For the foreign language department, one of its biggest changes has been the addition of a new Spanish teacher, Ms. Celina Ulloa.  However, the students that have taken or are currently taking Spanish already know her by the name, “Profe” as she prefers to be called. Seeing as she shadowed Mrs. Lisa Gack’s I, II, and III classes last year. 

“I enjoyed teaching with Mrs. Gack, and I wish we could co-teach together again. I enjoyed getting the feedback and working alongside her. She’s a great mentor and taught me a lot,” Ulloa said.

Prior to co-teaching, Ulloa got her start teaching Spanish at Sierra Elementary School for 4 years. She got her single subject in Spanish from William Jessup University prior. She was also raised knowing Spanish as her first language, so eventually, as teaching here became more appealing to her, she decided to teach in the foreign language department.

Ulloa simply finds joy in talking about the Spanish culture and community along with how it connects to her personal experience as a Spanish speaker.

“I came to do my student teaching here at Whitney High School, and I fell in love with the campus and the students. So I decided it was a good fit.”  

Her love for teaching and the students has already seemed to make an overall positive classroom setting as a result.  

“She does a wonderful job engaging her students and providing them with the skills they need to succeed in her class and future classes,” TA Celeste Ruiz said.

Ulloa looks forward to teaching and talking about Spanish culture full-time. 

Foreign language department chair, Lisa Gack said, “She pretty much started from day one, kinda taking things over, and was able to take the two Spanish I classes and kinda ran with them and taught them, she did a great job.”