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University of Puerto Rico at Humacao

English Department


Nucleus Study
Alfonso Casta Martnez High School
Maunabo, Puerto Rico
Cooperating Teacher: Sonia N. Aponte Aponte
Group: 12-2



Luis E. Pabn Martnez
842-07-6105
Practice Teaching
EDPE 4006/4018
Dr. Anbal Muoz Claudio

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Table of Contents

I. Background Information . 3

II. Content . 3 - 13

A. Introduction . 3

B. Areas of Observation . 4 - 14

III. Reactions . 15

IV. Conclusion . 16

V. Appendix . 17

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Alfonso Casta Martnez Senior High School
Maunabo, Puerto Rico
Founded in 1968



Mission: Offer an education of excellence that enhances the integral development of the student
so that he/she can evolve effectively in a society of constant change.

Vision: The Alfonso Casta Martnez High School will be an instrument of collaboration,
participation, and development that will facilitate the education process and make it one of
excellence, innovation, and creativity that will respond to the intellectual, social, and emotional
necessities of the student.

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I. Background Information
The Alfonso Casta Martnez School is a High School that offers general and vocational
courses. The vocational courses that the school offers are Carpentry, Cabinetmaking, and
Commerce. The Alfonso Casta Martnez High School is located in Maunabo, Puerto Rico. Its
director is Mrs. Juana J. Hernndez. The school is part of the Educational Region of Humacao
and the School District of Yabucoa. The Regional Supervisor is Awilda Iglesias and the School
Superintendent is Madeline Vargas. My Cooperating Teacher is Sonia N. Aponte Aponte. The
group that I will be doing my practice teaching with is 12-2. This is a mixture of carpentry and
general group and is composed of 7 girls and 11 boys, for a total of 18 students.
II. Content
A. Introduction:
When it comes to being a teacher it is very important to know the environment
and the surroundings of the school that youre going to be working in. This type of information
will help you understand your students better and know who and where to reach out to when it
comes to the school personnel and staff. Some of the elements that are important to know are: the
school organization, personnel, everything regarding the students information, the curriculum
program, and other components of the school community. This nucleus study will help me get
familiarized with this schools system and everything I need to know about it. Some of the
sources of information were ngela Collazo, the Auxiliary Administrative, and Mrs. Sonia N.
Aponte Aponte, my cooperating teacher. Both of them helped me gather the necessary
information to create this nucleus study.

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B. Areas of Observation:
1. School Organization

School Organization
Periods Offerings Hour
1
st
Academic 8:00 am 9:00 am
2
nd
Academic 9:00 am 9:50 am
3
rd
Academic 9:50 am 10:40 am
4
th
Academic 10:40 am 11:30 am
5
th
Lunch 11:30 am 12:30 pm
6
th
Academic 12:30 pm 1:20 pm
7
th
Academic 1:20 pm 2:10 pm
8
th
Academic 2:10 pm 3:00 pm
Figure 1
As shown in Figure 1, the Alfonso Casta Martnez High School starts at 8:00 am. It
currently has 7 periods of class of 50 minutes each. The first period of class has an extra 10
minutes so that the homeroom teacher can give the students the schools announcements and the
daily reflection. The lunch period is from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and the school finishes at 3:00
PM. The school also offers courses at night for adults and students that dropped out. It also offers
one day of orientations for the Alcoholics Anonymous group.



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2. Curriculum Program

The Alfonso Casta Martnez High School is a school that offers general and vocation
courses. The general subjects are Science (Chemistry Environmental Science, Physics), English,
Math, Spanish, History, Fine Arts, and Health. The vocational courses that the school offers are
Carpentry, Cabinetmaking, and commerce. The school also has a Special Education Program.

3. Sports Program
The Alfonso Casta Martnez High School participates in a sports league that features
different sports. In the Intramural league they offer Softball for males and females, Baseball for
males, Soccer for males and females, Basketball, and Volleyball. In the Extramural league they
offer conveying Soccer for both males and females, Softball for females, Baseball for males,
Volleyball, and Basketball. The sports that compete outside of Puerto Rico are Softball and
Soccer. The teams are chosen according to the achievement in the intramural league. The school
also offers individual Sports/Games such as Chess, Track and Field, Tennis, and Ping-Pong.

