Betty Jo Wessinger

Assistant Superintendent of Special Education
Director of Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)
Folsom Cordova Unified School District
California Hub | USA

Betty Jo Wessinger is an Assistant Superintendent of Special Education/Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Director for Folsom Cordova Unified School District in Sacramento, California. She is thrilled to be in her 25th year as an educator, and 10th year serving the school district she grew up in. She has been an advocate for children and particularly children with disabilities her entire life, having grown up with siblings who had significant needs. As an educator she has worked as a general education teacher in elementary school, a special education teacher in middle and high school, an elementary principal and special education administrator. 

In her current role, Betty Jo wears many hats but the most important hat she wears is making sure the students, families, and staff in her district feel welcome, safe, and cared for at her schools which is why Compassionate Systems has resonated with her.  Betty Jo attended Compassionate Systems Training at MIT in Spring, 2021 with her colleague Aaron Storey. Since attending the training, she and her team have implemented the contemplative practices and over a dozen of her staff have attended Compassionate Systems Training.  She and her team have provided multiple training opportunities utilizing the tools.  Compassionate Systems has changed the way she and her team work and she is firm in her belief that systems change is needed to address the inequities in the system and community in which she is working.