Community Education announces Hazel Gaela as Basha Lil' Explorers Site Coordinator 

MAY 17, 2023       

COMMUNITY EDUCATION NEWS —  Community Education announces Hazel Gaela as Basha High School’s next Lil’ Explorers site coordinator starting in the 2023-2024 school year.   

Gaela comes to Lil’ Explorers after a two-year stint with Community Education’s Kids Express department. She previously served as a Kids Express Site Lead at Hancock Elementary School. In this position, Gaela was in charge of coordinating, organizing, and monitoring children’s activities in the day-to-day operation of the K-6th before and after school care program along with managing the site’s staff. Before her time with Kids Express, Gaela worked in an early childhood setting as the assistant director at the Goddard School for eight years. 

“This is where I belong. This is where my heart is. I’ll be back seeing children grow and develop [in an early childhood setting],” explained Gaela. “For me, early childhood is a playground for discovery, exploration, creativity, and even innovation.”

Gaela will take over for Lisa Vorpahl, the current Lil’ Explorers site coordinator at Basha High School, who is retiring after the 2022-2023 school year to spend more time with family. 

“I am honored to have worked with so many wonderful children and their families throughout the past 16 years and I value the caring connections and relationships that have developed during that time,” commented Vorpahl. “Thank you for sharing your amazing children with me all these years. Words cannot express how much I have enjoyed working with everyone to create our Lil’ Explorers family.”

Gaela, who officially assumes her new role on July 1, will work with Lil’ Explorers staff on the transition prior to Vorpahl’s last day on June 7. 

Lil’ Explorers is the Chandler Unified School District’s licensed early childhood program. In this program, 0-5-year-olds learn through play with age-appropriate curriculum on campus at Basha High School, Chandler High School, and Perry High School. Teachers work together to provide developmentally appropriate and engaging experiences that support children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, creating a foundation for lifelong learning. For more information on Lil’ Explorers, contact Lisa Vorpahl at 480-224-2139 or vorpahl.lisa@cusd80.com.

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