In our growing efforts to foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism, JCSD 509J is highlighting our educators leading our Spanish Dual Language Program. This program launched in the 2022-2023 school year with two kindergarten classrooms, now serves students in grades K-2 across two elementary schools. The program offers instruction 50% in English and 50% in Spanish.
At the heart of this program are six dedicated teachers who share a deep connection to our community. All grew up in Madras and attended 509J Schools, with five proudly graduating from Madras High School. Their personal experiences and passion for education bring a unique perspective to our classrooms. They are excited to help our students flourish here and inspire the next generation of bilingual learners. Join us as we celebrate their stories and the impact of our dual language program.
Our Dual Language Educators
Isela Mesina
Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher
Isela Mesina first joined our district as a Kindergarten Dual Language teacher at Madras Elementary in the 24-25 school year. She returns to the district she grew up in and graduated from. She is a proud member of the Class of 2018 from Madras High School.
It is a true full circle moment for Mesina to teach in the same district she was once a student. Her former teachers are now her colleagues and she considers it an honor to serve the same community that saw her grow up.
There were several teachers throughout her academic journey in 509J that inspired her. One that had a big impact early on was Margie Long. Mrs. Long was Mesina’s second grade teacher who had a profound impact on her life. This was when her journey to teaching her own classroom started.
“All I can say is that I am forever grateful for everything she did for me,” Mesina said. “I also wanted to be part of shaping the future generations. I also wanted to be that go to person for someone in need. I realized that if I could at least impact one student, only then I would know I truly made it.”
Mesina ran into another teacher who made school fun for her in her junior year. That teacher was Melissa Wheeler. Mesina was in her college composition class and that experience was instrumental in making her believe college was within reach.
“I can actually say I fell in love with school during that time and Mrs. Wheeler was a big part of that,” Mesina said. “I feel like she really believed in me when it felt like nobody else did. She encouraged me to push forward and always try my best. I feel like everyone deserves to have a teacher like Mrs. Wheeler at least once in their lifetime. I have so much love and respect for her!”
Now in her own dual language classroom, she has found a place where she can truly be herself. Mesina is reminded daily of what being a student was like when she attended school. In her class sits a picture of her when she was in Kindergarten. She remembers what it was like not having teachers that looked like her or spoke her first language. She took the job when the opportunity arose, driven by a desire to make a difference.
“I love what I do and I can’t even imagine doing something else,” she said. “I am very happy they started this program here in Madras because this community will continue to benefit from it.”
Rewarding is a word she uses to describe her experience as an educator in our Dual Language program. In addition to teaching her students both English and Spanish, she is excited about the opportunity to teach them about different cultures.
“I get to teach future generations who will grow up to become fluent in another language and will have diverse, socially and culturally views,” she said.”
Karina Hernandez
Dual Language 1st Grade Teacher
Karina Hernandez joined our district as a Dual Language teacher at Madras Elementary in the 2024-2025 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. She is a proud member of the Class of 2020 from Madras High School.
For her, it is a special feeling to come back and teach in the district she attended. Her former teachers are now her colleagues as she begins her teaching career.
“It’s really heartwarming to work alongside them because they have so many resources, teacher tricks, and advice that I did not learn when I was in college,” she said.
One teacher who influenced her the most is current JCMS Instructional Coach, Cameron Rosenfield. Hernandez was a student in his honors chemistry class at Madras High.
“He gave me the push I needed when I was going through hard times and he always believed in me, especially when I didn’t,” she said.
Hernandez has fond memories of her time as a student in our district, including attending Metolius Elementary School. One cherished memory is from 4th grade when her class fundraised for a trip to Oregon State University.
“I love seeing my students sit in the same seats I sat in years ago, walking the same hallways, and participating in the same activities I did. It’s a real full-circle moment,” she said.
For Hernandez, the lack of representation she experienced as a student motivated her to pursue teaching.
“Representation matters,” she said. “Seeing people who look like you in careers that you find interesting shows you that it is possible.”
Now, her presence in our district’s dual language program provides Spanish-speaking families with a sense of belonging. She felt called to work in the district after learning about the program. Hernandez sees dual language education benefiting her first graders both in and out of the classroom.
“It is pretty difficult in the beginning but as I tell my students, things always start out feeling impossible,” she said. “With practice and by making mistakes, we learn and things get easier. Learning in two languages is difficult but it has amazing benefits. It also allows students to keep a key part of their identity.”
For Spanish-speaking parents, she sees cultural benefits.
“It’s comforting for parents because they can help their children with schoolwork in a language they understand. Some parents are even learning the second language along with their students,” she said.
In her classroom, almost half of her students are Newcomers, meaning they have entered the country in the last three years. She communicates with them in their home language, fostering an environment where they can flourish.
“The most rewarding part has been watching my students slowly begin to use their second language more than their home language,” she said. “My English speakers are gaining confidence in Spanish and vice versa. Watching my students code switch will never cease to amaze me.”
Hernandez feels her position in the program is rewarding, knowing her students will carry these skills beyond school.
