School region , just a few miles from Tehipite . Her parents worked in the fields .
She remembers teachers and migrant program staff who paid special attention to her , and being exposed to authors like Gary Soto , “ who looked like me .”
Her early years in a new country where she did not speak the language continue to shape her .
“ When you see kids that look like you , it makes you step in and do everything you can to help them , just like others have done for you ,” Lopez said .
By the middle of her freshman year at Roosevelt High , she was no longer designated as an English learner . A turning point for her , Lopez said , were college tours through a program for migrant students .
“ Before that , I didn ’ t know I could go to college ,” she said . “ I really don ’ t think I would have made it to where I am , at this moment in time , without those programs . They interrupted many of the inequities for me .”
Her mother did not allow her to go away to school to a UC campus , so she attended Fresno City College and then Fresno State .
She was part of the Teaching Fellows program at Fresno State for future teachers . Her first job in the district was an adult school teacher while she was working on her teaching credential .
She began her career in Sanger Unified School District in 2008 , but in 2011 was hired as a teacher at Burroughs Elementary School and then moved to Wawona , a middle school at the time . Carlos Castillo , Wawona principal then , pushed her to get her master ’ s degree and pursue school leadership .
12 FACES : MARILYN LOPEZ
In 2014 , she was hired as the guidance learning advisor at Cooper Academy , and then became the vice principal there . She then served as principal at Balderas Elementary School for three years before taking over at Tehipite in 2020 .
Located in one of the poorest sections of Fresno , she is striving to change the perception of the campus . Systems that worked at Balderas to provide tiered levels of social-emotional support have been implemented at Tehipite . Student data guides weekly staff meetings .
“ What are the needs ? What are the underlying issues ? How do we support ,” are the questions that directs their work , Lopez said .
The biggest challenges at Tehipite , Lopez said , are creating systems and collaborating on proactive systems , closing the rigor gap and imbedding culturally responsive practices . She loves the team at Tehipite .
“ My staff is just amazing . It takes a village to support students , and they truly are what makes our systems meet the needs of our students and community ,” Lopez said .