Los Altos Grace Elementary

Welcome to first grade!

I am Veronica Bustinza and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to teach first grade here at Los Altos Grace. I was born and raised in Long Beach, California. I am the oldest of four siblings. I have the privilege to lead worship and play the piano in the church I grew up in. I have played the piano since the age of 12. My greatest passions in life are serving God, spending time with my family, and working with kids. In my free time I enjoy sitting at the piano and shopping.

Growing up, I always knew in my heart that I wanted to be an elementary teacher. I looked up to both my Sunday school teachers and school teachers, and saw the impact that they had on kids. In high school, I worked with 1st graders through a Careers with Children class, which was a confirmation on my decision. In 2011, I graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Since then, I have been working with kids from preschool through 6th grade. Shortly after graduation, I worked with Centralia School District as a Preschool Teacher Assistant. I then went on to clear my credential through a two-year induction program with Long Beach Unified School District. At the culmination of the program, I received my first long term substitute assignment in a 3rd grade classroom. I worked many long term and short term assignments in Centralia School District and Savanna Elementary School District as a substitute teacher. In 2017, I received the position as a 2nd grade teacher with Savanna School District.

In 2019, God opened door after door here at Los Altos Grace.  I began as a Preschool Teacher Assistant, then taught the 4s, and now I currently teach First Grade. I have loved being here because the environment is welcoming and feels like family. Most importantly, the fact that I get to teach academics and freely teach about Jesus. It’s great to see kids learn about God and see them worship in chapel. I know that elementary is the foundation to a child’s learning and creating habits that will help them be successful now and in their future is essential.

Peek Into 1st Grade

• Small Reading Groups: Daily Five Rotations gives children the opportunity to work in various literacy activities consisting of read to self, read to someone, work on writing, word work, and listen to reading

• Math Stations: Students rotate working in a small group setting on math lessons, math with a partner, and math on their own doing Jiji on their tablet

• Weekly Memory Verse

• Field Trip to a zoo in the Spring