Gator Preview Newsletter Summer 2013 | Page 17

Staff  News     Gateway  bids  goodbye  to  recent  retirees:         Ms.  Alicia  Miranda   Middle  School  Spanish  Teacher   Ms.   Miranda   has   been   teaching   at   Gateway   for  26  years.    She  earned  a  BA,  MA  and  Ed.S  in   Spanish   from   Rutgers   University   and   Seton   Hall   University.   Ms.   Miranda   then   taught   at   schools   in   various   areas   of   New   Jersey   to   include   Paterson,   Camden,   Passaic   County   and   Rowan   University   just   to   name   a  few.   She   most   enjoyed   working   with   our   children   and   teaching   students   with   no   knowledge   of   the   Spanish  language  master  it  so  they  could  read,   comprehend,  and  have  discussions  with  ease.     Her   plans   for   retirement   include   some   adventurous   traveling   and   her   long   time   dream   of   visiting   her   homeland   of   Ecuador,   which  she  has  not  seen  in  over  20  years.    We   are  excited  for  you,  Ms.  Miranda!                             Mrs.  Bette  McMahon   Middle  and  High  School   Spanish  Teacher       After   26   years   of   teaching   middle   and   high   school   Spanish   at   Gateway,   Mrs.   McMahon   has   decided   to   retire.     She   earned   a   BA   in   Spanish   Education   from   Rutgers   University,   then   continued   her   education   at   Rowan   University.     Before   coming   to   Gateway,   Mrs.   McMahon  worked  at  GCIT  (Gloucester  County  Technical   Institute).       Watching   as   students   expanded   their   horizons   by   gaining   insight   into   and   adapting   an   appreciation   for   cultural   differences   as   they   acquired   various   levels   of   proficiency   in   Spanish   was   very   rewarding   to   her.     Mrs.   McMahon   also   enjoyed   visits   from   many   former   students   who   have   stopped   by   over   the   years   to   share   their   stories   of   how   they   have   used   what   they   learned   in   their   professional   and   personal   lives.    Mrs.  McMahon’s  retirement  plans  include  family,   friends,  some  leisure  –  some  travel,  cooking  up  a  storm   in  her  new  kitchen  and  best  of  all  –  getting  to  know  her   first  grandchild  who  is  due  to  arrive  somewhere  around   the  beginning  of  November.    Have  fun  Mrs.  M  –  I’ll  bet   that   grandbaby   takes   precedence   over   everything   else   once  he/she  gets  here!