This is one in a series of Q&A’s with employees new to Denair Unified in 2023-24.

Family: I come from a family of five

School: Denair Elementary Charter Academy 

Subject taught: Transitional kindergarten (TK)

Experience and education: Merced Junior College and CSU Stanislaus 

What attracted you to Denair? I come from a small town myself and I have seen how close the Denair community is and I wanted to make my mark and become a part of this community and help inspire little minds. 

What most inspires you about teaching? I am inspired to make connections with students, along with being able to make an impact on their life — just like my past elementary teachers made an impact on mine. 

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I am excited to officially take on my first year of teaching. 

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? My favorite activity during the school day is doing interactive read-alouds. This is because it enhances imagination, creativity, memory and curiosity. 

What do you want your students to remember? I want my students to remember that they are smart, kind, brave and strong!

How can parents support what you do? Parents can support me by communicating and offering suggestions that would help me provide their child a better education. 

What would surprise people about your job? Something that would shock people is that a teacher’s job is never done in the eight hours they are with their students; it continues after hours and on the weekend. What do you do for fun? I enjoy traveling to the beach and reading a good book.