Teacher Profile: Rocky (Raquel) Ortiz

In only her second year at High Meadow, Raquel Ortiz, known as Rocky, has become involved across our campus. This year, she has dual roles as 2nd Grade Teaching Assistant and as the lead of our reimagined Spanish program. 

“I’ve always carried the energy and spirit of the city with me,” says Rocky Ortiz, who was born and raised in the Bronx. But after her marriage to husband, Rob, the couple chose to raise their three children—Randl, Ryan, and Robyn—in Rockland County. 

“What brought me to the Hudson Valley was its breathtaking beauty,” Rocky says, “the mountains, the open skies, and the peaceful rhythm of nature. Growing up in the concrete jungle was exciting, but after visiting my aunt in Goshen, NY, I knew one day I wanted to live surrounded by that kind of serenity.”

Rocky and Rob have been happily married for over 30 years, and their adult children are thriving, with their sons in Rockland County and New Jersey, and daughter in California finishing Culinary School. By now, Rocky has embraced upstate life: “I love connecting with nature, spending time with family, dancing, camping, gardening, cooking, reading, and relaxing with my dog, Cowboy, and our two cats, Pumpkin and Mystic.”

Rocky has more than 18 years of experience in education, but her first career was as an X-ray technician. “After starting a family and becoming a class parent,” she recalls, “I discovered my true passion: working with children. Guiding and supporting students while nurturing their educational growth has been deeply rewarding and has given me a sense of purpose beyond my family life. I approach my work with kindness, an open heart, patience, honesty, respect, and love.”

Rocky brings with her a tremendous range of skills. “I spent 12 wonderful years at a summer camp as a Camp Specialist and later as Director of Teens,” she adds, “and even gained valuable insights into the hospitality industry while helping my daughter Robyn at the restaurant she managed. I am CPR and First Aid certified and have completed Mental Health First Responder training focused on early childhood development.” Throughout Rocky’s varied career, she has supported Spanish-speaking families with the citizenship process.

Rocky decided to join the team at High Meadow after some time away from education. “I realized how much I missed working with children and decided to start looking for opportunities. As I read the description and learned more about HMS, I thought to myself, ‘This sounds too good to be true!’ The idea of teaching while incorporating art, music, dance, and nature painted such a beautiful picture in my mind—I knew I had to apply. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

On top of her roles in the classroom this year, Rocky worked with the DEIJ Committee to imagine and produce our celebration of LatinX/Hispanic Heritage Month, helping to bring food, music, art, and history to our community, just as she set out to do.

At movie night, families enjoyed tamales, empanadas, rice, beans, and more from Kingston-based, family-owned restaurant, Las Camelias, participated in a sing-along with HMS parents Camille and John, and took in a special screening of Coco. 

She also helped host our first Fireside Friday “Takeover”, with vegan Mexican Tortilla Soup cooked over the fire, and a bake sale featuring  recipes from Spanish-speaking countries. At our all-school gathering, classes offered facts about the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries, and 2nd grade shared a performance of La Bomba.

Rocky is also taking the lead on our reimagined Spanish Foundations program, which has her working across grade levels at different times of year. “In our classes,” she explains, “we build Spanish skills through songs, games, labeling classroom items, conversations, and exploring Spanish-speaking countries and cultures. These experiences help students grow in the four key areas of language learning—listening, speaking, reading, and writing. My goal is to make learning Spanish fun, engaging, and full of joy while helping students build confidence and curiosity about the world around them.”

We’re grateful for Rocky’s commitment to “creating an environment where children feel seen, valued, and inspired to grow, not just academically, but as kind and confident individuals.”