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Javier Rocha.

7th Grade Math and Design.

This is my second year at Cooper.

A trait I try to demonstrate is open-mindedness as I try to to be open to the needs of my students and understand their persepctive to help them reach success.

A fun fact about me is that I regularly go to concerts and make it a point to go to at least one big festival a year.

A personal goal for myself is to become a better cook as I have been trying to learn and perfect old family recipes.

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Hi! My name is Jasmine Winnerton. I teach 6th grade English and History. I have been teaching at Cooper Academy for 9 years. An IB Learner Profile Trait I feel like I demonstrate is Caring. I strive to demonstrate care and compassion in all areas of my life whether that be in the classroom, with my friends and family, the community or to stray animals. I even adopted a stray dog that wandered onto campus one day! Something that has helped me develop my ability to care about others is the fact that I am an avid traveler. After visiting Morocco and Spain as 14 year old, my world view was changed. Since then, I've taken every opportunity I can to go abroad. My goal for this year is to read at least one book a month.

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Hello. My name is Lee Galik. I am in my third year teaching seventh grade science at Cooper Academy and have taught science for 28 years. The IB learner profile trait I most accurately represent is Balanced. I believe it's important to display to my students a healthy work, life and learning balance and I love sharing my life experiences with students in my class while incorporating those experiences into the learning process. I enjoy camping. golfing, hiking, fishing and spending time with family. A personal goal for me this year is to complete a half marathon.

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Hola! My name is Lourdes Pineda. I teach 7th and 8th grade Spanish for native speakers. This is my 9th year teaching at Cooper. The IB Learner Profile that I demonstrate is caring. As an educator I know the importance of developing good relationships with my colleagues, administrators and most importantly with my students. Treating others with kindness, compassion and respect, allows me to successfully develop positive relationships. A fun fact about me is that besides majoring in Spanish Language and Literature, I majored in Art. I have a keen eye for esthetics and color, and I love to create art in various forms. My goal for this year is to travel more and explore new places.

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Greetings from Cooper Academy :-) I am Scott Arndt. 13th year teaching science & math here in Room B2. The Learner Profile trait that describes me the most would be Inquirer. Keeping current with science & math research is a passion. On my spare time, I golf with Lee, James & Ben, who are all excellent golfers.

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Hi! My name is Jessica Solis. I teach 8th grade English and History at Cooper Academy. I have been teaching for 7 years and have had the honor of teaching at Cooper for 4 years. I strive to exemplify the Learner Profile trait of balanced; I am always working on becoming a better version of myself by balancing my career, family, friends, health and leisure time. I enjoy traveling and learning about other parts of the world. I have spent time in Portugal, Italy, Iceland, Mexico, Peru, and Japan, and my personal goal is to visit another four countries by the end of 2025 to bring my grand total to 10 countries visited so far. My long-term goal is to visit 100 countries in my lifetime to learn more about other cultures and ways of life.

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My name is Aaron Wall and I teach 6th grade Music and Art. I have been teaching at Cooper Academy for 12 years. I enjoy bringing my experiences working as a professional musician to my students. This gives them the authentic environment they will encounter in the real world and goals for the future. The IB learner profile trait I try to demonstrate to students and to those around me is caring. The goal I have each year is to improve incrementally in my teaching, student experience and product.

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Hi, my name is Kevin Solis and I am a 7th grade English and Medieval World History teacher here at Cooper Academy. I have been in my current role at Cooper Academy for 3 years and have been a teacher within Fresno Unified for 7 years. I demonstrate the Learner Profile trait of knowledgeable. Pedologically, I'm consistently looking for new avenues to enhance my teaching to engage all students. I try my best to show genuine passion and understanding of my students' hobbies and interests so I can better relate my teaching to them. Personally, I enjoy learning about history, especially of the Cold War, and I stay current on world news. Fun fact: I have zip lined and rode horses on 3 different continents! My goal is to be an excellent IB educator and meet the needs of all my students.

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I am Nathaniel Tovar, an 8th Grade Math and Design teacher. I have been teaching at Cooper Academy for about 3 months. The IB Learner Profile that I demonstrate is Reflective. As a new teacher, I am often trying new things or learning from others and reflecting on how I can improve my own practices. A fun fact about myself is that I have learned French, Japanese, ASL, and Pashto (though I can't speak them much now) and am currently learning Spanish. My goal for this year is to become conversationally fluent in Spanish and begin learning Hmong while still practicing Spanish on the side.

