Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year
¡Hola! My name is Emily Zimdahl-McManus but please just call me "Profe"! Teaching Spanish is the ideal job for me because it combines my 2 passions: the Spanish language and my students. I love my job because each and every day is a new day with new adventures to experience and challenges to grow from.
Education
I have been teaching High School Spanish since I graduated from college. I attended Niagara University (NY) for both my Undergraduate Degree ('02-'05), in Spanish and Latin American Studies, as well as my Graduate Degree ('05-'06) in Secondary Education. I feel very fortunate to have studied abroad multiple times: a summer in Seville, Spain ('02) and a semester in Santiago, Chile ('05). Additionally, I studied in Thailand while pursuing my Master's Degree ('06) and have traveled to other parts of Asia and the world! I was lucky to earn a scholarship and study in Salamanca, Spain during the summer of 2017 where I polished my Spanish skills.
Teaching
I began my teaching career in a small rural suburb of Buffalo, NY where I taught for 2 1/2 years. I then moved to Pennsylvania where I taught at Clearfield High School for 4 years before moving to Bellefonte.
This is my 12th year at Bellefonte Area High School where I currently teach Spanish levels 2Academic, 4Honors (pre-AP), 5Academic and AP Spanish Language and Culture (5). I am the Chapter Sponsor and co-advisor for the Spanish Honor Society along with Señorita Smith. I am also a co-advisor for SnowSports Club!
Family
Western New York is where I grew up, specifically Grand Island, which is a suburb of Buffalo. I have family all around the country, with a vast majority residing in the Finger Lakes of NY. I currently reside in Bellefonte, along with my husband Mr. McManus, - a BAMS Math Teacher - and our two children who keep us on our toes and loving life! Can't forget to include our two dogs, Tinka & Archie, and three cats, Gilly, Alvin and Kevin.
Interests
Throughout the year, I enjoy travelling, reading and playing pickleball. In the winter I love to ski and in the summers I enjoy boating, swimming and any other type of water sport.
Student Travel
My other travel highlights would be:
My first-ever student travel trip to Spain in the summer of 2013 with 40 excellent students and parents from Clearfield.
The amazing trip to France and Spain with the World Language Department at BAHS in 2016 and the 30 travelers.
Our trip to France and Spain in 2020 was cancelled due to Covid!
An unforgettable trip to Italy, France and Spain in 2025 with 61 students and 10 adults, including most of the BASD World Language Deparment!
June of 2028 will be our next trip to Spain and maybe some other countries as well! =)