Nancy Rodono- Textbook Clerk
Q) How long have you worked at Van Nuys?
A) I have worked at Van Nuys High School for eight years.
Q) What was your favorite part of working here?
A) My favorite part of working at Van Nuys was definitely meeting so many amazing students over A) The year, especially, the students who were assigned to assist me in the textbook room each period. I enjoyed their fresh spirit and attitude and learning of their hopes and dreams. There would be those occasions where I would listen to their cares and concerns and hopefully, I helped in some small way by just listening. I don’t know if they knew it, but they would brighten my day by just walking into the room.
Q) What will you miss most about working at Van Nuys?
A) I will miss the education vibe and the incredible creativity and dedication that take place daily. I will miss the sounds of lunchtime laughter and sports being played in the near distance from the textbook room. I will also miss helping students and teachers with their book needs, having conversations, laughs with anyone who would visit the textbook room.
Q) What have you learned from your time as the textbook clerk?
A) It is a big task to provide and make sure 2,600 and some students have all the textbooks they need to succeed. Also, to make sure all the textbooks are returned at the end of the year. I have learned that with teamwork and committed individuals, nothing is impossible. Each year, the support from administrators, teachers, students, and staff would make for a successful distribution and return.
Q) What are some things you wish you would have done as a textbook clerk but didn’t have the chance to do?
A) To be honest, read more books.
Q) What do you plan to do in your time as a retiree?
A) I would like to travel, visit family and friends, cook and bake more, volunteer, maybe work part-time and last, but not least, tap back into my creative side.
Gloria Aispuro- Math Teacher
Q) How long have you taught at Van Nuys?
A) By June 2021, I will have taught 16 yrs. My entire teaching career has been at Van Nuys HS.
Q) What was your favorite part of teaching here?
A) I felt that there was cohesion between the students, faculty, and the administration and that made teaching at Van Nuys HS an enjoyable experience.
Q) What will you miss most about teaching at Van Nuys?
A) I will miss the camaraderie of my colleagues and the thrill of watching students I taught graduate on stage.
Q) What have you learned from your time teaching?
A) I learned that teaching is forever evolving and changing. I waited for the years to come when I could bring out my lessons from years back and reuse them but it never happened.
Q) What are some things you wish you would have done as a teacher but didn’t have the chance to?
A)I did all I planned to do with teaching but I would have wanted to shift into administration.
Q) What do you plan to do in your time as a retiree?
A) I am looking forward to slowing down my professional life and building up my personal life by traveling with my family, finishing the genealogy project I started many years ago, starting my garden, and reading the hundreds of books I have saved to read for this time of my life. The idea of not having a daily schedule to follow is a dream.
Robert Crosby- History Teacher / UTLA Rep.
Q) How long have you taught at Van Nuys?
A) I’ve taught at Van Nuys since 1996.
Q) What was your favorite part of teaching here?
A) Meeting the students and getting to know literally, thousands of students. They were fun.
Q) What will you miss most about teaching at Van Nuys?
A) I will most of the students and some of the faculty that I’ve become friends with. But mostly it’s the interaction with my students.
Q) What have you learned from your time teaching?
A) Teaching well is a very difficult job. You must have multiple talents in order to do it well but at the same time, there’s more than one way to do it well. You can do this job a thousand ways right and a thousand different ways wrong so it’s hard.
Q) What are some things you wish you would have done as a teacher but didn’t have the chance to?
A) As a teacher, I’ve done pretty much everything I’ve wanted. I’ve taught every subject I’ve wanted to teach.
Q) What do you plan to do in your time as a retiree?
A) You know, I don’t know. Sort of just hang out and see how it goes. Play it by ear like I do most of my life.
