Teacher of the year set to retire
For more than 30 years Laura Munoz-Velazquez has been working as
a teacher in the Hollister School District, helping students reach
their potential through guidance and structure.
Teacher of the year set to retire
For more than 30 years Laura Munoz-Velazquez has been working as a teacher in the Hollister School District, helping students reach their potential through guidance and structure.
During her time, she has worked at the majority of elementary schools in the Hollister School District and been awarded the distinction of Teacher of the Year twice. She received the award for the third time this year for her work at Ladd Lane School and she will retire at the end of the school year.
Munoz-Velazquez started in the classroom as a first grade teacher, but nearly a decade ago transitioned to resource, a program in which she works outside the classroom with students.
“I loved working with the kids in the classroom environment,” Munoz-Velazquez said. “But it’s different getting to work with students, parents and administrators. I feel like I’m involved at a different level. Plus I still get to spend time with the kids through intervention and during the student reading lab.”
Maxine Carlson, principal at Ladd Lane School, has worked with Munoz-Velazquez for four years and in the district for 12 years. Through the years, she has developed a lot of respect for Munoz-Velazquez and the work she does.
“She really loves the kids and it’s not just here at Ladd Lane. She’s a key leader in San Benito County and involved with many community organizations, especially with young authors and LULAC [League of United Latin American Citizens],” Carlson said.
One of the youth-based groups that Munoz-Velazquez works with is the LULAC Youth Reading Program. She has worked with the program since 1998 and regularly encourages students to become teachers.
She is also involved with the Asilomar Reading Board and on the San Benito County reading council; Munoz-Velazquez serves as the membership officer.
“I enjoy all the work that I do,” Munoz-Velazquez said. “I love being a teacher because I get to work with kids. It’s a personal reward when they’re able to do something for the first time. That’s the real reward for me. It’s far more meaningful than any reward I receive.”
Munoz-Velazquez is proud of her school and the quality teachers that make it the great place that it is. She was surprised when she found out that she’d been honored for a third time with Teacher of the Year, but said that she wanted to share the award with all her fellow teachers at Ladd Lane.
“We’re a family here,” Munoz-Velazquez said. “Everyone here is very deserving and we share everything.”
Though Munoz-Velazquez is retiring in a few weeks, she knows that she is not done being involved with the community and education.
“I don’t think I’ll ever fully retire. If I’m asked to come back and help out I probably will, in some capacity,” Munoz-Velazquez said. “My husband retired in August and I do think I’ll spend some time with him first, but I have plans to get involved with the adult literacy program and the children’s story hour at the public library so I’ll still be educating people.”
