First person: Meeting student needs

Tamara Moore-Callahan, executive director of student services for Clovis Schools, took over the position after Cindy Osborn retired last year.

Moore-Callahan and her husband moved to Clovis while her husband was in the military. He retired out of Cannon Air Force Base, became the pastor of St. John Baptist Church and the family has lived here for 10 years.

Student support: Student support offers a wide array of supporting services to Clovis Municipal Schools’ diverse student body. Our services are not limited to students with disabilities, we serve students who have abilities too.

Location change: I was born in Kansas City, Missouri and we’ve moved around a lot. New Mexico is geographically very different from where I’m from. But we are blessed in every place we go to. More than ever, we learned that home is where the heart is.

Resume: I have a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders, a master’s in administration and working toward a doctorate from New Mexico State University. I’m hoping to defend my dissertation in October. When I do, I’ll have a Ph.D. in education with a focus on leadership and multicultural education.

Multicultural education: Multicultural education is learning and becoming proficient in providing for the diverse needs of all students while respecting their cultural background. As we educate, it’s very important that we understand the different backgrounds of the students. And to adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of a diverse student population. I became interested in multicultural education from my personal ... experiences, the experiences of my children. Having been in education for 25 years and seeing different students struggle with different issues causes you to want to serve all students and to learn what makes each great.

Personal time: I love to sing, I love to read and just hang out with my family. Gospel music is my favorite when I’m singing. I like to listen to all different kinds of music. It just depends on the day. Lately, the only books I read are dissertation books, but usually spiritual devotional kinds of things yield the most enjoyment. My family and I like to take mini vacations. We like to sight see, cook and eat good food and we love to laugh.