Bette Empol joined the CVAS staff in August 1999 as an ESL teacher, and in 2000 became the Community Based English Tutoring (CBET) Coordinator for CVUSD. After teaching ESL for 5 years, Ms. Empol became the ESL Coordinator, and continues to enjoy working with the students and community in both programs. One of her favorite days is in May when the ESL program holds its International Day and celebrates all the different cultures of the students.

Ms. Empol holds a B.A. degree in Rhetoric and Public Address from CSUN, a California elementary teaching credential, and certificates in TESOL and CLAD. Ms. Empol taught middle school in LAUSD and in Oak Park.  She came to CVAS after 20 years in the corporate workforce, mostly in sales, and has a background in Human Resources.

Ms. Empol serves as a board member of CATESOL (ESL teachers) as the Socio-Political Coordinator for Adult Schools, Community Colleges, and Universities in California and Nevada. In her spare time she enjoys reading mysteries, baking, Sudoku, playing poker and Mahj Jong.

Most important to Ms. Empol is her family which consists of her long-time boyfriend (who she refers to as her spousal equivalent), three children and their spouses, and her adorable grandson. Last year, Ms. Empol became a grandmother and urges you to stop by her office so she can show you many pictures of her family along with the other love in her life, her cat Chloe.

ESL teacher Steve Benson, who has taught at Conejo Valley Adult School since 2005, delights in “the sense of accomplishment and gratification helping adults communicate better with their children, improve their job opportunities, and learn civic lessons in order to become U.S. citizens.” Mr. Benson works with ESL students on English and computer skills.

Mr. Benson was educated at the University of Illinois, where he attended on a full academic scholarship. He did his postgraduate work at the University of California, where he earned Honor Society status.

Steve, also attended the Jewish Theological Seminary, was formerly a counselor at Jewish Children’s Bureau and and elementary school teacher at St. Vincent’s School, as well as within CVUSD. He has also worked in woodworking and antiques at Renaissance Remodel and as a manager at Natural Food Co-op.

Now an ESL teacher, Mr. Benson enjoys observing “the dedication so many students exhibit working toward their goals of better lives for their families, the respect and honor they bestow on teachers, and the personal satisfaction of their continued success.”

Joyce McIntire has been an ESL instructor at Adult School for seven years. She currently teaches all levels of ESL. She formerly taught at La Reina High School. She loves working with students that are highly motivated to learn.

Joyce has a B.A. in English, a single-subject teaching credential in English an Psychology, and a TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification, which she earned at UC Santa Barbara.

Her hobbies include reading and traveling. She especially enjoys visiting hotels and inns that hold historical significance. 

Irene Freeman has worked at Adult Ed since 1989, where she has taught every level of ESL, including TOEFL preparation. She graduated from Thousand Oaks High School (and was a classmate of Mike Waters, Adult School Principal!), then attended UCLA where she earned a B.A. in English. She subsequently received her Master’s in English at Cal State University, Northridge.

Irene’s career started with a two-year Peace Corps-sponsored English teaching commitment in Morocco. She then taught ESL at a private school in Santa Monica for one year, after which she taught ESL to French businessmen at a community college in Liverpool, England. While there, she received the Royal Society of Arts certificate.

After returning to the U.S., she settled in Thousand Oaks with her British husband, Ray, who had given up his practice as a lawyer to be a banker in the States. They had three children—two sons, currently in college, and one daughter, now post-collegiate.

At Adult Ed, Irene trains the tutors who work with students by imparting methodology of teaching, giving them advice, and showing them what materials to use with their tutees. She also assists students in their endeavor to learn to read English, testing them on their progress.

Irene greatly enjoys working with foreign students and loves the camaraderie of her colleagues. As one might guess, she loves every aspect of the English language, and belongs to a book club. She likes to read and write fiction, and even had a short story published in a university magazine years ago. Additionally, she is quite fond of going out for high tea.