Dear Students & Families,

Welcome! I will be your English I or English III AP Teacher this year. This will be my thirteenth year teaching and my eighth year at Leander High School. I am looking forward to a fantastic year!

I love being a teacher because I love being a student. I received my B.S. in Secondary Education from Western Connecticut State University in 2009, and graduated with my M.Ed. in Education with a concentration in Instructional Design & Technology from Post University in May 2016.

Before I ventured to Texas in July 2015, I lived and taught in Connecticut. There, I was a founding member of a brand new environmental studies and early college model magnet high school for five years. This year, Connecticut River Academy was named the 2020-21 National Secondary Magnet School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America. I'm proud to have been part of its legacy.

Whether you are in English I or English III AP, my job is to prepare you to achieve your dreams and to realize your full potential. As a student, I did not always have a teacher in my corner pushing me to do my best. As your teacher, I will advocate for you while challenging you to grow and push yourself. My hope is that you will finish the year not only possessing the necessary skills to move forward, but also with a better understanding of and appreciation for yourself and the world.

I'm sure you will get to know more about me this year, and I cannot wait to get to know you!

Respectfully,

Ribas

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari

I'll add more as I read...