Shannon Lane
Assistant Principal
Can you tell me about your teaching and administrative experience?
It’s been 20 years. I started off as an English teacher. I taught all levels from age eleven [to] AP Literature and AVID. As a teacher, I thought about what I wanted to do next. I knew I wanted to do other things. I’ve been an activities director and then a discipline dean. I was a Saturday school coordinator, a summer school principal, a nighttime principal for adult education and a vice principal. I’ve been over every different type of thing you can do. I was principal of an adult school for four years, I was principal of a middle school last year and now I’m here. I’ve decided that I wanted to step back from the lead principal role because I needed better work life balance. This school has a really collaborative team.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
As an English teacher, I like to read. I like movies and theater, those kind of go together with a lot of English teachers. I also like puzzles and Legos and things that make my brain work, but I can find peace in them at the same time. I like to put my brain at ease with puzzles. I also like Big Brother and reality television.
How did you know you wanted to get into education?
That one’s easy. I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was a little girl. I just didn’t know the age level. When I was little, I grew up in lots of different spaces, but one of those spaces was a farm in Montana. My uncle put a swing in this tree and I would read in this tree. And I knew that someday I would be a teacher. When I got to elementary school, I was like “I’m going to teach elementary school.” Then I got to high school and I went “I don’t think I can teach elementary school because I like books too much.” So I decided to be an English teacher. I thought I was going to be an English teacher and a librarian. I’m also credentialed to teach art, but I never did.
Why Aragon?
It was a last minute decision. I was like “Do I want to stay and work at a school where I know I can make a difference, but really be overextending my own life.” 14 hours a day is a lot of time. I ended up deciding I wanted to apply and I did. I thought it was a really good interview process. I really felt comfortable with Ms. Arbizu and I did a two hour walk around and met lots of teachers and students last year. Everybody was super awesome and I could feel the school’s vibe. Every school has a vibe and energy and it was really awesome.
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
It’s learning more about the school as a whole that’s important. It’s also supporting the spaces that I’ve been tasked [with]. I’ve been asked to support in counseling [and Special Education], to make sure students are getting what they need. Helping students and staff members feel successful. I feel like right now, in education as a whole, it’s hard. People are tired. It’s kind of post-COVID, but not really. I’m trying to figure out how we can get people feeling like schoolwork is approachable and people can be confident in their workspace, in their schoolspace, so they can feel safe and ready for the next step.
What is one accomplishment or project that you’re particularly proud of?
When I worked at the adult education program, it was a school that was dying. I was trying to figure out how I could make that school thrive. You want your school to be successful. When I got that job, I had only been working in high schools. There are services that support [high school] students. If you need a bus pass, you can get a bus pass. If you need food, you can get food. But at the adult level there were no services for them. So I helped open a food pantry and a clothing closet and a job system so students could go and get work and take care of their kids who are in school. That was a big cycle and it was helpful for those families, for their kids who were in the schools to still get support.
Denise Morones
Math Teacher
Can you tell me about your teaching experience?
I have taught at public schools, private schools, continuation schools and international schools. I started in Southern California, taught at two schools there. Then I moved to Boston and taught at a school there. Then I went into finance for seven years. I was a stock broker in the Boston area, then I worked on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park for a few years. Then I came back to teaching and taught at Peninsula. Then I went and taught two years in Tanzania. When I came back I was at San Mateo High School for ten years and then here.
How did you know you wanted to get into education?
I had to pay for my own college so my first few years I had a scholarship where I taught for two years for every year that I did the scholarship. I had to teach math, which I already knew I wanted to do to begin with. I taught math for six years and when that was paid off, I switched out into finance. Working in finance made me think I needed more than I needed and gave me not a good perspective on life. It was making rich people richer which was not fulfilling.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I’m interested in almost everything, so I do everything and I’m always tired. I run a fair amount. I’m going to do a half marathon this year [and] I might start marathoning again. I like all outdoors stuff like camping,backpacking,hiking and traveling a lot. I went swimming with whale sharks, which was fun. I went white water rafting.
Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
My number one favorite place is Yosemite which is really close to us. My favorite city is probably Florence, Italy. I also liked Moscow a lot, which is not a place to travel right now. I loved Colombia and Cambodia.
Why Aragon?
Once you’re ten years somewhere, change is good. The longest job I ever had before San Mateo was four years so staying there for ten for me was really long. It got to be the same old, same old. I needed change.
What is one accomplishment or project that you’re particularly proud of?
