June 2, 2022

This week's Spotlight goes to our beloved faculty & staff members who will retire this month: Vicente Salas, Valentina Durán, Isabel Vilches, Carmen Barba, Cynthia González and Diana Hawa!

Vicente Salas, or Tito as he is known around campus, has worked in multiple areas of the School for the last 41 years. He arrived at Nido as a member of our transportation team and later moved on to Human Resources where he helps our expat community with all types of “trámites”. “Nido ha significado para mí un lugar de aprendizaje continuo en diferentes áreas lo que me tiene orgulloso de haber trabajado por tanto tiempo, por eso que fue muy difícil tomar la decisión de retirarme. Muchas gracias, Nido,” he says.

Valentina Durán has been teaching in the High School for 33 years. During her professional life at Nido she has taught IB social studies courses, philosophy, Spanish as a second language and PSU prep. Her insightful classes and teachings, and her passion for Chilean history are deeply remembered by her current and former students. “Nido para mí ha sido definitivamente mi segundo hogar. No sólo he entregado mi tiempo y trabajo, sino también mi corazón y mi alma. Siento que Nido, y en especial mis alumnos, me han retribuido con creces lo anterior. Aquí es donde pude florecer como profesional, crecer como persona y madre, y donde encontré a mis más entrañables amigos,” she explains.

Isabel Vilches has been sharing her love of words and literature with the Nido community for the last 33 years. She arrived at the School thanks to Nido’s iconic Spanish teacher, Mr. Franco, who she considers her mentor and friend. “Haber dedicado mi vida profesional completa al Colegio ha sido motivo de orgullo y alegría para mí. Creo que los recuerdos que atesoraré siempre son las experiencias con mis queridos alumnos. Espero que ellos hayan podido conocer y disfrutar conmigo de algunas de las maravillosas obras literarias del idioma español y lo más importante, que hayan sido felices en mi clase. Espero que ellos se hayan divertido y por sobre todo se sintieran seguros y apreciados. Me voy contenta e ilusionada porque comienzo una nueva etapa, pero también con la nostalgia de dejar a tantas personas queridas: mis alumnos, mis colegas y mis amigos,” she says.

Carmen Barba started working at Nido in 1977 and later left and came back twice. She has been at Nido for 28 years. During her entire professional life at Nido, she has worked in the Elementary School, first as an Assistant Teacher, then as a Homeroom Teacher, and recently as a member of the Learning Support Team, providing Math, reading, and Spanish support. “Nido has been my ‘other family’ from the very beginning of my professional career 45 years ago. Here I found wonderful professionals and mentors who blessed me with their expertise and advice. On this amazingly beautiful campus, I have spent many special moments (both joyful and sad) and received the love and support of many colleagues, students, and parents. I will be forever grateful to God, who opened the doors for me to grow at Nido as a professional,” she says.

Cynthia Gonzalez started working at Nido 16 years ago in the Spanish Department in the High School. During her career at Nido, she impacted and created forever lasting friendships and bonds with her colleagues and students. “Nido es un lugar donde aprendí a ser profesora, donde creé lazos con mis alumnos más allá de la sala de clases. En Nido aprendí a querer y a dejar ir como parte de la vida. Nido me enseñó que lo único que perdura es el cambio y el cariño de quienes te aman. En Nido me formé, empecé y terminé mi carrera profesional por ello siempre tendrá un lugar en mi corazón,” she says.

Diana Hawa arrived at Nido in 2007 and has worked in multiple divisions teaching Social Studies, Language Arts, and Humanities. She has been at our school for 15 years. Her dedication to our students is reflected in all of her teachings.

Thank you to Tito, Miss Duran, Miss Vilches, Miss Barba, Miss Cynthia and Miss Hawa for dedicating so many years to Nido, for being true advocates of #TheNidoWay, and for exemplifying the best qualities of a Nido community member. Each of your roles was crucial for our students, and we cannot thank you enough for the positive impact on our community. We wish you the best in your future endeavors! Please know that Nido will always be your family.

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June 9, 2022

This week’s spotlight goes to departing HS art teacher, Miss Victoria Sánchez!

Moving to South Korea to teach art is a full-circle moment for her. Not many people know this, but Miss Sánchez was born in Ethiopia to two diplomat parents who worked for the United Nations. She spent her childhood and adolescence in Brazil, Canada, Argentina, New York, and Chile. Today, after 28 years at Nido, Miss Sánchez is ready to embark on a new adventure that she says ‘is meant to be.’

Miss Sánchez arrived at Nido thanks to a job post she saw in a local newspaper. She recalls that as soon as she came to campus, “I knew Nido was my place. I was Nido, and Nido was me. I felt I was the best fit. This diversity was me.” During her career at Nido, she taught High School Art, including IBA art for 17 years and SSL, ESL, and learning support. She was also an advisor for the Model United Nations (MUN) club and participated in the South American Activities Conference (SAAC). “The school gave me all the opportunities, and I took them and discovered new things about myself. I am grateful that Nido trusted me to put me in other venues besides the arts,” she says. 

Miss Sanchez explains that when the pandemic hit, and she was obliged to slow down, something clicked inside her. “During the lockdown, I thought a lot of a 9th grade trip at Nido where students and us [teachers] were encouraged to climb a big tower and then jump from a bungee rope. We were told to let go, and I realized in quarantine that it was time for me to do the same,” she explains. “I knew what I wanted to do and where [I wanted] to go, and it was time for me to jump the nest and explore. It was time for me to go back to my roots and visit the world again.” She will leave Nido and travel to Jeju island in South Korea when the school year ends. “I have mixed feelings, but I am not sad. I am grateful I was able to make this decision. I hope to carry my Nido experience with me and transmit the beautiful thing that at Nido we do so well: foster diversity”. 

If you know Miss Sánchez, you know her love and commitment to her current and former students are long-lasting. In fact, she remembers every name and nickname and meets up with former students and artists to visit their exhibits all over the world. “I love teaching art. Teaching is my thing; I am a teacher and then an artist. My students, without a doubt, are what make me the happiest about working here. To vibrate with them is what excites me. I have taught my students to discover themselves, and I have accompanied them, and I feel honored that they have felt comfortable to express themselves as they are for all these years,” she explains.

Thank you, Miss Sánchez, for your service to Nido. You have touched your students’ lives, and we thank you for your care and commitment to #TheNidoWay. We wish you the best in your new adventure, and please know that Nido will always be here for you. “Yo voy y vuelvo,” she says with a smile.