Rafael Santoyo
Dual Language 2nd Grade Teacher
Rafael Santoyo joined our district as a teacher at Madras Elementary in the 2022-2023 school year, returning to the district he grew up in and graduated from. He is a proud member of the Class of 2016 from Madras High School.
Santoyo walked the same halls that his students do now. He attended Madras Elementary from Kindergarten to 4th grade before transitioning to Buff for one year and then JCMS. Teaching in the community he grew up in allows him to give back and celebrate his roots. He especially loves connecting with his students’ families.
“It’s always funny to tell students, ‘I know your parents, I went to school with them’ or ‘I know your parents, they were my teacher at one point.’ It feels like a full-circle moment,” he said.
Santoyo’s career path was headed in a different direction while he was in college. As a high school student, he sometimes struggled due to difficulty focusing in class, but art became a reprieve for him.
“My favorite time in school was drawing and painting in high school. I used this as a form of expression to show how I was feeling through art,” he said.
His high school art teacher, Philip Smith, was a big inspiration.
“I saw him every day coming into the classroom enjoying being there, and he was so passionate about the subject,” he said. “He inspired me to become like him when I finally decided on a career path.”
Santoyo pursued an art major in college before switching to elementary education. His decision to change careers was influenced by learning about dual language programs in a Latinx History class.
“I learned about the hardships the Latinx community has overcome, one of those being language barriers. Then I discovered dual language programs that help students maintain their native language while learning English,” he said. “I was fascinated. I did my research and found many schools in Oregon integrating dual language programs.”
His university offered a Bilingual Teacher Pathway, and he completed his student teaching in a 5th-grade dual language classroom. He graduated in June 2022 and joined our district months later.
Now in his first year teaching in the dual language program, he sees the immense benefits it offers his students. The program helps Spanish-speaking students retain their native language while expanding opportunities for English-speaking students.
“Students themselves have mentioned the importance of learning both languages, even if it’s not their native language,” he said.
This understanding became clear during a class writing assignment where students brainstormed why being bilingual is a superpower. They highlighted reasons like being able to help others, communicating with loved ones, traveling to other countries, and opening up more job opportunities.
“As second graders, ages 7-8, they’re able to come up with all these ideas, showing they already have a huge understanding of society and are growing empathy,” he said.
Santoyo acknowledges that the work of a dual language teacher isn’t easy. He spends half his day teaching in Spanish and the other half in English, but the rewards are immense. He is quick to deflect praise to his students when he receives it from his colleagues.
“Seeing these students do math, reading, and writing in English and then in Spanish is mind-blowing,” he said. “They constantly show their dedication to learning and resilience to overcome anything. I’m so proud to teach this first cohort of dual language learners in our district.”
Isabel Leal
Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher
Isabel Leal joined our district in 2023 as an educational assistant before transitioning to the health room assistant position at Buff Elementary. She returned to the district she grew up in. She is now one of our Kindergarten Dual Language teachers. She spent many years in Madras before making a transition to another district.
Teaching in the district she grew up in is incredibly rewarding and meaningful for Leal. Her parents moved to Oregon when she was only an infant, so she has lived in Madras practically her entire life.
Her first job in education was as an educational assistant where she worked one on one with an English Language Learner student. After this experience, she realized that she wanted to become a teacher.
“I quickly discovered that I loved helping students, especially in Spanish.” she said. I think it is important to be able to teach students in a language they understand.”
That love for helping students, in Spanish as well, lead her to apply for the dual language teacher position in our district. She looked forward to the opportunity to speak both of her languages and teach students to become bilingual.
“My inner child was happy that this was finally an option for students.” she said.
The push to apply and immerse herself into a teaching career can be traced back to when she was a student in an elementary classroom. She now hopes to inspire her students like she was once inspired.
“One teacher that influenced me was my elementary teacher Mrs. Danilson,” she said. “She always told my mom that I had potential. She made sure I knew that I was capable of big things. She taught me how to believe in myself.”
Dual Language programs have many benefits for students. Academically, students are learning to be bilingual in multiple subjects, which will open doors for them in the future to more opportunities.
One of those opportunities is a chance to connect with family members. Some of our students communicate with their family in Spanish. Dual Language classrooms allow those students to learn Spanish and continue to keep that connection alive and strong with their Spanish speaking family members.
“I know that as a mom of 2 boys, I am always concerned that my boys will lose their Spanish,” Leal said. “They spend most of their time in school and I feel like the time they get at home with us is not enough. How beautiful is it that students can go to school and learn both languages?”
Students spend 50% of their time learning Spanish and the other half of the day learning in English. Leal especially enjoys the time in Spanish with her students. Seeing her students learn and be proud of themselves is the most rewarding part of the job for her.
“I love it when students come up to me and share that they were able to talk to their grandma or their aunt or uncle in Spanish,” she said. “It makes me feel like this is all worth it.”
