Cooke Elementary School kindergarten teacher Paula Hernandez is a the Virginia Beach City Public Schools citywide Teacher of the Year.
Hernandez has 14 years of teaching experience, including six at Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Before her work as a dual language immersion (DLI) kindergarten teacher at W.T. Cooke Elementary, she taught at the Adult Learning Center and at Langley Elementary School in Hampton.
As a dual language immersion teacher, Hernandez spends 80 percent of her instructional day teaching in Spanish. About half of her students are native Spanish speakers. She meets with their families over the summer and makes teaching choices to support language development.
She established the two-way Spanish dual immersion program at Cooke Elementary to close academic gaps among English language learners and instill a deeper appreciate for diverse cultures. She is a mentor and the city-wide team lead for dual language immersion as well as a member of the Cooke’s family and community engagement team.
“She has worked with the division to write curriculum and determine resources to use in other DLI programs,” said Dr. Kelly Padilla, Cooke’s principal. “She helps new DLI teachers get adjusted to VBCPS expectations. She is also a mentor to DLI teachers in other elementary schools across the division.”
Hernandez visits students’ homes, churches and community events to connect with families and ensure their voices are heard, said Casey Conger, VBCPS coordinator of health and physical education.
“Her dedication to providing equitable access to high-quality instruction and opportunities for all students is truly commendable,” Conger said.
Hernandez took her students to pick strawberries this past spring.
“I know that two families in our classroom had experience with farming and growing crops, so I chose them as our chaperones,” Hernandez said. “These parents were able to help students and teach students about farming practices.”
Originally from Columbia, Hernandez’s family migrated to the United States during her childhood, seeking better living conditions and work opportunities. She’s taught her students how to cook Colombian “arepas” while applying lessons in culture, math, writing and science.
“After each student makes their own arepa, parent volunteers cook them in the back of the classroom,” Hernandez said. “This is a great opportunity for families to create relationships, even if they do not speak the same language.”
Hernandez said she teachers because every child deserves a quality education.
“I aim to make a positive impact and advocate for all, irrespective of diverse needs,” she said. “I address social, emotional, and educational challenges, fostering connections between families and community resources.”