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Hello! My name is Shannon Frazer and I have been lucky enough to be part of the sixth grade team at Cooper for about 8 years now! Everyday we have a chance to communicate with the world around us! Sometimes I do it with really bad jokes and others days I use my crafting and artistic ability to convey a message. I am an avid donut eater and coinsurer of all things pastry related. I am working at balancing my nutrition and knowing when to take a rest day from work and the gym! Fun fact I am not a natural red head!

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Greetings! My name is Elisha Lopez. I teach 6th grade English and History. I have been teaching at Cooper Academy Middle School for 10 years, this will be my 13th year teaching middle school. An IB Learner Profile Trait I feel I demonstrate is Balanced. I try my best to balance my time with all the things that are very important in my life like my career, my five year old daughter, and spending time with my family and friends. A fun fact about me is that I have a twin sister (my mother didn't know she was having twins when she was giving birth) so I am the older twin by 21 minutes. A goal I have set for myself this year is to learn more ways to help and support my daughter with her special needs.

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Hi! I’m Melanie Nuno, and I teach eighth-grade mathematics and design. I’ve been teaching at Cooper Academy for three years. I am an inquirer because I strive to engage in thoughtful collaboration, learn new things, and explore unique connections between content by asking questions. An interesting fact about me is that I’m not only a teacher, but also an entrepreneur. My goal for this year is to get healthier and find balance in life with my new baby.

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Hello! My name is Jayne Day, and I teach 6th - 8th grade Drama. I have been teaching at Cooper for 13 years (since we became an IB school). Fun Fact: I have written and performed in more than 6 one-woman shows (mostly at Fresno's Rogue Festival). An IB Learner Profile trait I am (constantly) working on is to be BALANCED. A goal I have for next year is to travel with my family to Washington D.C.

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Upload a picture and write a short response that includes the following:

-the grade that you teach

-how long you have been teaching at Cooper Academy

-an IB Learner Profile trait you demonstrate (include an example)

-a fun fact about yourself

-a goal you have for yourself this year (can be personal or academic)

Note: you can also upload a video in which you share these answers!

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Hello! My name is David Heckman, and I teach 7-8 Music. This year marks my 7th year of teaching and my first year teaching at Cooper! An IB Learner trait I demonstrate and ask of my students is to be Principled. I think it is highly important to be trustworthy and respectful to everyone. I am a musician to my core, and I love sharing the gift of music with my students. A big goal of mine for this year is to expand the music program at Cooper and to get students engaged with music on a deeper level.

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Hi! My name is Kendra Hay and I am the 6th & 8th grade school counselor. This is my third year at Cooper Academy and the IB trait that demonstrate is being a communicator. I work had to communicate with students, staff and parents to ensure that our students are getting what they need so they can be as successful as possible. A goal I have for myself this year is to prioritize my health and be more active. Fun fact I have four dogs.

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Hello, My name is Courtney Marquez. This is my 7th year teaching Math and Design at Cooper Academy. I have had the opportunity to teach both sections for 7th and 8th grade. I believe that I work hard at being balanced in both my personal and professional life. At work I not only teach in the classroom, but also help out with campus culture responsibilities and coach cheerleading. At home I strive to balance friends, family, and fun within my free time. Anyone who gets to know me knows that I am a major Disney adult and that I love dogs. I have two fur babies at home, and I'm always up for a trip to Disneyland. A goal for myself would be to get to travel more and experience different parts of the world.

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Hello! My name is Isabel Quirarte and I teach 6th grade Spanish. It is my first year at Cooper Academy and I am loving it! The IB learner profile trait that I demonstrate is Caring. I strive to always show my students and the people in my life empathy and compassion so that we can build a sense of community whether it be inside or outside of the classroom. A fun fact about me is that I love to build Legos, and have many sets. A goal I set for myself was to read at least 2 books a month this year, I am currently halfway through my 22nd book of the year, Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo.

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Mike Yates - School Counselor (6th and 7th)

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My name is Mike Yates and I am one of the school counselors at Cooper. I have worked at Cooper for 13 years and love the school and all the awesome people I get to work with! An IB Learner Profile Trait I feel I demonstrate is balanced. We welcomed a son during the Pandemic and my daughter was born 19 months later and I have since been working very hard to maintain good work/life balance to be there for my family. I love hiking, traveling, photography and adventures. A goal I have this year is take both of our kids on a plane ride for the first time.

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My name is Brooke Welch and I am the RSP teacher at Cooper. I have been teaching for 8 years and 4 of those years have been at Cooper. The IB trait that I try to demonstrate is being knowledgeable. I strive to be knowledgeable in all the areas that would best support my students and their learning needs. A fun fact about me is that I enjoy baking! A goal I have for myself this year is to continue to prioritizing my health by being more active.

