Stacey Carniglia teaches physical education to special education students at Tracy High. She has been a part of the staff for 27 years, but plans to retire within the next three years. In her free time she loves to travel and does a lot of outdoor activities with her nephews.

Where did you attend high school? “St. Mary’s High School in Stockton, I graduated in 1975.”

Where did you  attend college? “San Joaquin Delta College for my Business AA. I got my teaching credential at Sacramento State and finished at the University of the Pacific.”

Did you always want to teach special education? “I wanted to teach regular P.E. at first, but an teacher at U.O.P offered a scholarship to get my Masters in special education. I also took other classes dealing with special ed.which I enjoyed.”

Did you have any prior experience with special ed. before Tracy High? “As a student I volunteered to help with the Special Olympics at St. Mary’s every Easter.”

How do you approach teaching special ed.? “I like to have fun, and I want my students to have fun, but I also want them to be successful. I like to challenge my students to reach their full potential.”

What do you get out of teaching? “You can watch students experience things outside of Tracy which is so gratifying. Education is the smallest part of being a teacher. You also have to be a counselor, nurse, a parent, and a friend.”

What do you love most about teaching? “Some people say I must have so much patience to work with these kids, but in reality you need more patience to teach regular students. These kids are always so happy to see me and they never complain. It’s a really good feeling.”

What do you like to do on your free time? “Go out on my R.V. or boat, surf, play golf, go mountain biking, boogie board, and travel with my nephews Benjamin, Nicholas, and Noah.”

Where have you traveled to? “I have been to Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and all over the United States. The only states I haven’t been are Rhode Island, Louisiana, and Ohio.”

What do you plan to do after you retire? “I would like to play golf, surf, travel, and engage in more family oriented activities.”