{Toby Hopstone}
Toby Hopstone
Director of Special Services
Toby Hopstone, Ed.D., was appointed as Director of Special Services of the Walnut Creek School District beginning August 1, 2007. Before this, Dr. Hopstone was a middle school principal in Oakland for two years, and a vice principal in Brentwood for four years. Prior to these positions, she served as a program specialist for Contra Costa SELPA for nearly three years and a special education teacher for seven years; as a resource specialist, and serving severely emotionally disturbed students. Her administrative experience includes a focus on school reform by: implementing school-wide systems of common assessment, differentiation of instruction, co-developing and piloting an alternative approach to discipline based on Restorative Justice, and serving the needs of diverse learners through the appropriate modification of curriculum. She also has a strong record of building collaborative and productive ties among stakeholders to promote ongoing, positive community engagement in the schools she has served.
Dr. Hopstone’s belief in educational equity has been the underlying theme of her entire professional career. “Every day presents another opportunity for children to develop into caring, capable citizens—ready to inhabit their future. It is our responsibility to provide an educational environment that balances challenge with support, accountability with compassion, inclusion with individualization, and high expectations with flexibility.”