Since high school, I’ve had to do everything on my own. Pay for college, get a job, pay for an apartment. Traveling, which is usually all on frequent flier miles though. Since eighteen, I’ve been able to do everything myself. It’s a bummer when you have to do it, but when you look bad you’re like “Wow, that was kind of good.”
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
This doesn’t sound like a lofty goal, but to be an effective teacher and help people understand math more. Hopefully, get [students] to like math more, but if people don’t like it, they can still do it. [Being] able to do it might make some people start liking it more. I didn’t like math until I hit algebra. There’s always hope.
If you could tell students one thing about you what would it be?
I love the baby yoda, that would be a good one. I don’t know about anything else, that’s the one of the top of my head. Don’t hit me if you see me biking home from work.
Elizabeth Benitez
Spanish teacher
Can you tell me about your teaching experience?
This is my fifth year teaching and I’ve been teaching Spanish immersion K-5 so my experience has been mostly elementary education. I used to work in the Excelsior district. Last year I substituted as a permanent sub for Baywood. Now I’m here transitioning into single subject teaching.
How did you know that you wanted to teach? How did you choose Spanish?
I’ve always been fascinated by Spanish or Latin American culture so I wanted to share a little piece of my own identity through my classes. For teaching, I wanted to make an impact on the world through my students. I know that they are going to make the change. Anything that I teach within my classroom, I know that they’re going to carry the torch.
What are some of your interests or hobbies?
One of the things that I really love to do is play guitar so I play electric guitar. I really love heavy music like metal, rock and punk so that’s what I play.
Why Aragon?
I did my early field experience in Ms. Cheever’s classroom last year. She told me there was an opening if I could take care of her two sections for Spanish 2. I said yes.
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
My goal is that a student’s perspective is widened by my experience and my culture and living in Latin America for ten years. My goal for them is to get a taste for actual Latin American or Spanish culture.
I like for [students] to be totally immersed so I’ll play Latin American music while we’re having a break. I talk to them about how it is when you go to a Spanish speaking country, you expect this and that. I don’t go just by the textbook, but also actual experience, a primary source.
How has your experience been like at Aragon so far?
I absolutely love it and I’m really excited to be here. I’m fascinated by students and their dedication, it motivates me to continue teaching.
If you could tell students one thing about you what would it be?
If there’s something you would like to know, ask me. If you’re ever curious and you see me on campus and there’s one thing you’d like to know, just give it a shot.
If you could be anything besides a teacher what would you be?
I would say an actress. I love drama and the arts. In high school, I was a big part of the theater department and people would always say “You did such a great job, you performed [the character] very well.” I never pursued it. They were mostly Spanish literature, but my favorite role was Marianela. [I have been in] “Romeo and Juliet” and “En la ardiente oscuridad.”
Anna Monette Aniel
Directed Studies
How did you know you wanted to get into education?
My parents are both teachers. My brother is a teacher. I wanted to help the youth as well as raising my two children. Teaching is a rewarding career.
Can you tell me about your teaching experience?
I graduated from college. My first course was political science because I wanted to be a lawyer. Later, I had a job and I got married. After that marriage, I had to work and take care of my baby. So I ended up taking classes again and I applied as a teacher in our high school in the Philippines. I got an education degree, became a teacher and then I got my masters in school administration and a masters in Special Ed. In 2005, after my graduation, there was an announcement in the Classified ads that they would need teachers in America. So I applied and then I moved from the Philippines to the Wichita public schools in Kansas. So I was in Kansas since 2006 as a teacher and then I moved here August 3, 2023.
Why Aragon?
I really wanted to have a more diverse community. Closer to Jollibee and closer to the ocean. It’s closer to nature, we have a lot of mountains and hiking trails. I was accepted to three districts, but I chose San Mateo because I saw Aragon’s achievements. I saw the demographics were the kind I was looking for and I saw the school’s vision.
All of my visions are in San Mateo. All of the things I’m thinking of in my future are here. The ocean, the climate, the hills, the different cultures. When I’m walking, I can see different kinds of students. I’m a fan of football and soccer so I’ll be watching the games.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I have a bearded dragon. His name is Rocky and I cannot bring him here yet because he’s not allowed on the airplane. Since I was a science teacher, he is my classroom pet. Now my daughter is taking good care of him, but he’s limping. I’m sad because I cannot see him yet.
I love to dance. I had a hip hop club in Kansas. We danced during the pep rallies. I also had the cultural club where we studied different cultures, especially the Philippines.
