Last school year, Los Altos High School said goodbye to ten of its retiring teachers and staff members. As a result of the vacated positions, 12 new staff members are kicking off their careers at Los Altos High. Here’s what a few of them had to say about joining the Los Altos High community.

Marc Solkov, who currently teaches Survey Composition and Literature and World Literature, said he was drawn to the rigor and hard-working attitude of students at Los Altos High when looking for a teaching position.

“I wanted to be influenced by a culture [of excellence], and I feel like I can add to a culture like that as well,” Solkov said.

In the classroom, Solkov values treating his students as equals and said he hopes to build relationships with his students throughout the year.

“I want my classroom to be a place [that] students look forward to coming to,” Solkov said.

Glenda Vargas recently began teaching Algebra I and Geometry at Los Altos High, but this isn’t her first time on the campus. Vargas is a Los Altos High alumnus and decided to apply for a teaching position with the support of her past teachers.

“It’s always been my goal to end up here,” Vargas said. “A lot of my mentors were here, and they really wanted me to come [to Los Altos High].”

Vargas worked at Crittenden Middle School for six years before coming to Los Altos High, and said she wanted a change from the comfort of her old job, in addition to working with different age groups. The change, she said, has been hectic but engaging.

“I’m learning so many things, but I’m getting there,” Vargas said. “I also love getting to know my students, so … eventually we’ll get there with building relationships.”

Vargas said she recognizes the competitive school culture at Los Altos High and hopes she can be a part of clubs and other activities while making sure her students feel cared for.

Kayley Gould is currently teaching Survey Composition and Literature and honors sophomore English at Los Altos High. Gould is also a Los Altos High alumnus and was inspired to become a teacher by her instructors at the school. She trained to be a teacher at Los Altos High and then moved to Egan Junior High to teach English, though she said the goal of returning to Los Altos High remained on her mind.

“My teachers here [at Los Altos High] are the reason I’m a teacher,” Gould said.

Gould said she always appreciated the community at Los Altos High for the wide range of backgrounds and experiences its students represent, and aims to eventually assist with the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination program, which aims to help guide incoming first-generation college students throughout their high school years.

“As a teacher, it’s challenging and exciting to have such different levels in your classes and students [who have] access to such different resources,” Gould said. “ … It’s something really close to my heart.”

Gould said her goal is to create a space in her classroom in which her students feel supported, confident in themselves and encouraged to participate and learn. and wants her students to feel confident in her classroom.

Daniella Duran began her teaching career back in 1997, and after taking a break teaching to be Stanford’s Director of Education and Outreach for Nanotechnology, she has taken up a position at Los Altos High as a regular and honors Biology teacher.

Duran said she enjoys the liveliness that comes from being back on a high school campus, and is looking forward to seeing how Los Altos High’s population will continue to grow in its energy.

“[The students] are excited about the potential of things you can do in life,” Duran said. “I’m just excited to be back where I can help students that are looking to connect with science.”

Duran said she is a science lover through and through, and finds it’s important for students to feel that excitement come through in her teaching. As the school year continues, Duran is looking forward to fostering collaboration in her classroom and respect between her and her students.

“Letting students know that you’re there because you want to be there, and you want students to be excited as well [is really important],” Duran said.

As the year progresses, these Los Altos High teachers are excited to continue settling into the community on-campus and building those communities in their classrooms.

“It feels good to be back at school and shaking off the summer cobwebs,” Solkov said.