Dear Sierra Vista Families,
My name is Maria Bello and this is my second year at Sierra Vista K-8 School. I relocated to Vacaville from South Florida last summer. Although I grew up in South Florida, I am not new to the Bay area. My husband's family lives in Vacaville, and we have always spent our summers in California. Here is a little about myself: I’m originally from Cuba. Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of education, and working diligently to achieve my goals. I received an A.A. degree from Miami Dade Community College and a Legal Assistant degree from Florida International University. Later after becoming a Mom, I decided to pursue my passion for education. I returned to school and completed my Bachelor’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in Elementary Education with an ESOL endorsement. While in school, I worked as a substitute teacher allowing me to gain valuable experience. In 2015, I was blessed to begin teaching kindergarten in Parkland, Florida. During the past 8 years teaching kindergarten, I have continued to grow as an educator by collaborating with my colleagues as well as completing professional development courses. I am so excited to be a part of our Sierra Vista K-8 family. When I am not teaching, I enjoy exercising, hiking, reading, and spending time with my family.
My philosophy of teaching is student-centered learning. I will focus on the individual child and what his/her educational needs are. I will do this by being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each of my students through continuous observations to identify what motivates them and how they learn best. I will challenge my students’ strengths and nurture any weaknesses. I will utilize creative teaching strategies to keep students motivated while guiding them and providing feedback for continuous growth. I believe it is so important to build strong relationships with my students in order to create a solid foundation that allows learning to take place. Teaching social, and emotional skills is an essential part of the whole child’s well-being. Part of my classroom routines include a morning check-in, and modeling the golden rule during each teachable moment. One of the most rewarding parts of being an educator is having my students come back to visit me as they grow into confident learners.
I’m excited to have you as a partner in your child’s education and with your support, we will make this kindergarten adventure a memorable experience. We’ll laugh, have fun, and celebrate discoveries together. I look forward to a wonderful school year!
Kind regards,
Maria Bello
[email protected]