Several new staff members have been spotted across the West Ranch campus since the start of the school year. These new staff members have brought both their academic expertise and their goals for a great year to campus.
Ms. Ledesma
West Ranch’s newest addition to the English department is Ms. Ledesma, who is teaching English 10. As an alumna, she shared her excitement for being back and seeing both the similarities and changes at West Ranch, now as a teacher rather than as a student.
After beginning her teaching career in Chatsworth with a computer science-based curriculum, Ms. Ledesma decided to come back to reconnect with her roots. She expressed that she found comfort in the familiarity, recalling, “I remember the core and a lot of the places that people used to hang out at, so it’s interesting to see how that has changed, but also how some of it has stayed the same.”
In her new role, Ms. Ledesma looks forward to working alongside our great teachers to test what works for her teaching style. She described her primary goals for the school year: “I’m hoping to just be settling in and practicing a lot more activities or ways to engage students in English, especially because I know it’s difficult for some students to get interested in reading and writing.”
In addition to her teaching goals for the year, Ms. Ledesma conveyed that she hopes to “instill the love of reading in students, or at the very least, I’d like to instill the importance of reading. It’s important to still have those skills and to open up to the possibility of learning new and different things.”
Mr. Gross
Upon joining the vibrant West Ranch community, Mr. Gross knew it was a perfect fit. Equipped with almost three decades of expertise and teaching experience in Algebra 1 and Geometry, Mr. Gross is enthusiastic to continue as both a seasoned math teacher and a basketball coach.
Having spent the last 24 years at Notre Dame High School, he sought to find a change. In looking to transition to a new school, Mr. Gross explained, “[I wanted] something closer to home, so that was part of it. West Ranch had a good reputation and after meeting with the administration and some people I know, it seemed like a great fit.”
Wanting to extend his engagement with the broader school environment, Mr. Gross has gone beyond teaching math and is currently coaching Girls Basketball West Ranch, instilling his ideas and outlooks in his students. “As a new teacher here, I’m getting used to being comfortable with a new setting, but that’s always been one of my coaching and teaching philosophies–you work every day to get better at what you do,” he revealed.
Mr. Gross is determined to be the best teacher possible for his students, emphasizing the importance of creating a holistic learning experience for his students: “Since I teach math, there’s a lot of technical stuff, but the broader issues are probably the most important things, like helping students prepare with the time they need to succeed.”
Mr. Morrison
Mr. Morrison, another recent addition to West Ranch, has come to share his passion for history, a subject that has held a special place in his heart from a young age. As well as being a history teacher, he is excited about teaching Learning Strategies. In both, he is committed to driving genuine care for his students and building a close bond with them.
After teaching at Canyon High School for many years, Mr. Morrison approaches teaching with eager anticipation each day. Before making any big or rapid changes to his routine, he hopes to accustom himself to West Ranch’s community and become someone that his students can rely on.
With his students being his main motivation for attending school, he strives to witness the personal growth of his students throughout the school year and hopefully make a difference in their lives. “[I] just want to be the best teacher I can be and to be a positive influence in as many peoples’ lives as possible,” Mr. Morrison explained.
With inspiration and ambition in the air, our new staff are hoping to have a great rest of the school year with all of their students. The West Ranch community is driven by our exceptional staff members, so make sure to show our new staff members some appreciation if you see them around on campus!