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
My vision is to be more connected and engaged with the school. I’m looking forward to my supervision. I’m trying to talk to different students in the hallway. I’m trying to be more connected with the more cultural aspects. Third, it’s to get my students to be on track to graduate. I’m here to support them to get to whatever their goal is.
Any accomplishments or projects that you’re particularly proud of?
In my school before, I was a teacher for global and environmental science. We supported recycling in our school and we did a lot of sustainability projects. I think my kids being aware of how the carrying capacity of the Earth is almost there by 2050. My achievement was that all my kids in my classes before were trying to be a little bit more on the sustainability side. I saw that Aragon and San Mateo are doing similar things, that’s also why I chose to live here.
Caroline Wisecarver
English teacher
Can you tell me about your teaching experience?
I am one of those who knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was little, probably even before I can remember. My aunt was my preschool teacher and I always thought it was really cool what she did. So I went into college knowing that and I jumped right into teaching when I graduated. I started at Peninsula 8 years ago.
Why did you choose English?
I chose English, health and PE, initially because they were my favorite subject areas in school. I love PE and health for the physical aspect. I love games and competitions and sports so I was always trying for that. English, for me, was a place where you could express your own ideas without right or wrong answers. That’s something I wanted to bring out of young people. You’re not always going to be right or wrong, it’s about putting your ideas out there.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
All things sports. I have a dog so a lot of outdoor activity time. For my own hobbies, they’re all over my room, I call them brain games. So like adult coloring, the super detailed stuff, puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, I do sudoku in the morning to get my brain going. Any little brain game like that is my favorite. Some of those are my childhood games and there’s also all kinds of fidget stuff in my class too.
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
Into this school year, it’s my first year here, so to become as much a part of the community as I can, while holding space for figuring it out. It’s very different from the school I’ve been in for the past seven years. So I want to get involved and be a part of the close community I do see, but I also want to make sure that I’m okay.
Any accomplishments or projects that you’re particularly proud of?
I am very proud of the school I came from and what I was able to contribute and what I’ve learned from the students at Peninsula has been life changing for me. So I’m very proud of working at that school. Peninsula as typically been an under-resourced and forgotten school of the district. That was always something I was interested in. I grew up in the district and I knew Peninsula and what it meant so I knew that’s where I wanted to be. Throughout my time there, with different staff, we really worked hard to bring the school things it had never had before. Last year, I taught its first leadership class. It wasn’t something we had had in a really long time so I was able to bring that back to them, just to give them more of the high school experience that they were removed from. That was something we worked really hard at and something I would say I’m proud of.
Do you plan on teaching PE, health or leadership at Aragon?
If the opportunity comes up I would definitely consider it. Being new, I definitely want to get everything down because it’s all so new, but those are still subjects I love and would be open to teaching.
Katherine Palomeque
Administrative Assistant
How has your time been at Aragon?
It’s been really nice. I’ve been really enjoying my new job, this new position. Thank god everybody has been so nice and welcoming, very helpful. There’s a lot of things that I’m learning. It’s great. I like it, I feel at home.
Can you tell me about your past professional experience?
I’ve been part of the district for five years. I was looking for a full time job.
I was working as an instructional assistant for Specialized Education for the Bay Academy. That was my previous position. I really enjoyed working there. I learned a lot from my students. They are a population who I wasn’t used to . Before I didn’t see them too closely, sadly, because, when I was in school, we didn’t have this inclusion. It was such a new experience. It was wonderful and I’m so grateful that I was able to work with them.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I like to draw. I discovered a couple years ago that I’m good at drawing. I like to read, those are the two main things. I haven’t read a book in so long. I like movies, not horror movies. I like going out. I love sunsets. If I have a chance to go out and walk while the sun is setting, I love it.
Is there a reason you chose this position?
Honestly, no. It’s based on the opportunities that were open to me. I took them and that’s why I’m here.
Any accomplishments or projects that you’re particularly proud of?
Finding a full time job is honestly something really big for me because I have been trying to find a full time job for a while now. Now I will be able to take more classes at school at night. I’ve been going to college, but only one class per semester. Now I can take more and that will be great.
What degree are you pursuing?
I’ve always been deciding between being a wellness counselor, which is something that I really like. I have thought about being a teacher, but I just think of myself in more of a counselor position.
Do you have any specific goals or visions going into the school year?
Right now everything is just so new to me. I’m learning so much in this new position. My goal is to learn everything. I can’t see too much in the future. I don’t know what will come because I don’t know all the things that this position carries. My thoughts right now are just to learn.
