Hawthorne Elementary

Spanish Immersion Instructional Coach

Dr. Bernedo is a graduate of Manual High School, where her love for the Spanish language blossomed. She is a recent graduate from Indiana State University with her Ph.D. in Educational Administration, where her research was rooted in Professional Development for K-12 school leaders that work with Language Learners. Her experiences include leading an international teacher exchange program, living and teaching in Ecuador, delivering Professional Development in school districts across the state of Indiana, and being the District Coordinator of English Language Learner Programs. She is a former member of the Indiana Department of Education English Learners Leadership Team and the World Language Taskforce. She is a member of NABE (National Association of Bilingual Education), and is a certified WIDA and SIOP trainer. Currently, she serves at Hawthorne Elementary as the Spanish Immersion Instructional Coach and an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Southeast in the Language Learning Department.

#Immersion #SecondLanguageAcquisition #ProfessionalDevelopment

Bloom Elementary

Spanish, K-5

Alfonso de Torres Núñez, originally from Madrid, Spain, is currently the Spanish teacher at Bloom Elementary, in Jefferson County Public Schools. He received a BA in English Philology and a MA in Education from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He first came to the United States in 2006 in conjunction with the Fulbright Program at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a Spanish Teacher’s assistant. He later returned to the States in 2009 on the Visiting Teachers from Spain Program run through the KDE in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Spain. He worked for six years as Spanish teacher in elementary in Christian County and Jessamine County. In 2014, he became the World Languages state supervisor at the Kentucky Department of Education, position in which he served until 2019. For the last ten years, he has been involved in several professional organizations related to World Languages both at the state and national level such as KY-NNELL, AATSP, KWLA, SCOLT, CSCTFL, and ACTFL, including NCSSFL. He received the 2013 KY-NNELL Teacher of the Year Award at the Annual KWLA Fall Conference.

#SocialJustice #SocialEmotionalLearning #CareerAndTechnicalEducation #InternationalEducation

Hawthorne Elementary

Spanish Immersion: 4th Grade Math, Science & Literacy

My name is Stephanie Bellot and this is my 7th year teaching. My family is from Argentina and I am a first generation American. I am passionate about working with English learners and Spanish immersion. I spent my first 3 years teaching in the South West Side of Chicago with English learners in a sheltered English instructional model. I moved to Louisville in 2017 and obtained my National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood literacy while working in Oldham County. I transferred to JCPS this year after learning about Hawthorne's immersion program. I am ecstatic to be back in the classroom speaking Spanish and supporting dual language acquisition!

#GuidedReading #Biliteracy #CollaborativeConvserations #BiculturalPractice

Young Elementary

French, K-5

Bonjour! Je m'appelle Madame Mazzocchi! Hello! My name is Mrs. Mazzocchi! I am beginning my tenth year of teaching in the state of Kentucky. I have had the exceptional opportunity to teach all levels of language learning; pre-school through adult.

Throughout my career as a language educator, I have lived and taught high school English conversation in both Dijon and Aix-en-Provence, France, elementary and middle school ESL, middle school French to Gifted & Talented students, high school French (AP), and lectured French conversation courses at the University of Louisville. I speak English, French, and Italian and have studied French, Italian, German, Arabic, Spanish, and Greek. I have traveled to more than 25 countries as culture, language, and travel are my life's passion.

I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2003 with a degree in French Studies and in 2008 with a Masters in Teaching World Languages. I received certification to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) from Georgetown College in 2014 and a degree as Education Specialist (Ed.S.) from Northern Kentucky University in 2016.

#Travel #LanguageAndTheBrain #Semantics #Culture

St. Matthews Elementary

French, K-5

Teaching others has always been a passion of mine. Demystifying the unfamiliar gives power to the learner, and I am a born teacher. I began my teaching career in 2003 at Mercy Academy where I learned the importance of service and of teaching the learner, not the language. While at Mercy I accompanied my students to many European countries, and cherish the opportunities I had to witness the broadening of their worlds. In 2009 I came to JCPS to teach at Young Elementary and during my time there, Young became the first International Baccalaureate Elementary School in Kentucky. There I taught French to students ages 3-11, and I learned how important and natural early language learning is, but also how it can aid in students' knowledge and ability in core content. I now teach French at St Matthews Elementary and am fully embracing the possibilities in innovative world language instruction.

#Standards #VerticalAlignment #EarlyLang #Travel

Eisenhower Elementary

French, K-5

I am passionate about early world language education! I currently serve on the KWLA board as the Kentucky representative for the National Network for Early Language Learning and am working towards a PhD in Education and Social Change at Bellarmine University. My goal for our working group is create a cohesive world language experience for JCPS students beginning in kindergarten through 12th grade.

#LanguageDevelopment #ComprehensibleInput #Assessment

Fairdale Elementary

French, K-5

Erica Ridge teaches French at Fairdale Elementary. She is a member of ACTFL, KWLA, and NNELL. She has participated in the ACTFL Teacher Mentoring Program and has attended state and national conferences in language education.

#TPRS #Storytelling #SocialJustice #CrossCurricular

Hawthorne Elementary

Spanish Immersion: 2nd & 3rd Grade

#InstructionalStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment

Atherton High School

Japanese Levels 1-4 & IB

I have 30 years' experience in art and language classrooms. I developed and worked with exchange programs with two sister schools in Japan and am in my 6th year at Atherton following 8 at Ballard. I worked with a wide range of teachers as department chair, in my role as president of the National Council of Japanese Language Teachers, as a test developer and consultant with the College Board, and the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language (ACTFL), and most recently as one of the WL Standards Development Committee Members (KDE). I have authored language textbooks and support materials, and completed EdD. in international and comparative education in 2018. I believe that my role is to be an ambassador for and bridge to helping students and others learn and know about other languages and cultures, particularly those of Japan.

