Dr. Schmidt de Carranza has been an educator in Saint Paul Public Schools since 2003. She has served as an EL and LCD teacher at several schools in her time in Saint Paul Public School, including Hazel Park Prep Academy, Battle Creek Middle School, Highland Park Middle School, and Highland Park Senior High School.
Dr. Schmidt de Carranza achieved National Board Certification in 2009, and was successfully renewed in 2019. Dr. Schmidt de Carranza joined the Office of Multilingual Learning at the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Sophie Ly, Assistant Director
Sophie Ly shares strong ties to Saint Paul as she was born here, and also educated in Saint Paul. Ly enters her 5th year with Saint Paul Public Schools, first as an ESL Teacher at LEAP High School, Johnson Sr High, and Jackson Elementary, then as the Learning Lead at Four Seasons Elementary, and recently joined the Office of Multilingual Learning as a Supervisor.
Ly earned her Bachelor of Arts in TESOL from Crown College, her Master of Teaching ESL Education from Bethel University, and PK-12 Administration Certificate from the University of Minnesota. She also brings experience in English learner education and programming from her service at international schools overseas. She is a proud immigrant and refugee descendant living the American dream.
Maria Steigauf, MLL Supervisor
Maria Steigauf was born in Venezuela and came to the United States through a teacher's exchange program in 1993. She has been teaching for 33 years. She started teaching in SPPS in 1995. She has served as an EL and LCD teacher at Humboldt and Paul & Sheila Wellstone Elementary. She became an Interim Assistant Principal at Paul & Sheila Wellstone for six months before she joined the MLL Department.
She graduated from the "Universidad de los Andes" with a major in English education and obtained her Master's in Education and a Principal K-12 license at Hamline University. She has been involved with the Minnesota Department of Education participating in Reading, Math and Science assessment Advisory Panels to provide fair and appropriate tests for Minnesota students for 22 years. She is proud to be an English language learner and to have instilled the love of lifelong learning in her students.
Kristina Robertson achieved her dream of working for Saint Paul Public Schools in July 2022. She started her English Language (EL) teaching career in the Peace Corps - Sri Lanka. This experience began her lifelong dedication to multilingual student instruction and equity advocacy. She received her Master’s in TESOL and ESL licensure from the School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT.
She has taught ESL and led EL programming in the Twin Cities’ districts for 25 years. A lifelong learner, she has licenses in ESL, Administration, Reading, and Director of Community Education. She is completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities and is committed to systemic change for EL learner success. Her guiding belief is, “We all do better, when we all do better.”
Dr. Schmidt de Carranza has been an educator in Saint Paul Public Schools since 2003. She has served as an EL and LCD teacher at several schools in her time in Saint Paul Public School, including Hazel Park Prep Academy, Battle Creek Middle School, Highland Park Middle School, and Highland Park Senior High School.Dr. Schmidt de Carranza achieved National Board Certification in 2009, and was successfully renewed in 2019. Dr. Schmidt de Carranza joined the Office of Multilingual Learning at the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Sophie Ly shares strong ties to Saint Paul as she was born here, and also educated in Saint Paul. Ly enters her 5th year with Saint Paul Public Schools, first as an ESL Teacher at LEAP High School, Johnson Sr High, and Jackson Elementary, then as the Learning Lead at Four Seasons Elementary, and recently joined the Office of Multilingual Learning as a Supervisor.Ly earned her Bachelor of Arts in TESOL from Crown College, her Master of Teaching ESL Education from Bethel University, and PK-12 Administration Certificate from the University of Minnesota. She also brings experience in English learner education and programming from her service at international schools overseas. She is a proud immigrant and refugee descendant living the American dream.
Maria Steigauf was born in Venezuela and came to the United States through a teacher's exchange program in 1993. She has been teaching for 33 years. She started teaching in SPPS in 1995. She has served as an EL and LCD teacher at Humboldt and Paul & Sheila Wellstone Elementary. She became an Interim Assistant Principal at Paul & Sheila Wellstone for six months before she joined the MLL Department.She graduated from the "Universidad de los Andes" with a major in English education and obtained her Master's in Education and a Principal K-12 license at Hamline University. She has been involved with the Minnesota Department of Education participating in Reading, Math and Science assessment Advisory Panels to provide fair and appropriate tests for Minnesota students for 22 years. She is proud to be an English language learner and to have instilled the love of lifelong learning in her students.
Kristina Robertson achieved her dream of working for Saint Paul Public Schools in July 2022. She started her English Language (EL) teaching career in the Peace Corps - Sri Lanka. This experience began her lifelong dedication to multilingual student instruction and equity advocacy. She received her Master’s in TESOL and ESL licensure from the School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT.She has taught ESL and led EL programming in the Twin Cities’ districts for 25 years. A lifelong learner, she has licenses in ESL, Administration, Reading, and Director of Community Education. She is completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities and is committed to systemic change for EL learner success. Her guiding belief is, “We all do better, when we all do better.”
