This school year, AUSL is taking you inside the schools and communities at the heart of our work with a new School of the Month series.
Each month, AUSL Executive Director Adam Case will visit an AUSL partner school to meet with school leaders and educators, step inside classrooms, and share the people and programs that make each school unique.
We’re kicking things off at Funston Elementary School, where Adam spent time with Principal Sarah Trevino-Terronez and Funston educators to learn more about the community they’ve built.
Ask what makes Funston special, and one thing quickly becomes clear: great teachers are at the heart of the school community.
And through mentorship and the AUSL Teacher Residency, Funston isn’t only creating a place where educators want to teach. It’s helping develop future teachers who can grow into long-term members of the school community.
A School Built on Community
For Principal Trevino-Terronez, what makes Funston special starts with the relationships among students, families, educators, and community partners.
“We have wonderful community partnerships. Our staff and students are amazing. Our school community is amazing,” she said. “What’s truly, truly special is the sense of camaraderie we have at Funston.”
That sense of community extends to the educators who work there.
Tony Esposito, a Funston teacher and AUSL mentor, describes the school as a place where educators learn from one another.
“Everybody’s very collaborative and supportive, people are very generous with their time, and I’ve learned so much from my colleagues,” Tony said.
For Sally Ryan, who completed the AUSL Teacher Residency at Funston before returning to the school as a full-time teacher, the welcoming culture is one of the things that makes Funston stand out.
“I think the first three letters of the word Funston tell you what you need to know. It’s fun,” Sally said.
She also describes Funston as a “very warm place to work,” where relationships with students and families are an important part of teaching.
As a special education teacher, Sally has seen how communication with families can help educators better understand and support the individual needs of their students.
Growing the Next Generation of Teachers
That collaborative culture also makes Funston a place where aspiring educators can learn.
This school year, seven AUSL Resident Teachers are training at Funston, gaining hands-on classroom experience while learning alongside experienced mentor teachers.
“Aside from growing students, we’re also growing future teachers,” Principal Trevino-Terronez said.
For mentors like Tony, that work is an important part of being an educator.
“I love to see the growth and be a part of the educational journey of my residents,” he said. “It’s equally as gratifying as being a teacher for my students.”
But mentorship isn’t a one-way relationship.
“I’ve had residents who have also taught me so much over the years,” Tony said. “It’s really helped me hone my practice and dial things in.”
Through that exchange, Resident Teachers have an opportunity to develop their skills alongside experienced educators while mentors continue reflecting on and strengthening their own practice.
From Resident Teacher to Funston Teacher
For Nora Ahrens, that experience eventually led to a permanent place in the Funston community.
Nora completed the AUSL Teacher Residency at Funston during the 2023–24 school year, with Tony serving as her mentor teacher.
“My favorite part about AUSL was being placed in a school from day one until the last day of school,” Nora said. “Being there every single day, getting to know the kids.”
After completing her residency, Nora transitioned into a full-time role at Funston, allowing the relationships she developed during her residency year to continue.
Sally’s journey followed a similar path.
A career changer, Sally entered the Teacher Residency looking for a pathway into education. Through the program, she discovered special education was where she wanted to be.
“I love it. I’m so happy to be in special education,” Sally said. “AUSL just really laid the groundwork, and it gave me a path that I needed as a career changer to make such a big change.”
Today, both Nora and Sally are teaching in the same school where they completed their residencies.
Their journeys show how the Teacher Residency can do more than prepare an aspiring educator for the classroom. By training Resident Teachers within school communities like Funston, the Residency creates opportunities for schools to develop educators, build lasting relationships, and retain great teachers who already know their students and communities.
The Impact Comes Full Circle
For Principal Trevino-Terronez, the impact of teacher preparation is personal.
Nearly 23 years ago, she began her own journey as an AUSL resident.
“I still carry things that I learned from my mentor at AUSL with me on a daily basis,” she said.
Today, she leads a school where the next generation of Resident Teachers is beginning that same process of learning from experienced educators, building relationships with students, and developing their own approach to teaching.
“Knowing that all of that’s happening under my roof is just a huge responsibility,” she said. “And it’s really humbling.”
Her journey reflects the long-term impact educator preparation can have, from learning alongside a mentor to eventually leading a school community and supporting the development of future teachers.
What Stuck With Adam
For Adam, the visit offered a chance to see that impact firsthand.
“What really sticks with me each time is our teachers and how much they care about the work that they’re doing, the expertise they bring to it, the passion they bring to it,” Adam said.
At Funston, that commitment shows up in the relationships between teachers and students, mentors and Resident Teachers, and educators and families.
“The caring, the love, the focus on students learning. It is such an amazing thing,” Adam said. “I’m just so appreciative of the work being done here at Funston Elementary.”
And Funston is only the beginning.
Throughout the 2026–27 school year, Adam will continue visiting AUSL partner schools as School of the Month takes you inside the people, programs, and communities at the heart of AUSL’s work.
Follow AUSL on social media for an even closer look inside our School of the Month visits throughout the year.
Could Your Journey Start Here?
The AUSL Teacher Residency gives aspiring educators the opportunity to learn alongside an experienced mentor teacher while earning a master’s degree and preparing to lead a classroom of their own.
Ready to take the next step? Learn more about the AUSL Teacher Residency and apply today.
