Category: Meet The Staff

Welcome, Ms. Meddelton!

By Nayeli Sanchez

Shanice Meddleton

This 2015-16 school year brought many new teachers to Pueblo Magnet High School, including Ms. Shanice Meddleton from Surprise, AZ, who is also a former student-teacher here at Pueblo and now a full-time biology teacher.

This fresh-out-of-college graduate student-taught with Dr. Andrew Lettes last year—an assignment that she said she thoroughly enjoyed.

“My student-teaching assignment was always positive,” Meddleton said. “You can tell how supportive the staff is.”

Though it is her first year at Pueblo, she already has a set primary objective she wants to achieve this year.

“I want students to ask questions,” Meddleton said. “Science is all about asking questions.”

Meddleton said that she foresees herself being at Pueblo for a long time because she can feel the positive effect in the Pueblo community.

Counselor Decides To Work With Adolescents

By Felicity Aguilar

Rosalina Garcia

The counseling department is very different this year due to several new faces, including Ms. Rosie Garcia, who will be working with all freshmen and some sophomores (whose last names begin with the letters “A” through “L”).

Garcia graduated from the U of A with her bachelor’s degree in psychology; later, she earned a master’s focusing on school counseling. Before coming to Pueblo, Garcia worked with early childhood cases—home visits in the Amphitheater School District for children up to the age of five.

After volunteering much of her time as a grief counselor for families, Garcia committed to an internship at Catalina High School, which inspired her to want to help adolescents.

Garcia said, “I feel very welcomed at Pueblo already. I truly want to build relationships with Pueblo’s students, and I really want to be a resource for them and help them in any way possible.”

She added that she is passionate about working with children and foresees herself working with this age group for many years.

“I love the students [at Pueblo] so far!” Garcia said. “They’re awesome! I knew this [school] was  going to be a great environment!”

Welcome, Ms. Bruce!

By Avae Velasquez

Tina Bruce

Pueblo welcomes many new staff members and teachers this school year, including Ms. Tina Bruce, our new freshman biology teacher.

Bruce has been teaching science for 10 years, but she has worked in the past with Exceptional Ed students for “a long time.”

She said, “I began as a volunteer, and the job just fell on me, and that’s when I knew I wanted to become a teacher.”

Bruce has previously taught integrated science at Cholla High School for seven years, however, this is her first year as a biology teacher.

“I’m so happy to be here because our students and staff are fantastic,” Bruce said.

Bruce foresees herself being here at Pueblo for a long time.

Warriors Welcome New Counselor Rachel Bopp

By Avae Velasquez

Rachel Bopp

Among several new faces at Pueblo, the Warriors welcome our new counselor, Ms. Rachel Bopp, who comes all the way from northern Virginia to join the Pueblo community.

Bopp worked as a counselor for five years at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia prior to her big move to the Southwest. She said that the arid desert weather in Southern Arizona was a huge factor in her decision to move three thousand miles to Tucson.

Bopp said, “I love helping our youth population and helping them achieve their goals. I really want to help them remove any barriers that are in their way of achieving these goals.”

She added that so far she loves it here at Pueblo. However, she did express concerns about “juggling all her tasks while being available to 500 students.”

“The staff and students are very respectful, helpful and welcoming,” Bopp said. “I plan on staying here for a long, long time.”

Welcome, Dr. Gonzalez!

By Lauren Ahern

Dr. Raul Gonzalez

As the 2015-16 school year began, Pueblo gained many new teachers including Dr. Raul Gonzalez, who teaches CRC Mexican-American Point of View.

Born in Dallas, Gonzalez left for college at 18 to pursue his career in teaching which took him to many places around the United States and Mexico. After all of his travels, he became a student-teacher at Desert View High School for one year.

Upon completing his student teaching, he decided to apply at Pueblo.

Gonzalez said, “I wanted to work somewhere with a lot of quality teachers, and I heard that Pueblo is that place to be.”

He said that he loves Pueblo’s school spirit, and he looks forward to teaching here for many more years to come. Gonzalez also hopes that he can get the opportunity to learn more from his students.

“My goal is to ask students ‘Why?’ as often as possible,” Gonzalez said. “They may not be able to answer the question every time, but at least I’m going to keep asking the questions.”

Pueblo Welcomes SRO Berube

By Noreli Marquez

SRO Ana Berube glad to be at Pueblo

You have probably seen her—Ms. Ana Berube, Pueblo’s new resource officer. Pueblo is one of nine schools that received a grant from the Arizona Department of Education to have a school resource officer, and if Officer Berube has her way, she will be staying for a while—at least three years, she said.

Berube, a graduate of the U of A, has a bachelor in fine arts. She worked two years in the crime scene unit and as a D.U.I. patrol officer at night for seven years.

“I witnessed a bad [car] accident which made me switch gears to become a patrol officer in D.U.I enforcement,” said Berube.
Berube no longer patrols because her sole assignment is to be a school resource officer at Pueblo High School, from Tuesday to Friday, and she is enjoying interacting with students and staff.

“I was told that Pueblo would be a horrible school and that I shouldn’t be here,” said Berube. “That negative perspective about Pueblo is way off.”

Berube does admit that her job can be a bit stressful, so she makes time to relax—and she finds that in baking. Earlier this school year, she committed to enrolling in a culinary school in Canada for two months.

Berube said, “When I returned from [culinary] school, I found my office door decorated with flowers to welcome me back—all of those negative stereotypes about Pueblo are definitely false.”