“Ms. Maria, as her students call her, is well-loved because of her expertise in teaching, as well as the way she values each of her students as musicians. She also collaborates effectively with music teachers across our district and pushes herself to be the best teacher that she possibly can be. Though we don’t teach in the same building, I have met dozens of Ms. Maria’s students outside of school, and they all light up when talking about how much they love her and her class. Every year each of her students is given a few minutes of class time to share a musical skill with their class, making each student feel capable and worthy as a young musician. I have personally had the pleasure of collaborating with Ms. Maria, and she is both generous when sharing her materials and techniques, and humble when seeking to learn from other teachers. I felt honored by the way she values my ideas and input regardless of the differences in our experiences. Ms. Maria is an important and wonderful part of her school staff and of our entire district!”
- Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School