Charo García Leal
Charo García Leal will be joining us as our new 5th grade teacher.
“I'm so thrilled to get to know all of you, the Arco Iris Community. I am committed to inspiring a love for the Spanish language in my students, creating an immersive learning environment where students can develop their language proficiency while gaining insights into the rich cultural heritage of Spanish-speaking countries.”
Tell us a little about you.
I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family. Luca and Leia are my children. I love music, especially singing. Flamenco music is my absolute favorite.
Who or what inspired you to become an educator?
When I was little, I used to go to school with my mom because she was a kindergarten teacher. I remember spending so much time watching her teach. My favorite game was playing school at a very early age, as I was the teacher using my mother's blackboard and my younger brother as my first student. I have always wanted to be a teacher, and I'm so grateful to my mom for showing me what it looks like!
What specifically about Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School stood out to you, and made you want to teach here?
I really like Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School. It's such a unique school. I adore the fact that it's a small school with a strong multicultural community. I was so excited to be part of it and contribute to empowering my students to become confident and competent Spanish speakers, equipped with the skills and knowledge to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
How does the Arco Iris mission and vision align with your personal values?
Throughout my teaching career, I have worked in bilingual programs and with students from culturally diverse backgrounds. Learning two languages and accepting diversity has given me and my students the chance to contribute to academic success and personal growth, fostering respect, understanding, and appreciating the individual contributions of each member of the learning community.
MartaTorralba
Join us in welcoming Marta Torralba to Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School!
“I'm excited about spending time with my students and my coworkers, getting to know each other and moving forward together throughout this year.”
Tell us a little about you
I love music in all its facets, in fact, I completed a degree as a Clarinet Teacher. I also enjoy water sports such as windsurfing and sailing, but what I like the most is sharing time and long talks with my family and friends.
Who or what inspired you to become an educator?
I think it has been a process. The care and affection of my kindergarten teachers made me want to play teachers with my stuffed toys. Then, in primary school I remember one teacher who made me really enjoy going to school. He was very supportive and encouraging with us. Moreover, apart from the curricular content he also worked on values like teamwork and empathy.
What specifically about Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School stood out to you, and made you want to teach here?
I think that from the very beginning Arco Iris values resonated with my approach towards education, especially regarding emotional care. We live in a society that evolves at breakneck speed; however, our emotions are not always able to adapt to these changes so quickly. In this sense, the fact that Arco Iris brings focus to the need to address emotional regulation in classrooms made me want to be part of this team.
How does the Arco Iris mission and vision align with your personal values?
In this sense, I also resonate with the importance of raising social awareness among students. Sometimes we usually find people who have selfish tendencies in their daily lives, therefore, I find it highly interesting that Arco Iris promotes values such as by being generous, thinking of others and encouraging teamwork.
Welcome to the team Charo and Marta. We are thrilled to have you here! Make sure to say hello to all of our new faculty members during Meet the Teacher on August 23rd and during our first day back on August 26.
Still looking for a K-5 school for your child? Time is running out. School at Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School begins soon! Only a few spots remain at our tuition-free small school community. Get all the benefits of a small and rigorous school in a true multicultural setting. Join us today!
About Arco Iris
Arco Iris Spanish Immersion is a small tuition-free public charter school providing a rich, immersive Spanish language experience and robust academics in a true multicultural setting. Centrally located off 217, between SW Portland and Tigard, we serve K-5 students in the greater Beaverton area to become bilingual and biliterate leaders of the future. We’re enrolling for Fall 2024-25.