4. Facilities
The Alfonso Casta Martnez High School has 35 official classrooms for the regular
subjects. One of these classrooms is not in use because there is no teacher named yet and another
one is for the faculty. There are 10 students bathrooms (2 of them are not in use on the third
floor), two faculty bathrooms, one bathroom for lunchroom personnel, and one bathroom for the
counselors office but its not in use. There are four recreational areas in the school. Theres a
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roofed basketball court, a room used for activities, a game room located in Mi Escuela Amiga
(M. Montes classroom), and a gym room located inside the Mrs. Aliceas classroom. The school
also has a Library which is mostly used for meetings and special activities because theres been
no librarian in the school for 3 years. There is also a Conference Room for activities in the third
floor of the school which also serves as a theatre class for Ms. Gmez. The school also has a
Lunch Room in the first floor. There are five (5) offices in the school. These offices are assigned
to the director, the secretary, the register, one for the counselor, and one for the Social Worker.
The school had a computer lab room, which is now an English classroom integrated with
computer skills. There are six (6) trash cans placed around the campus, two garbage disposals,
two gazebos, one central patio, seven working water fountains, and three warehouse rooms for
books and supplies, records, and materials, and for storage only for custodians use.
5. School Diagram
** School diagram is located in the Appendix**
6. Supervision
The school is supervised by Mrs. Juana J. Hernndez, the director of the school. Some of
her responsibilities are to supervise directly or through mandate that the school functions in an
organized way according to the regulations of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico,
among others.


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7. Personnel
Personnel
Names Occupations
ngela M. Morales Mariani 10-1 Science (Biology)
Jeannette Garca Morales 10-2 English
Arnaldo Laboy Abreu 10-3 Math
Abigail Dvila Cruz 10-4 Spanish
Elba I. Garca Amaro 10-5 Commerce
Juan P. Ortiz Salinas 11-1 Spanish
Sandra Rosario Torres 11-2 Chemistry; 12-2 Environmental Science
Elias Ortiz Lebrn 11-3 History of the United States
Carlos A. Bentez Coln 11-4 Math
Marta Rivera Rosa 11-5 English
Glendalys Figueroa Freytes 12-1 Physics; 11
th
Grade Chemistry
Raquel Vizcaya Ruiz 12-2 Math
Mayra Santiago Fernndez 12-3 History
Sonia N. Aponte Aponte 12-4 English; 12
th
Grade Advanced English
Marlia Ortiz Rivas 12-5 Spanish; 12
th
Grade Advanced Spanish
Armando Rivera Ruiz Puerto Rican History; In charge of ALCAMAR
Annette Gmez Cabrera Fine Arts (Drawing & Painting)
Milagros Morales Lpez Health; Program Mano a Mano con los Viejitos
Migdalia Figueroa Coln Home Economics; Responsible Parenthood; School Board
President
Jorge A. Sugraez Valles 11
th
& 12
th
Carpentry; 10
th
Cabinetmaking
Irma Z. Mrquez Rivera 10
th
& 11
th
Commerce; 12
th
Grade Int. Commerce
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Gloria E. Cardona Cdiz 11
th
& 12
th
Special Education
Benita Dvila Morales 10
th
& 11
th
Special Education
Luisa I. Alicea Santiago Physical Education & Human Anatomy
Francisco Rivera Ortiz Physical Education & Volleyball
Carmen A. Gmez Theatre
David R. Montes Rodrguez Physical Education & Basketball
Kiomary Rodrguez Garca Social Worker
Mara de los A. Delgado
Rodrguez
School Counselor
Florilda Ortiz Aguayo PSA II
Teresa Lpez Lpez PSA I
Pilar Rodrguez Rodrguez PSA I
Roselyn Brito Amaro PSA I
Silma L. Bultrn Soto Janitor
Dolores Echevarra Figueroa Janitor
Nora H. Collazo Collazo Janitor
Sylvia Collazo Rodrguez Janitor
Angie M. Collazo Garca Auxiliary Administrative
Mayra M. Rodrguez Rodrguez Secretary/Office Clerk
Olga J. Brito Flecha Cook
Alejandrina Sols Villodas Janitor (Municipal)
Thelma Mrquez Janitor (Experience)
Juan A. Luyando Garca School Guard (Gnesis Security)
Juana J. Hernndez Director
Jos Conde Rexach Worker 1
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Elsie Bonilla Rodrguez Worker 1
Anthony Castro Teacher Assistant for 11
th
Grade
Janett Charriez Counselor; TIT Program
Figure 2
Figure 2 demonstrates the Schools personnel. There are three English teachers in this
school. The 10
th
grade English teacher is Jeannette Garca Morales and she has a Bachelors
Degree in English. The 11
th
grade English teacher is Marta Rivera Rosa and she has a Masters
Degree in English. Prof. Sonia N. Aponte Aponte is in charge of the English class for the 12
th

grade (4 groups, and one group for Advanced English students) and her academic preparation
consists of a Masters Degree in English as a Second Language, and has 21 credits in Spanish.
The school has three Spanish teachers. Abigail Dvila currently teaches Spanish to 10
th

