Teacher Spotlight On Novato's Roxana Leiva

NOVATO, CA — Great teachers matter. In Novato, we’re fortunate to have teachers like Roxana Leiva.

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to recognize teachers and show them how much they’re valued and appreciated.

This submission comes from Kristine Timmons Erving, who nominated Roxana Leiva, of Novato:

How do you know the teacher?

I'm a parent and PTSA member at Novato High.

What does this person teach?

Art

Why do you believe the teacher should be recognized or honored?

Roxana Leiva has been teaching art at Novato High for over ten years. Roxana brings engaging, culturally relevant projects to her classroom including her classes' current study of Salvadoran artist Fernando Llort and with her ongoing work with students new to the US with her Artes and Cultura Club. Roxana is also building out MSA's first bilingual art pathway to be unveiled later this fall.

Roxana holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, a Master’s in Education and MA Studies in Latin American Arts and Culture. Her research and practice topics within the arts have a focus on social justice and human rights (abuses), particularly in the histories of Latin American dictatorships and diasporas.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the teacher?

Each summer she continues honing her artistic and cultural perspective with work-study experiences in Central and South America and Europe. This last summer, she led art workshops at CECREA in Chile. She has also participated in fellowships with the Smithsonian Institution, Summer Arts Program in Berlin, Germany; arts and language exchange programs in Maya Guatemala, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well as in El Salvador with the Mesoamerican ceramic tradition.

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