Shania Pineda
Dual Language 1st Grade Teacher
Shania Pineda joined our district as an educational assistant at Metolius Elementary in the 2022-2023 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. Pineda is now teaching 1st Grade Dual Language at Buff Elementary. She is a proud member of the Class of 2015 from Madras High School.
It means a lot to Pineda to teach in the district she grew up in. She now has the opportunity to give her students a well-rounded education like the one she received in 509J.
“It’s where I come from, where I grew and developed a sense of character,” she said. “I know the community, I have connections with the families because I come from where they are from. Both locally and culturally.”
One of her best times in our district was when she was enrolled in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at Madras High. Programs like these prepare high school students for leadership roles by teaching students self-discipline, self-confidence, and other skills that can help them throughout their life.
She credits Colonel Renfro and Sgt. Yeager for giving her a sense of structure, discipline and belonging.
“They trusted me and respected me. They didn’t judge me or look down on me,” she said. “They became my family and figures that I knew I could trust and look up to. I spent 4 years in the program and from day one, the mutual respect, trust and appreciation only grew.”
The traits that Pineda learned while in JROTC and while being an educational assistant at Metolius set her up for success as a teacher. She valued her time at Metolius and credits Principal Adam Dietrich for setting her up for success.
“I began as an educational assistant, then became a SPED educational assistant, to a full time college student and student teacher,” she said. “All that happened because Adam believed in me. He supported me and my goals. He knew I could do it and he didn’t let me give up.”
It was bittersweet to leave Metolius to accept the opportunity to teach Dual Language, but she knew it was time to take the next step of her career. She wasn’t aware of the opportunity until recently. While there are struggles, like with any job, it has been a wonderful experience to bring what she knows and her personality and passion into her classroom.
After some time in a dual language classroom last school year, she accepted the full-time position at Buff with first year principal, Erika Skaar.
“We are learning to work the program together and she has been amazing,” Pineda said.
Her students are also learning with her in their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. Our community is more bilingual than others throughout our state. According to the US Census Bureau, around 30% of homes in the City of Madras speak another language other than English. Students in our dual language classrooms are developing a skill now that will not only help them in school, but it will help them once they graduate and leave our district.
Learning another language early on though does not come without struggles. Pineda has seen her students have tough moments at times in class, but they persevere and don’t give up.
“As soon as they nail a sound or concept, the joy and pride that is in their face is wonderful. I love their energy and their enthusiasm in wanting to learn Spanish,” she said. “The most rewarding part of being a dual language teacher is the connections that the students and I are making together.”
Sandra Ruiz
Dual Language 2nd Grade Teacher
Sandra Ruiz joined our district as an educational assistant at Buff Elementary in the 2015-2016 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. Ruiz is now teaching 2nd Grade Dual Language at Buff Elementary. She is a proud member of the Class of 2010 from Madras High School.
She is in her second year of teaching in our district, both years have been in dual language. For her, it is comforting to teach in the same district she grew up in.
“It’s also exciting to see that some of my elementary teachers are still teaching,” she said. “When I see them it’s like I am looking up to them knowing they made such a huge impact on my academic journey.”
There wasn’t a shortage of teachers that inspired Ruiz. She had positive experiences with each one of her teachers, but one memory sticks out. That happened in 8th grade with her math teacher at the time, Mr. Gardner.
Ruiz recounts the time in middle school when she was struggling in her math class. She wanted to change from Algebra to Pre-Algebra. Her teacher believed in her though and pushed her to keep trying.
“I didn’t believe my teacher because of my fixed mindset,” she said. “However, he never gave up on me. I truly appreciate all the patience he had and confidence in believing that I would be successful with math.
Her journey to teaching started as an English Language Learner (ELL) educational assistant. She worked in this position for several years and over that time she met several newcomer students from Mexico. She enjoyed seeing how much growth they made in learning English and their academics within the first few months.
Ruiz saw herself in those students since she once was an ELL student. There were numerous challenges she needed to overcome in the classroom.
“Being in a classroom full time where English is the dominant language and you are the only or one of a few students in the class speaking little to no English is definitely a challenge, and you don’t feel represented,” she said. “I remember sitting in class my first days of school not understanding what my teacher was saying and looking at my peers to see what they were doing to follow along.”
Her own experience as a student and an educational assistant helped her develop a deep interest in supporting our students learning a new language. Above all, she wants all of her students to learn in a classroom setting where they feel culturally represented and feel valued for being bilingual.
Being bilingual opens up many doors for our students. Ruiz showed her class an example this year.
“My students had the opportunity to become pen pals with students in La Cuestita, Michoacán Mexico,” she said. “My students were super excited to meet and learn that the students in Mexico were similar to them because they are learning English to become bilingual too.”
In the classroom, she sees dual language benefiting her students because they are challenged daily to process and understand information in two different languages. She believes this is helping them be resilient and become better problem solvers with challenges in other academic areas.
One of the most rewarding aspects of her job though is the opportunity to build a strong community within her classroom and develop deep relationships with her students while sharing her culture.
“It’s so cute to me when my second graders speak in a language that is not their own and it makes me super proud to see them accept and respect world differences,” she said.