This year we will have 3 adults in the classroom regularly!

Ms. Hendricks

My name is Meghan Hendricks and I am a level 3 special education teacher.  I have my Master's Degree in Special Education from UNM and a Bachelor's Degree in Social Justice.  I have also completed 18 hours of coursework in Gifted Education.  This is my 14th year as a classroom teacher following three years as an Educational Assistant, all with APS.  I have taught in self-contained, inclusion and resource classrooms and worked with students with many different types of exceptionalities.   I am very excited for this year of teaching at Alvarado Elementary School as a former All Star!  The North Valley is where I grew up and where I am now raising my two daughters.  They are both Alvarado All Stars in 2nd and 5th grade. My husband is a middle school teacher with APS and our family is dedicated to building community in our local public schools.

Mr. Bear

My name is John Bear and I’m the resident teacher in Ms. Hendricks special education classroom. I have a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in professional writing from UNM. For 18 years I was a journalist in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado before working as a substitute teacher and educational assistant. I’ve always felt a camaraderie with students in special education and hope to make it a second career. I’m married to a journalist and have two cats.

Ms. Chavez

My name is Christine Chavez. I am the EA helping with Mrs. Hendricks class again this year. I have been married to my husband for 32 years. I have two grown sons, who are both married. My eldest son has two sons, both of whom go to Alvarado. One is 10 and the other is 6. My youngest son is expecting their first son in November. I love camping, hunting and fishing. I have been retired, and decided to come back to work. You will see me out and about with my service dog  "Dawg". When you see us come by and say hello. 

Educational Philosophy

In our classroom, our educational philosophy is based on self-determination.  Our ultimate goal is for all students to be as independent as possible.  We strive to make my classroom a safe place to explore, discover, grow, and practice.  We will make lots of mistakes and that is how we will learn the most!  We believe a successful education is one that allows students to learn the skills they will need to accomplish their goals outside of the school setting.  To this end, we will work on academics, but also focus on building the social and functional skills needed in all the places we work and play.  In the end, we hope to help students develop resilience, empathy, coping skills, and become responsible for their own learning.  We are excited to be a partner with your family in the journey we will take this year!