Academic Background Judy Gardner graduated cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film Production and minors in English Literature and Composition and Secondary Education. She received her teaching certifications in the areas of Communication-Composite and English Language Arts. Having grown up in Puerto Rico and enjoying the richness of two cultures and two languages, she continued her education to receive her teaching certification in Spanish Language and Culture, and in English for Speakers of Other Languages.
Educational Experience Mrs. Gardner has taught 26 years, 23 of them at Dripping Springs High School. She has taught all levels of Spanish: from Spanish 1 through AP 4, teaching Pre-AP Spanish 3 and AP 4 most recently. She enjoys teaching in a highly interactive style, giving students ample opportunity to practice what they are learning, and she enjoys being able to explore other cultures and perspectives through the study of language. Her desire is that her students truly acquire a second language as a living skill. In an increasingly interconnected world, an understanding of other languages and cultures is an essential part of our academic and personal formation.
Professional Activities Mrs. Gardner served as the Department Chair for the LOTE Department. She has led several trips abroad to provide students additional opportunities to use their world language skills and experience other cultures first-hand.
Mrs. Gardner has served in various capacities for the improvement of the district and the teaching profession: she has served on the SIT and DWEIC committees and has been a long-time member and six-term president of the Dripping Springs Education Association. She is the faculty sponsor for the DSHS Spanish Honor Society, as well as the Foreign Films and Food Club. She has previously sponsored the DSHS Book Club and Destination Imagination. She also has a background in free-lance writing and professional translation.
¡Me encanta! Besides traveling, Señora Gardner loves to garden (I know, I get smiles on this confluence of name and interest every time I go to the garden store!), and is an avid reader. Talk to her about the book you're reading (she loves that)! She also loves cooking and tasting the varied cuisines of the world.
She and her husband of 36 years raised 4 children in Dripping Springs, and now is greatly enjoying her second phase in life as a grandmother.