Heidi Seretan is our November Teacher of the Month!
The Fall season is in full swing, and it is a time for thanks, celebration, and joy. In this spirit, we are overjoyed to announce our Teacher of the Month winner for the month of November, Heidi Seretan!
Heidi teaches at AccessSFUSD: The Arc, which is a community-based Special Education Transition Program for students with disabilities, ranging from ages 18 to 22. The program focuses on developing students’ independent living skills, and offers resources including job training and money management tips.
Heidi is an exemplary educator. She is a role model and mentor for her students, and makes them feel supported and cared for. Heidi has a kind, caring attitude and always inspires her students to do their best. One of her students writes that Heidi is “a lot of fun! She brings happiness and excitement to all of our activities.” Her colleague writes, “In everything Heidi does, she is building bridges and relationships with others.” Heidi has built partnerships with more than twenty organizations, including the California Academy of Sciences and SFMOMA, to give her students unique opportunities to explore all of what San Francisco has to offer.
In addition, Heidi makes learning fun and engaging for her students, and works hard to figure out what her students’ passions and interests are. For instance, one of her colleagues shares that Heidi “seeks out student opportunities that she knows will engage and interest them, from field trips to check out props and items of the new Space Jam 2 movie, to holiday themed math activities that teach students how to budget.” As one student writes, “[Heidi] cares about me and the other students. She works very hard on making lessons to help us with life.”
Besides her work as an educator, Heidi also advocates for her students and works hard to be an ally for other people with disabilities. Her colleague shares that “Heidi chairs the Muni Accessibility Advisory Committee, and attends local disability arts and advocacy events, all because she knows these causes positively impact her students at school and beyond.”
We are thankful for teachers such as Heidi Seretan, whose deep commitment to her students inspires us all. We are happy to name her as our November Teacher of the Month!