From a young age, reading in both English and Spanish became her superpower. The joy she found in books stayed with her through every stage of life: as a student, a parent and ultimately an educator. Her love of reading became the inspiration behind her commitment to helping students discover the same love of learning.
Bañuelos brings 22 years of experience in education, including 12 years teaching in the classroom and 10 years as an instructional coach. Throughout her career, she has supported both English and Spanish Dual Immersion programs.
While her experience speaks to her expertise, those who know Bañuelos say her passion for education extends far beyond the school day.
“Sometimes we will be out, and whenever I meet a child, the first question I ask is what grade they are in,” said Bañuelos. “My daughters are always telling me, ‘That is so you, Mom. You are always talking about school with kids.’”
For Bañuelos, school should be a place where students feel safe, valued and inspired to learn. She believes every student deserves an environment where they can freely express themselves, explore their creativity and look forward to coming to school each day.
As a native Spanish speaker, Bañuelos is excited to help grow Beardslee's dual language immersion program. For her, the program is about more than learning a second language. It provides students with the opportunity to develop an appreciation for different cultures and traditions while becoming confident, multilingual learners.
“This program doesn't just prepare the students to be bilingual, it's preparing them to be biliterate,” said Bañuelos. “We include a lot of content that allows students to become globally aware and ready to embrace different cultures and traditions.”
Her top priority this school year is building meaningful relationships with students, families and staff. She looks forward to becoming an active member of the Beardslee community while embracing and contributing to the traditions that already make the school so special.
Bañuelos’ advice for families as they prepare their children for their first day of school is to keep conversations about returning positive and exciting. Setting out clothes and organizing school supplies the night before can also help students feel prepared, confident and ready for a great first day.
We are so happy to welcome Principal Bañuelos to the Duarte Unified family! We are wishing Beardslee a wonderful start to their school year on Aug. 13.