graders and she currently has a Bachelors Degree in Spanish. Marlia Ortiz Rivas teaches
Spanish to 12
th
graders and she has a Bachelors degree in Spanish. Juan P. Ortiz Salinas teaches
Spanish to the 11
th
grade, and he also has a Bachelors Degree in Spanish.
There are three math teachers in the school. The math teacher for the 11
th
grade is Carlos
A. Bentez, and his academic preparation consists of a Bachelors degree in Mathematics. The
math teacher for 12
th
grade is Raquel Vizcaya Ruiz, and her academic preparation consists of a
Bachelors degree in Mathematics. The 10
th
grade math teacher is Arnaldo Laboy, and his
academic preparation consists of a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics.
The Science teachers are: Angela M. Morales Mariani, Sandra I. Rosario Torres, and
Glendalys Figueroa Freytes. Mrs. Morales academic preparation consists of a Bachelors degree
in Science and she currently teaches Biology to the 10
th
grades. Mrs. Rosario is the 11
th
grades
Chemistry teacher (4 groups), but she also teaches 12
th
grade Environmental Science; she has a
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Masters degree in Chemistry. Mrs. Figueroa teaches Physics to 12
th
graders (4 groups), but she
also teaches 11
th
grade Environmental Science; she has a Bachelors degree in Science.
There are three History teachers in the school. Armando Rivera teaches History of Puerto
Rico to 10
th
& 11
th
grade, and his academic preparation consists of a Bachelors degree in
History. Elas Ortiz Lebrn teaches History of the United States to the 11
th
grade and his
academic preparation consists of a Bachelors degree in Social Sciences. Mayra Santiago
Fernndez teaches History to the 12
th
grade and her academic preparation consists of a
Bachelors degree in History.
The school also has three Physical Education teachers, whom all have a Bachelors
degree in Physical Education. The teachers are Luisa I. Alicea Santiago, David Montez
Rodrguez, and Francisco Rivera Ortiz, and they all teach 10
th
, 11
th
, and 12
th
grade.
The school has two Special Education teachers. Gloria E. Cardona Cdiz works with 11
th

and 12
th
grade students, and Benita Dvila Morales works with 10
th
& 11
th
grade students. Both
of them have obtained a Masters Degree in Special Education.
There are four teachers for elective courses and two Commerce teachers. The Commerce
teachers are Irma Z. Mrquez Rivera, who works with all three grades, and Elba I. Garca Amaro
who works with 10
th
and 11
th
grade. Both of them have a Bachelors degree in Commerce
Education. As for the elective courses, Annette Gmez Cabrera teaches Fine Arts to all grades,
and her academic preparation consists of a Masters Degree in Art. Milagros Morales Lpez
teaches Health to all grades and her academic preparation consists of a Bachelors degree in
Health. Migdalia Figueroa teaches Responsible Parenthood, and her academic preparation
consists of a Masters Degree in Home Economics. Jorge A. Sugraez teaches Carpentry and
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Cabinetmaking (Vocational Education), and his academic preparation consists of a Bachelors
Degree in Vocational Education and a Masters Degree in School Administration.
The Social Worker of the school is Kiomary Rodrguez. She has a Masters Degree in
Social Work, and she is in charge of identifying any personal problems that have to do with any
students of the school. Mrs. Rodrguez focuses on preventing students from dropping out of
school, using drugs, committing suicide, problems with other students, discipline, among others.
Mara de los ngeles Delgado Rodrguez is the School Counselor. Her academic
preparation consists of a Bachelors degree in Finance and a Masters Degree in Orientation and
Counseling. She is in charge of guiding the students and the school community about vocational
preparation. She also helps students with the barriers that prevent them from accomplishing
academic achievements.
There are two Title 1 personnel. Jos Conde and Elsie Bonilla. They work individually
with the Special Education students that have been assigned to them by the Department of
Education and help them achieve academic excellence.
Mayra M. Rodrguez is the school secretary. Mrs. Rodrguez has a bachelors degree in
Secretary Sciences. Her job is to write letters to maintain the school communication with the
parents and teachers, assists the public who visit the school, answer the phone, among many
other tasks.
Angie M. Collazo Garca is the Administrative Auxiliary. She is in charge of registering
all of the information regarding the students and the personnel. She is also in charge of the
schools enrollment. One of her jobs is to keep track of the financial accounts of the school and
to buy supplies for the school.
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Olga Brito Flecha is in charge of the school store (Cooperativa ALCAMAR). Mrs. Brito
is a volunteer. The store operates from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm. Annette Gmez and Armando Rivera
also help out in their free time with the store.
There are six (6) janitors in the school. These are: Silma L. Bultrn Soto, Dolores
Echevarra, Nora H. Collazo, Sylvia Collazo, Alejandrina Sols (Municipal Employee), and
Thelma Marquez (Department of Labor). They are in charge of maintaining the school clean and
organized.
The Lunchroom employees are Florilda Ortiz, Teresa Lpez, and Pilar Rodrguez. Mrs.
Ortiz is the supervisor of the Lunchroom. They are in charge of preparing the breakfast and
lunch for the students and the schools personnel.
The Security Guard is Juan Luyando. He is the only guard in the school and is in charge
of maintaining a secure environment. He checks the correct use of the uniforms in the students
and personnel, and interferes in any situation that is out of order.








