For Marissa Vera, Howe Elementary School is more than a place to teach. It's a place that reminds her of home.
Originally from Brownsville, Texas, a border community where family, culture and connection are deeply valued, Vera found something familiar when she first arrived at Howe.
“I feel like I am at home when I am here,” she said.
Vera, now a fourth-grade dual language teacher, initially joined Howe as a library aide after taking time away from classroom teaching. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to return to education, but within her first month, she knew she had found a special school community.
Even when other teaching opportunities came along, she chose to stay. When a fourth-grade position eventually opened, she eagerly returned to the classroom.
“I had worked with the teachers in the building and fell in love with the kids and the staff,” she recalled.
Today, Vera brings that same sense of connection to her work with students and families.
One recent example was Howe's family Lotería Night, a celebration inspired by the traditional Mexican game similar to bingo. Working with a school cultural committee, Vera helped bring families together for an evening of games, laughter and learning.
The event built on a schoolwide Lotería activity in which students create their own game cards using Spanish vocabulary and play together through school announcements.
For Vera, the goal was about more than organizing an activity. It was about making families feel welcomed, celebrated and connected to their school.
“We wanted to celebrate them and bring them together,” she said.
Her commitment to building community extends throughout the school. Vera regularly collaborates with colleagues on assemblies and activities that reinforce Howe's Four Bs: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe and Be Ready to Learn.
She also looks for ways to include students across grade levels, whether through schoolwide activities, student council or art club.
“I try to branch out of my classroom,” Vera said. “The community is everyone.”
Principal Jennifer Convey has recognized Vera's contributions to schoolwide activities and family engagement, including her willingness to collaborate with colleagues and help bring new ideas to life.
Vera believes strong relationships help families know that educators care about their children as individuals, not just as students. She especially enjoys reconnecting with former students and their families at school events.
And while Vera is modest about her own contributions, she is enthusiastic about celebrating the people and programs that make Howe special.
“I love talking about my school,” she said. “I love talking about the dual language program. I love talking about the people that work here.”
Through her teaching, collaboration and commitment to family engagement, Vera is helping make Howe a place where students, staff and families feel at home.