New Staff @ WHS - Yeni Alfaro

It is my pleasure to introduce Ms. Yeni Alfaro to the Waldwick community. Ms. Alfaro is our new Spanish/ESL Teacher and we are very excited to have her as part of WHS.


Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I was born in El Salvador and moved to Waldwick, NJ at the age of ten. I attended the Waldwick Public Schools up until my sophomore year when my parents decided to move to another town. Although I did not get to graduate from Waldwick High School, I kept in touch with most of my classmates and my heart remained a Waldwick Warrior. I attended Montclair State University and majored in Spanish Education with a second field certification in teaching English as a Second Language. I taught ESL in Passaic for seven years, I was a maternity leave replacement at Ridgewood High School last year and I am now back to my old high school teaching my native language of Spanish and the language that I learned when I arrived to this country: English.

What made you choose Education as a career?
I chose to become a teacher because I love helping people. I love helping others to learn and to grow to become part of an informed and engaged society. To make an impact in someone's life is priceless.

What appealed to you about Waldwick High School?
It's my old high school. Who wouldn't want to go back to teach at their alma mater? How cool is that?! I always dreamed of going back to the school where I learned English and teach it to a new generation of kids. I always wanted to give back to my community. There is quite a large Central American population in Waldwick and I would love to teach my Spanish students not just the language, but the culture and traditions that some of their classmates bring with them from their native countries.

Tell us something interesting about yourself?
I am an avid traveler. I love traveling and learning about new cultures. It helps me grow as a global citizen. I am also a coin collector. I have over 75 coins from different countries.