Catherine Kuster:  

Life I apologize for the length - how does one condense 30 years into a few short paragraphs? (My brothers have often accused me of "verbal emesis" - they're right even if they are disgusting!) Well, here goes . . . After graduating from St. Lucy's in 1977, I went to Campbell High until 1980 when it closed. I spent my senior year at Blackford High where I met my husband, Armin. We both graduated in 1981. I went straight to San Jose State University, graduating in 1985 with a bachelor's degree and a multiple subject (elementary ed) teaching credential. I taught 4th grade for two years, before moving to the United Kingdom, England specifically. This move was an opportunity we had through my husband's employer that we felt we couldn't pass up. We loved to travel and spent a lot of time in Germany, France, Italy and of course, England. Our son, Max, was born in Ascot, England in 1989. We returned to California in 1990 where it soon became apparent that Max had severe developmental disabilities. He has both mental retardation and autism in the severe range. I stayed home for several years to tend to his special needs. I slowly returned to teaching by substituting for the Santa Clara County Office of Education, but this time working only as a teacher of students with severe disabilities. I went back to school at SJSU, this time to o...Expand for more