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8. Students
Teacher Grade Group Active
Enrollment
Female Male
ngela M.
Morales Mariani
10-1 13 8 5
Jeannette Garca
Morales
10-2 15 4 11
Arnaldo Laboy
Abreu
10-3 13 7 6
Abigail Dvila 10-4 18 9 9
Elba Garca 10-5 24 16 8
Total: 5 groups 83 44 39
Juan P. Ortiz
Salinas
11-1 23 15 8
Sandra Rosario
Torres
11-2 16 10 6
Elas Ortiz
Lebrn
11-3 14 5 9
Carlos A.
Bentez Coln
11-4 15 6 9
Marta Rivera
Rosa
11-5 19 18 1
Total: 5 groups 87 54 33
Glendalys
Figueroa
12-1 22 8 14
Raquel Vizcaya
Ruiz
12-2 23 12 11
Mayra Santiago
Fernndez
12-3 19 11 8
Sonia N. Aponte
Aponte
12-4 16 12 4
Marlia Ortiz
Rivas
12-5 15 13 2
Total: 5 groups 95 56 39

Total: 15 groups 265 154 111
Figure 3

Figure 3 shows the enrollment of the students in the school by grade, group, and by
gender. In total, there are 15 groups, 265 students from which 154 are females and 111 are
males. The students that attend the school come from difference places. The majority comes
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from different sectors of Maunabo. These sectors are: Emajaguas, La Pandura, El Pueblo,
California, Tumbao, Quebrada Arenas, Calzada, Palo Seco, La Pica, Matuyas Alto, Matuyas
Bajo, and Palo Seco. A few of the students come from the nearby cities of Patillas and Yabucoa.
The school has several organizations for the students benefit. These organizations are
Club 4H, Cooperative Club (ALCAMAR store), Future Commerce Leaders of America (FCLA),
SKILLS USA, and Orientation Club.

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III. Reactions
It was the first time that I visited Maunabo in over 8 years and the first time that I drove
alone. I didnt even know how to get there and the school didnt appear on google maps. I was
nervous, but when I got there I noticed that it was rather easy to find. When it comes to the
faculty, I noticed that theyre highly qualified and dedicated to teaching. A lot of them showed
enthusiasm and were eager to see how my practice teaching went along. The school itself is very
well kept. The personnel is very welcoming and the students are not as rowdy as I expected,
theyre actually the opposite. I also noticed that the school doesnt have a problem with funding.
Teachers have the materials they need and theyre constantly improving the classrooms tech-
wise. From what I see, the school can only go forward because both the personnel and students
are working together to make it a better place.


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IV. Conclusions
Its been years of studying, hard work, and dedication. Ive had great professors that have
helped me get to where I am today, and even though I never pictured myself in this school doing
my practice teaching, I have to say that I am blessed to have such a supporting cast of friends,
colleagues, a great Cooperating Teacher, and Professors. I was surprised, to say the least, that I
was sent to this school, but everything in life happens for a reason. I know that this will be a
challenge, but I am ready to face it head-on.
I have only taught one class in a public school, and it was in the Juan Ponce de Len
Middle School in Humacao for the Seminar Class. All my experiences have been in the private
school environment. I didnt know what to expect in a Public High School, much less in a city
that I am not very familiar with at all. Everything changed when I got to meet the personnel.
They were very friendly, welcoming, and embraced that I was going to be the new Practice
Teacher in their school. They offered me friendly advice and wished me the best.
I expect to learn a lot from this experience. I want to be able to grow, not only as a
teacher, but as a person. I want to be able to reach these kids, help them as much as I can, make a
change in them, and leave my fingerprints in their life as a good teacher. I want to become an
agent of change, and my journey starts in this school, a school thats in the Governments plan of
improvement. I want to leave my mark on this school because it will leave a mark on me. It will
give me my first experience as a teacher, something that I will treasure in my memories forever.

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V. Appendix

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