Teacher Name: Esther Viella
Position: 3rd Grade Teacher
Phone: 907-438-2311 Ext. 2
Email: evillela@smcsd.us

 Happy day, and welcome to the 3rd grade classroom of Ms. Villela and her St. Mary’s Eagles. Each day is a new adventure filled with opportunities for all students to be creative and to have fun learning.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston-Victoria and received my Master of Science in Instructional Leadership from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.  I find joy in creating a nurturing learning environment that engages, motivates, and challenges students to do their personal best in all academic areas.

The first words I read when arriving here in St. Mary’s are posted above the playground, “Every Yup’ik is responsible for all other Yup’iks for survival of our cultural spirit.” As a teacher in this beautiful village, I will continue to learn about and embrace the Yup’ik culture, language and traditions, as I weave the students’ learning activities into a positive memorable experience.

Working at St. Mary’s is a very rewarding experience. When using activities that make the students’ learning engaging and fun, it motivates them to be more willing to participate and take risks in their learning. Making learning fun, enjoyable and memorable is the secret to success.