As Quarter 1 came to a close, rumors circulated about Mr. Giraldo’s departure from the school. With the start of Quarter 2, it’s now confirmed—Mr. Giraldo has left due to personal reasons.
A new teacher has stepped in to take over the AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics classes. Mr. Giraldo’s departure has left students feeling confused and nostalgic, especially since he taught many of them back in 7th grade. Over the years, students came to know him as someone eager to share his valuable experiences and life lessons.
“I feel really sad because I think he was a really good teacher and I enjoyed being in his class. I think he has a lot of lessons and things throughout his life that he would have taught us that could’ve helped us in our future so I think that it’s very sad seeing him go away,” Cristobal Palacio, senior, said.
As for the reason why Mr. Giraldo left, what we know is that he left because of personal reasons. No further details were said, and he needed to leave right away. Students and the TCS community should have understanding and empathy regarding the situation.
“I know that he had to leave for personal reasons. He had some family issues that he needed to take care of and he couldn’t do it all at the same time,” Ismael Valentin Jr, High School Vice Principal, said.
Since Mr. Giraldo left, there have been a lot of changes in the way the class works. Students learn mostly with Khan Academy and everything they do is in virtual mode. Not only this, but they use AP Classroom to support their learning. The motivation they have to work and learn in class has decreased greatly, although efforts have been made to continue their assignments.
“When Mr. Giraldo was teaching, he made us make notes from an AP micro textbook, see videos, and take some quizzes in Khan Academy. He would give us a “quiz” about a video. We would watch the video and then answer some questions in Schoology. Now what we are doing in class is seeing some assigned videos in Khan Academy and taking notes on them,” Mariana Galindo, senior, said.
Just as students see and experience the negatives of having a course without a present teacher, TCS school administrators and staff notice the effects as well. Students lack motivation and confidence to continue studying, and their academic performance has gone down as well. Not only this, but their habits as students are impacted now that they are getting used to doing less, and with less effort.
“I think the negatives are that there is an emotional part to this. I think students know and are comfortable with Mr. Giraldo, so his leaving can cause a lack of confidence in their teachers and also in their academic capability as students,” Valentin said.
The fact that students don’t have a teacher in AP Micro and macroeconomics class, makes the school staff need to find another teacher, which up until now has already been found. However, the process needed to find a new teacher was not a simple one. The candidates need to fit in with the various standards the school looks for and be capable of fitting in with the school’s values and culture.
“They’re a logistical process that is going on around. We had to activate a new hire process which involves putting out the offer for people to apply, getting resumes from qualified candidates, deciding whether or not they are qualified for the position or what we are looking for as a teacher, and then having multiple interviews to see whether or not they are a good fit for our culture and students. Candidates should also be academically rigorous,” Valentin said.
The situation TCS is in right now with Mr. Giraldo and the AP Micro and Macroeconomics class has taught us all life lessons. Sometimes, things we can’t control happen, and it is our responsibility to take the action that will be best for ourselves. We all have lives apart from school, and everyone should be sensitive and understanding regarding the situation we find ourselves in right now. Let’s help make our community healthy and empathetic.
“At the end of the day, we all have the same values at heart and even though we see school as the main part of our lives, we also have lives outside of here. We always have to be aware that we have to not only educate the student but also make sure that the staff is taken care of from multiple angles, and that everyone can feel comfortable in this community,” Valentin said.