms. Waidelich alternate days of pushing into classrooms, providing structured, focused support to other educators during instructional time. On their off days, they each teach their own classes of high school students. Ms. Waidelich instructs eleventh-grade students through AP English, and Ms. Downie covers high school geometry. This diversity of background is part of what makes this MTSS team so effective, with a second perspective always available to offer suggestions or make observations that a single pair of eyes might miss.

Ms. Waidelich has been teaching for 16 years, six of those with CUSD. And she is a veteran of CUSD’s No Place for Hate initiative, having guided both professional development sessions for teachers and student activities since the district’s NPFH plan was put into motion three years ago. Her familiarity with board-spectrum support methods like those leveraged by No Place for Hate makes her a natural fit for the duties involved in MTSS support.

This year, MTSS at Carlsbad High is largely centered on math classes, and Ms. Downie brings with her nine years of experience teaching math to freshman Lancers. Many of the supports applied through the MTSS program look similar across subject matters, focusing on elevating the teacher and the student with universally applicable strategies.

Still, shared understanding is an important part of this process, no matter the subject. Ms. Waidelich is eager to offer her perspective on how much of a boon it can be to work with someone with extensive experience in teaching students the difference between an expression, a function, and a relation. This shared language, she says, helps establish a baseline as they both work to support that learning.

When asked what they like most about this new role, Ms. Waidelich and Ms. Downie are remarkably aligned.

Both teachers enthuse about the opportunity to move between classrooms while also continuing to teach their own classes. They cross-pollinate teaching strategies across Carlsbad High, and further afield through collaboration with MTSS staff throughout the district.

“When you push into a class, you see so many cool things happening,” says Ms. Downie. “If you’re not in the classroom, you don’t see those instructional strategies in action,” echoes Ms. Waidelich.

They love working with the students, both in their own classroom and outside of it. Both teachers have high praise for the lightbulb that goes off when students really engage, what they describe as the “big ‘Ohhhh!’ moment.” And Ms. Downie in particular appreciates the opportunity roaming as an MTSS teacher provides to connect with students she had in her own classes as freshmen.

Beyond that, both Ms. Waidelich and Ms. Downie are proud Carlsbad High School alumni. They’re grateful that MTSS gives them the opportunity to support teachers whose classes they took when they were students. By name, both teachers mention CHS math teacher Andy Rosen, whose classes they took in high school, and who they now collaborate with to provide the extraordinary education every student deserves.

Sage Creek High School

At Sage Creek, MTSS skews towards a focus on literacy. Ms. Fett and Mr. Porter have worked together teaching English at Sage since the 2016-2017 school year. For both teachers, their MTSS work is backed by that decade of experience supporting the Sage community and teaching language and literacy in the classroom.

Ms. Fett also serves as English department chair and teaches an ACE (Academic Challenge for Excellence) at Sage Creek, a program focused on individualized student support, not unlike MTSS. She notes that these skills help frame her thinking in a way that supports the work she does with students who are struggling with reading, both through CUSD’s English Language Development program and now as an MTSS teacher.

Without the alternating block schedule that shapes MTSS work at Carlsbad High, Ms. Fett and Mr. Porter both dedicate a part of every day to supporting their peers. During the time between break and lunch, they plan and review with each other and work with other educators to enhance student learning.

This is one of Ms. Fett’s favorite parts of the program, “We have some really talented teachers at Sage Creek High School, and we are excited to continue to collaborate with them in leveraging literacy in their classrooms.”

Both teachers enjoy having an opportunity to step back and brainstorm, really giving them a chance to develop strategies outside of the whirlwind that is an instructional day. They can look through data, reassess what supports are already being implemented, and refine plans for the future.

Out of this time comes concrete strategies for support built on methodology already proven to work in Sage Creek classrooms. And as at Carlsbad High, cross-departmental collaboration is a crucial part of the process.

“Many of the strategies and protocols we've shared with our staff are already used by our highly experienced English department; our aim has been to provide exposure to these strategies so they can be utilized across content areas,” affirms Mr. Porter.

Beyond the classroom, Ms. Fett and Mr. Porter are working to promote a literary environment for Sage Creek as a whole. They’re assembling a list of staff book recommendations to share with students, and planning out a campus-wide book club for staff, students, and families alike to participate in.

To summarize the good work at Sage Creek, Mr. Porter imparts, “As part of our work, we're trying to instill in our school community the idea that we are all lifelong learners, and we are all readers.”

This Veterans Day, Carlsbad Unified proudly honors the members of our school community who are serving or have served in our armed forces, here at home and around the world. Because of their service, our students grow up in a country full of opportunity and possibility.

Our staff have been given resources to help students learn about Veterans Day and why we observe it, so that the next generation understands the courage and sacrifice behind the freedoms we share.

As the daughter and granddaughter of Marines, this day holds special meaning for me. To our veterans, service members, and military-connected families: thank you. We are deeply grateful for your service and for the sacrifices you and your families make every day.

With gratitude,

Dr. Andrea Norman

Superintendent