Stephanie Lacerna joins the Lick-Wilmerding High School community to teach two courses in the math department: Deductive Geometry and Algebra 2 Accelerated.
Lacerna is a native San Franciscan who attended Zion Lutheran for elementary and middle school, and Lowell High School. After moving to San Diego to attend the University of California San Diego and teach at a middle school, she returns to the Bay to teach at LWHS. “I like being in the Bay. Everyone here is driven to be the best they can be. Not all in the same sense, but in their own special way.”
Lacerna describes herself as a good listener, empathetic, a hard worker and someone who always tries to do the right thing. Her love for teaching started when she was in high school tutoring her younger cousin. She enjoyed seeing him “light up and learn new things” and “reach an understanding for certain concepts” but also have moments of confusion and struggle in between. To this day, that rewarding experience drives her love for teaching and guiding her students through difficult concepts.
When faced with academic challenges, she wants her students to know that “it’s okay to struggle, it’s just not okay to give up.” This year, she hopes to create a classroom environment where students can do just that—grow to feel comfortable not knowing, and work past the initial confusion to reach understanding.
Lacerna has a 2-year-old toddler, with whom she loves spending time with when not teaching at LWHS. Her perfect day would include taking her kid on a walk where they travel around San Francisco going to various restaurants, visiting the public library and spending time with her two grandmas.
LWHS is unique from the other schools Lacerna has worked at in many ways. She said, “Especially with the staff, I feel like the teachers make time for each other. And that’s not something that I’ve seen in previous schools, where I felt like teachers were a little bit more rushed”. This year, Lacerna looks forward to becoming a part of the LWHS community and building relationships with fellow staff and students.