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Hello! My name is Jayne Day, and I teach 8th grade English and History. I have been teaching at Cooper for 13 years (since we became an IB school). Fun Fact! I taught skydiving for almost 20 years -- which is good evidence for the Learner Profile attribute I have - RISK-TAKER! I have always been willing to try new things. My goal for this year is to be ready to retire!

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My name is Bryana Phelps. I am a Clinical School Social Worker with Fresno Unified.  This is my 7th school year at Cooper Academy.  An IB Learner Profile trait that I demonstrate is Thinker because of the nature of my work. I often take into account multiple perspectives, viewpoints, and systems to see to determine how to best support our students.  A fun fact about me is that I once climbed a pyramid in Guatemala while I was 5 months pregnant with my family.  A goal I have for this year is to be healthier and more balanced.

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Hello! My name is Jayne Day, and I teach 8th grade English and History. I have been teaching at Cooper for 13 years (since we became an IB school). Fun Fact! I taught skydiving for almost 20 years -- which is good evidence for the Learner Profile attribute I have - RISK-TAKER! I have always been willing to try new things. My goal for this year is to be ready to retire!

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My name is Cindy Parker. I teach 6th grade. This is my 7th year at Cooper Academy. I demonstrate the IB Learner Profile trait of caring by build relationships with my students. I show them kindness and empathy. A fun fact about me is that I love RVing and have taken several long road trips to visit National Parks. A goal I have for myself this year is to make sure I do something each day to feed my soul.

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Dear MYP Cooper Academy Community, My name is Alejandra, I am a Mexican teacher, currently working as Middle School and High School principal in an IB school in Mexico City. As additional professional teaching experience, I am a language acquisition teacher and and was the MYP coordinator at the same school where I have grown. My journey as an IBEN member began 14 years ago, and has given me the opportunity to meet different school contexts and extraordinary people. My roles include lead educator, consultant, team chair, evaluation and programme leader in authorization and evaluation visits, workshop leader and online facilitator. Each experience has meant an opportunity to learn and grow, and I am sure this will not be different. On this occasion, I will support you as the MYP programme leader. I am so happy to be part of your community’ learning experience. Embrace it, enjoy it, and take it as an opportunity to define where you are and where you want to head as an IB World School. I am looking forward to meeting you soon.

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Hi! My name is Sandi Auble. I have the good fortune of being the Principal at Cooper Academy. I have been at Cooper for 13 years and the Principal for 9 years. The IB Learner Profile is a solid framework for success. The trait I best demonstrate is being Principled. Fun fact: My bucket list is to visit all 28 MLB baseball parks...I am currently at 13! A goal I have for myself is to support all students and be an advocate for their success.

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Hi. My name is Nancy Sánchez Gómez I teach Spanish 1 for 7th and 8th grade students. I have been teaching at Cooper Academy for five years. I strive to be a Caring teacher, supporting my students in a balanced way so they can grow academically and personally. This year, I am focusing on learning more Italian and completing a 1,000-piece puzzle to model the importance of lifelong learning and balance. I want my students to feel encouraged to take on challenges while maintaining their well-being.

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Hello! My name is Emily Faith and I am Cooper Academy’s Campus Culture Director as well as the 7th and 8th grade leadership teacher. My role here at Cooper is to ensure that all our students are involved in school activities outside the classroom that build a positive and inclusive campus. I’m proud to say that this is my 13th year as a Cooper Cougar! A learner profile trait I demonstrate is to be caring. I feel that it is so important to treat all our students with kindness so they feel welcome and a part of our school community. A fun fact about me is that I am a classically trained opera singer and taught music as well up until 3 years ago! I love to bake so a goal I have for this year is to make a perfect croissant!

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Hello! My name is Jasmine Meraz and I am the library tech. This is my 3rd year at Cooper and 2nd year as the library tech. An IB learner profile trait I demonstrate is caring. I do this by understanding that students can be going through a lot and sometimes just need someone to talk to. Something as simple as saving a book a student has been waiting for can make their day. A fun fact about me is that I’m an only child. A goal I have for myself this year is to be more active. 