#Culture #Communication #Communities #ExperientialLearning

Eastern High

Spanish Levels 2, 4, & Dual Credit

Madeleine Sexton has worked as a Spanish teacher at Eastern High School in Jefferson County, Kentucky for the past 10 years. During that time, she has served as the school’s instructor for Dual Credit Spanish through Morehead State University; additionally, she brings aspects of Hispanic culture and history to the humanities department by teaching ballroom and social dance. In the classroom, Ms. Sexton is passionate about planning opportunities for students to use their language in authentic contexts. At the district level, she has worked on the World Language curriculum development cohorts and has facilitated a variety of Professional Development experiences for teachers, primarily focusing on effective implementation of technology for language learning. In 2016, Ms. Sexton received her M.A. in Spanish from the University of Louisville, including taking courses on teaching Español como Lengua Extranjera at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She was named the 2020 KY-AATSP teacher of the year. She is currently a National Board Candidate and the KWLA Secretary.

#Proficiency #ComprehensibleInput #IntegratedPeformanceAssessments #ProjectBasedLearning #WLEdTech

Marion C. Moore Middle

Spanish, 7th & 8th

Jefferson County High School

Spanish Levels 1-3

I have been in education for 20 years, with 15 of those years as a high school Spanish teacher. As a classroom teacher, I teach levels 1-3, and the last 6 years I have taught completely on-line with the eSchool program. I spent 5 years working as a Migrant Education Consultant (Title 1 Part C) for the state of KY and then nation wide. As a migrant consultant, I identified migrant families, ensured the kids received the necessary educational services, as well as trained migrant staff across the country on how to use the migrant data base (MSIX) to serve students as they moved. I have a BA in Spanish, MAT in Foreign Language Education and an MAEd in Teacher Leadership with an ESL endorsement.

#Interculturality #Diversity #SecondLanguageAcquisitionTheory #GlobalCompetence

Fern Creek High School

Spanish Level 2

Prior to joining the World Language faculty at Fern Creek High School, I was a college writing teacher and an ESL teacher. I am an advocate for communicative approaches to second language acquisition and have found that cultural study supports the communicative emphases on comprehensible input and “systems of mental representation.” I also have learned that cultural study fosters respect for those who perhaps too easily are identified as “other.”

In 2011, I completed a doctorate degree in Comparative Literature at Binghamton University, State University of New York. My work explored the possibility of ethical collaboration between First World intellectuals and subaltern (i.e. marginalized) groups in Latin America. In the classroom, my studies have translated into an evolving emphasis on social justice. Beyond the classroom, I mentor students in Fern Creek’s Alliance Club, serve on the JCTA Pride Committee and am a member of KWLA and ACTFL.

#SocialJustice #InterculturalCompetence #ComprehensibleInput

Manual High School

Spanish

Farnsley Middle School

German

I first became interested in languages because of a great German teacher I had in high school. I’ve been obsessed with languages ever since and strive to be that teacher who inspires a love for languages in others.

#Travel #Food #Etymology

Highland Middle

Spanish Immersion: 6th Grade Science

Dr. Gongora-Nieto is a native of Mexico, She was born and grew up in Mexico City. After graduating from UNAM (National University of Mexico) relocated to the USA to pursue a postgraduate degree. She has taught science and Engineering in Washington State, where she earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Science; and in Mexico City. She has taught 6, 7, 8 Grade Spanish in Louisville, work for JCPS since 2015 in the ESL department, and currently is the 6G Science Spanish Immersion Teacher at Highland MS. In her free time, she likes to cook, exercise, and travel to Mexico to spend time with her family and friends.

#WorldCultures #WorldMusic #EnglishLanguageLearners

Atherton High School

Spanish Immersion Freshmen Seminar & Career Explorations

I taught Spanish at Crosby Middle School for 12 years and then for five years at Atherton High School. After a couple years of being the Positive Action Center Coordinator, I am back in the classroom teaching a Career Exploration/Freshman Seminar class with one section as a Spanish Immersion class.

#Interculturality #Communication #Immersion

DuPont Manual High

Latin Levels 1-4 & AP

I have a BS in Animal Science, MA in Classics and Alternative Certification for teaching in K-12. I have been teaching Latin for 16 years. When I began teaching, I used the grammar/translation methods which were the traditional ways to teach Latin. Over the past ten years, I have moved to an approach which uses methods providing Comprehensible Input, creating a more fair, inclusive classroom. I have been on the board of KWLA, Vice-President and President of the Kentucky Classical Association, and am currently on the American Classical League's Membership Committee and as well as being the Certamen Chair for the Kentucky Junior Classical League.

#LanguageAdvocacy #ClassicalLanguages #ComprehensibleInput #TeacherRecruitment

Fairdale High

Spanish Levels 1-4

I have been a language teacher in some form since 1992, and have watched methodology and teaching practices evolve in such a great way. I have watched the ebb and flow of language learning through my own teachings, but also witnessing other programs in my school and city.

#Proficiency #Grammar #Linguistics #RegionalVariation

Highland Middle School

Spanish, 7th & 8th