LoRayne Ortega moved from Mill Valley Middle School (MVMS) across the street to Tam this year to teach English 1/2 and AP Comp. Ortega has taught middle school and junior high for 12 years, but says that she has always wanted to teach high school level students. Ortega has a daughter at Tam, senior Gianna Garza, and she said that, “added to the perfection of moving next door to Tam.”

Ortega felt like she made connections with her students at MVMS, so moving to Tam has been an easier transition. “Teaching at Mill Valley [Middle School], I really got to know my students, that mostly feed into Tam. This made me feel very excited about going to Tam,” Ortega said, “I loved working with my students at MVMS. I’m excited to have the possibility of having former students in my classes, it makes me feel more comfortable here.”

Ortega feels that having a daughter at Tam has made her aware of what the district is doing. She feels that she is able to affect the decisions that the district makes now that she is not just a mother, but a faculty member. “Because my daughter comes here I am really familiar with what the district is doing with strategies and the culture at Tam,” Ortega said, “I am really excited about being a part of the new stuff at Tam, for example standard based grades and project based learning. All of those things entice me.”

In all Ortega says she has no regrets and is happy to be at Tam. “When a position came open here I applied as soon as I could,” Ortega said, “I think we’re really lucky here, in Mill Valley, to have such a great school…I’m excited to be here.”