2018 Blackboard Award Honoree: Ronie L. Mataquel

Editor’s note: To read profiles of all 2018 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!

Ronie L. Mataquel
Grades 9-12 Common Core Geometry, Algebra 2,
College Algebra & College Math Focus
John Bowne High School

Tell us about some of the special joys and challenges you’ve experienced as
a teacher.

One of my special joys as a teacher was when I made the fateful trip to the United States of America to work as an international teacher. The bitterness of leaving loved ones behind is a reality that every Filipino craving for a greener pasture can never conceal. In frustration of being away from my family and adjusting to this environment, I ventured into other odd jobs. A few months later, I felt the hunger of going back into the classroom, and wound up in the Big Apple. This experience gives me joy because the challenges I’ve overcome has given me the lifetime opportunity to change lives.

Please share a special project or achievement that you are particularly proud of from this year.

For the past five years, I’ve been teaching Math College Focus, a remedial class for students who are not college ready. I prepare students to take the CUNY placement exam. I used an online tool to help students practice specific topics to master the concepts and to track their individual progress. I am proud to say that my remedial classes have the most students passing the CUNY exam!

Ronie L. Mataquel with executive editor of *New York Family* Mia Weber. Photo by Daniel S. Burnstein.

What keeps you motivated and committed to being a dedicated and hard-working educator?

In my limited capacity as a teacher, it is very difficult to measure the impact we’ve made on students until we hear them utter simple words of appreciation. To hear them express that what they’ve learned in the four walls of my classroom proved worthwhile is very rewarding. To make a difference in students’ lives is beyond compare. That’s what makes me motivated and committed and I do it with joy, one student at a time.

What do you love about your school?

Known for its agriculture program, John Bowne High School is a school uniting many cultures of teachers and students of multi-racial origins where I feel I truly belong. JBHS is a home that honed me to be who I am today and provided me with good leadership and an opportunity to grow as a teacher.

The Parkside School

Empowering Students with Language-Based Learning Differences Through Comprehensive Education and Support The Parkside School offers a comprehensive and nurturing educational experience for students with language-based learning differences and disabilities. Our program is designed to support the unique academic, social, and emotional needs of each child, empowering them to thrive in a structured yet flexible learning environment. At the heart of Parkside&rsquo;s approach is a robust curriculum that integrates literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and the arts, all tailored to accommodate diverse learning styles. Our team of dedicated teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and counselors collaborate closely to provide individualized instruction and therapeutic support, ensuring that each student receives a holistic education. Small class sizes enable our staff to build strong relationships with students, fostering a deep understanding of their strengths and challenges. Parkside&rsquo;s multi-disciplinary team utilizes evidence-based interventions such as The Zones of Regulation and executive functioning strategies to promote self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Our occupational therapy program supports sensory integration and fine motor development, while speech and language services target communication skills, helping students express themselves more effectively and build stronger connections with peers. Beyond academics, Parkside emphasizes social-emotional learning through a community-centered approach. We provide students with a safe, supportive space to build self-confidence, social skills, and independence. Our inclusive community is further strengthened through partnerships with families, who are encouraged to take an active role in their child&rsquo;s educational journey. At Parkside, we are committed to helping children discover their potential, preparing them not only for academic success but also for meaningful, fulfilling lives.

Mott Hall Charter School

Located in the Morrisania neighborhood of the South Bronx, the Mott Hall Charter School is a middle school for grades 6, 7 and 8. In its 12 th year, Mott Hall continues to live by its motto &ldquo;RISE to the Challenge&rdquo;; and through these RISE core values - Responsibility, Integrity, Scholarship, and Excellence - scholars are taught the character skills to overcome obstacles and are introduced to these attributes from the moment they walk through the door and reinforced throughout their time at Mott Hall. The Mott Hall Charter School teaches for the 21st Century through its unique approach to learning, providing a holistic educational experience grounded in evidence-based research on how students learn best. Mott Hall accomplishes this through a whole child approach, not merely addressing content but focusing on the key elements of mind, body, character, and social emotional health. Its distinctive mission prepares scholars to succeed in top high schools, colleges, and careers, becoming inquisitive, open-minded, and compassionate citizens of the world. Mott Hall Charter School offers a rigorous academic program grounded in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Scholars are required to take three years of foreign language, coursework in the arts, and have the opportunity for Regents level classes in mathematics and science in 8th grade. All classes integrate technology and utilize elements of the AVID College and Career Readiness program to provide scholars with the organizational, time management, and study skills they need to succeed. Mott Hall Charter School&rsquo;s programs include access to community-based organizations focused on mentoring, adult civics classes, adult ESL classes, computer science classes, engaging online platforms to increase student learning, after school and Saturday tutoring, art, music, softball, basketball, and much more! Mott Hall is now offering a 6/7 Bridge 12:1:1 self-contained classroom: 1 classroom, 12 scholars, 1 educational teacher, and 1 full-time Special Education teacher.

Lefferts Gardens Montessori

Serving our community since 1986 and a member of the American Montessori Society. We offer a hands-on learning environment for Toddlers through Grade 6, with a mission to help each individual child reach his or her potential and to prepare students to be independent thinkers, lifelong learners and responsible citizens in an ever-changing world.