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Hello, MYP Cooper Academy community, I’m Eduardo Camelo, Colombian and I have worked in different international schools in the Americas for several years as an IB science teacher, IB coordinator, and Head of School. At the same time, I have been a member of IBEN for more than 10 years, collaborating on the tasks of consultant, virtual and site visitor leader for program evaluation, and workshop leader facilitator for school boards and teacher professional development. On this occasion, I will support you in this part of the process as the MYP evaluation leader, and together with the MYP Programme Leader, See you soon! we will be talking with you to get to know you a little better. From the documents and information you have already shared with us, we know that you are doing a great job and effort. We hope that this visit will allow the IBO to collect more evidence of your program implementation process, so it will be a beneficial activity that will help you to keep on your journey of growth and continuous improvement. Eduardo

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Hi! I'm Wendy Tucker, the GLA here at Cooper. I have been in various roles ranging from teacher, TSA to coach, to now administrator for the past 17 years. This is my 2nd year here at Cooper. I would say there is a toss-up between two learner profile traits that I try to demonstrate on a regular basis; Caring & Open-Minded. I feel like the two go hand in hand for myself. You will rarely find me in a position where it is my way or the highway (unless we're talking about my children). I value other's perspectives in order to help myself understand more about the world around me and I genuinely care to truly see things not just through my own eyes. A goal I have for myself this year is to survive living with teens and toddlers (and a newborn on the way). A fun fact about me (although I have not done it in a while) is that about 10 years ago I started salsa dancing and can humbly say I have become quite good at it! Definitely not something most people expect from me!

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Hey all!

My name's Amy and I am the 8th grade Physical and Health Education teacher at Cooper Academy. I was a part of the Academy opening crew in 2012 and have been a P.E. teacher for 20 years now! The best part of working at Cooper is the never-ending opportunities to be on my 'A' game. Our admin staff in stellar in their support and building us up to be the best we can be. Teachers and students, alike! I'd say as far as the LPT's go, I am principled and reflective. I love a good routine and work hard to do what is right. I might think a little too much on my choices and decisions, but I am always looking forward and implementing new learns into my future lessons! A fun fact about me is that I live on a 40-acre ranch with my husband and kids (and many animals) and run a wedding venue on our property!

Thanks for taking the time to check out our profiles!

Sincerely,

Amy B.

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We are Lex (NTA), Vanessa (Home School Liaison), Miriam (Office Manager), and Candice (Attendance & Registrar). We have been at Cooper for 2 years, 3 years, 9 years, and 5 years. The IB Learner Profile we demonstrate on a daily basis is communicator. We are usually the go to place for students, staff, and families to find out information about what is going on at school. Believe it or not, we all have the same goal of lowering our A1C. We absolutely love Cooper - we have fun and really enjoy the staff + students!!!

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Hello, my name is Schuyler Kirby and I teach 8th grade History and ELA. This is my 7th year teaching after 20 year career in law enforcement and public safety. Teaching has always been a passion of mine and dream job and lifestyle. I love being able to include real world stories and experiences from my first career into the learning opportunities and lessons of my students.

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Hello! My name is Erin Kruse. I teach 7th grade English and History, and I am also the teacher librarian. I have been teaching at Cooper since 2016 and became the teacher librarian in 2018. An IB Learner Profile trait that I demonstrate is caring. I have always done what I can to care about and help those around me. A fun fact about me is that I am super quiet and introverted until you get me at a sporting event. I enjoy cheering and being a football mom (my son just finished his junior year of football, so this chapter is slowly closing.) A personal goal I have is to read at least one book a month from my to be read list and at least one book from the school library.

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Hello, my name is Scott Beck. This is my 19th year teaching, 11th year teaching 7th grade Physical Fitness at Cooper Academy. The IB learner profile that represents me the most is Communicator. I believe that good communication is the backbone for success. On my free time I enjoy spending time with my wife and two daughters, traveling and playing golf.

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Hello my name is Julianne Giron and I teach 7th and 8th grade art. This year is my second year teaching at Cooper Academy. Last year was my first year teaching and my teaching journey has been amazing so far. My goal is to help them explore their unique perspectives, connect with diverse cultures, and express their identities creatively. Art also gives students a voice to engage with and impact the world around them. My hope is that I continue to grow and be a long life learner no matter at what stage I am at in my teaching.

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Hello! I am Melissa Rodriguez, proud Vice Principal of Cooper Academy. This is my 5th year serving as Vice Principal here at Cooper. My saying is "I am a teacher who decided to be a leader," so my absolute trait I encompass every day is being a Risk-Taker. Having hard conversations with students and families, getting to celebrate wins with teachers and learning how to be better Balanced while being a Caring, Open-Minded leader of the amazing students and staff is my everyday task. My greatest accomplishment is my family made up of my husband and 3 sons, one of which is in the midst of his "what college to go to" journey and as a family we are loving that experience with him. My background is rooted in College and Career Readiness education through Agriculture Science and Post-Secondary Work for students, which makes this time with my oldest son even more special, seeing him in his journey. On campus I am known to rescue all the furry and feathered guests that come to school, so don't be surprised if you see a four-legged student recruit in my office.