Academics

Educator Profiles

Jeanne Gonzales

Library Technician
HS Academics
San Ildefonso/Winnebago

I have my AA Degree in Library Technology, and a New Mexico Certificate from the State Public Libraries. I have been working at Santa Fe Indian School for over 30 years. Here at SFIS, I am the Library Technician and work closely with the Librarian to help our library aides who take Library Science as an elective credit. I also help with ordering new books, processing them when they arrive to get them ready for check out, and then on the book shelf. We have a great selection of books; we also have a big Indian collection. I have seen a lot of teachers and librarians come and go, I have learned a great deal from all of them, and they gave a lot to this school – I appreciate that.

I really enjoy working here in the library closely with the students and staff. I get all excited for the new school year to see what students I will have as library aides, and it gives me great joy to see some of my former library aides’ children coming to school here. They always say, “You’re still here?” Yes I am! My daughter graduated from SFIS – Class of ’93, and now I have a grandson in the high school. I have seen a lot of changes here at SFIS, but always for a better education for our students. We have a beautiful campus and great staff who work here.

My favorite core value is giving back. To me this is connected to family. I come from a big family. We get together often and help each other out -- this is givng back to family and community. For our students, SFIS is their family; for some students, this is their main family. Parents must understand how important it is for them to still be involved with their children, and not just drop them off at the dorms. Our students need both families – the SFIS one and their family at home.

At home, one of my passions is art. I make pottery and sell it in the summers when I am off. I’m always doing something – if not pottery, then I am sewing. When I retire, I think I’d like to have a shop to sell arts and crafts. When that time comes, I hope one of my former library aides will take over my position – that would be so cool! It’s nice to hear when our former students succeed in the world and that they accomplished what they set out to do. They can make a big difference in their Pueblos by coming back after they finish college or just staying in their Pueblos and making big contributions for the betterment of their communities.