Ms. Gonzales
Hello! My name is Jennifer Gonzales. I am a language teacher here at Stanhope Elmore High School. I am so excited to be a part of your academic journey this school year. As your mentor, I hope to open your hearts and minds to learning, maturing, and preparing yourself for the real world. Even though there isn't much money in public education, I believe teaching is one of the most rewarding and impactful jobs in the world, which is why I do it!
Soy media hispana, y hablo un poco espanol. Yo quiero ayudarle con todo si me puede. Mi espanol es como un "no sabo kid" pero yo tengo un gran corazon para mi gente. Por favor, dejame saber como puedo ayudarte!
Fun facts about me:
-I am originally from Los Angeles, where I graduated high school in 1999 and went straight to college where I earned two Bachelor's degrees - International Business and Marketing Marketing Management - from California State Polytechnic University...without the use of ChatGPT!
-I began my college career studying Electrical Engineering and had an internship in 2001 with JPL working on the Spirit Mars Rover (one of the twins that found evidence of life on Mars) which means my fingerprints are on another planet!
-I obtained my CELTA diploma from Cambridge University in England as well as several other ESL certifications which allowed me to travel the world for about 15 years, all while teaching English to international learners who knew that obtaining language skills would be an asset.
-I have lived on four continents and have traveled to 52 countries.
-Before, during, and after COVID times, I left the classroom and was a technical trainer at Apple where I finally meshed my business, teaching, and tech skills. It was there that I met a wonderful mentor who encouraged me to teach public high school.
-After formally training as a secondary ELA classroom teacher, I first taught middle school on the big island of Hawaii.
-Life then moved me to Alabama where I became a long-term sub at SE in the Spring of 2022 and joined the faculty full-time that Fall.
-My husband, Kevin, and I live in Prattville. He teaches Econ & Govt at PHS.
-We have a fur-baby, Juno, who is an Olde English Bulldogge. She is named after the Roman goddess; no, her name is not from a movie or a music video.
-When I'm not teaching, I enjoy nature photography, themed festivals, exploring the world, learning languages, camping near the beach, listening to the rain fall, and working with dogs.
I am a big supporter of the JROTC program on campus and love to see students learning life, leadership, and teamwork skills. While I like it all, I have supported the Raider team since it first began and was recently dubbed the team "momager" - I even have a hoodie to prove it ;-) If you are a cardio king/queen and love the idea of mastering obstacle courses, heavy lifting and cumbersome carrying, as well as getting bruised up and muddy, please let us know you'd like to get involved. It is a very elite team to be a part of!
I am over the SEHS Pickleball Club which is still growing and finding its place in life. There are no fees for the '25-'26 school year since it is very casual, but we might need members to buy shirts or pay for tournaments - we will see! We have an instagram page @sehs_pickleball and I send updates via ParentSquare. Join the Pickleball group at www.parentsquare.com/groups/join/lm4laoyqso
I am also the PTO teacher sponsor at SE. The PTO connects the parents who want to help with the teachers who desperately need it! Teaching has lost a lot of support over the years, but parents who want to thank SE teachers can join the PTO and show their appreciation throughout the year with special events. Join the PTO group at www.parentsquare.com/groups/join/7tbooeei4