Renee Weitzel

Biography

Renee Weitzel is an Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Education, MAT Program at the University of California, Irvine, and an Elementary Art Teacher and PLC Instructional Coach in the Capistrano Unified School District. With 27 years of experience in K-12 education, Weitzel has served in multiple roles including classroom teacher, department chair, instructional coach, and administrative team member. She received a Master of Science in Education with a Reading Specialist Credential from California State University, Fullerton in 2003.

Weitzel has been an Adjunct Lecturer at UCI since October 2020, teaching methods courses for Master of Arts in Teaching candidates specializing in visual arts education. She previously served as an Adjunct Lecturer at California State University, Fullerton from 2003 to 2004, teaching graduate-level reading and language arts courses. Throughout her career, she has worked as a master teacher with credential candidates from multiple universities including UCI, National University, Chapman University, California State University Long Beach, Concordia University, and Vanguard University for over 22 years.

In her current role as Lead Teacher for the Capistrano Unified School District's Elementary Art Program since 2024, she teaches students in grades PreK-5 across 15 schools and received the 2025 Orange County Music and Arts Educator Award for Elementary Visual Arts. She has presented workshops at the National Art Education Association conference on assessment and learning targets in visual arts education. A PLC Instructional Coach at Ladera Ranch Middle School, Weitzel supported teachers in the Professional Learning Community process and served on the site Instructional Leadership Team. She also served as a Secondary Teaching Assistant Principal I on the administrative team.

Education

• B.A. in Art Education, San Diego State University, 1997
• M.S. in Education, Reading Specialist, California State University, Fullerton, 2003

Distinctions

• Orange County Music and Arts Educator Award, Elementary Visual Arts, 2025
• Teacher of the Year, Ladera Ranch Middle School, 2014