Classroom Conversations: Mrs. Kasandra Reyes & Leonardo
For Mrs. Kasandra Reyes, kindergarten teacher at United Elementary State Street, the school day comes with an extra special perk: her son is part of the same school community. Leonardo (Leo), a third grader and fellow State St. Panther, spends his days learning just a few classrooms away, while his mom, “Mrs. Reyes” to his peers, helps guide the youngest students through their first classroom experiences.
Though their roles look different, both share in the daily rhythms of the State St. community. Mrs. Reyes is helping kindergarteners build strong foundations for learning, while Leonardo is continuing his own journey as a reader, thinker, and leader in third grade. Together, they experience the same school community from two different perspectives—one as a teacher and one as a student.
The Huddle caught up with the mother-son duo in Mrs. Reyes’s classroom to discuss current reads, the call to teach, and what it's like to share the same school community.
The Huddle: Can you introduce yourselves?
Mrs. Reyes: My name is Kasandra Reyes. I am a kindergarten teacher, and this would be my 3rd year here. And this is my son!
Leo: My name’s Leo. Well, that's my nickname, but my real name is Leonardo. I'm in third grade, and I'm 9 years old. I play basketball and football, and sometimes I go to the YWCA, an after-school program.
Leo: What is your favorite thing about this school? What has changed about this school since you started?
Mrs. Reyes: My favorite thing about this school is probably the kids and the teachers. I feel like we have a really strong team, and not much has changed, actually!
The Huddle: Which is a good thing if you like it!
Mrs. Reyes: Yeah, so that’s good!
Mrs. Reyes: Do you have a favorite memory from this school year so far?
Leo: I can't think of just one!
Mrs. Reyes: Can I tell you my favorite memory? [Leo: Yeah!] I think my favorite memory is — oh, I guess this would be of last year — but the kids dancing in the hallway every Friday.
Leo: Oh, yeah!
Mrs. Reyes: Yeah, it's a good one. The kindergartners dance in the hallway every Friday.
Leo: What's your favorite memory from this school year?
Mrs. Reyes: From this school year, I would say the Hearts Around the World project, when we got a bunch of cards from all over the world. We got Switzerland this year, and the kids were so excited. We actually got more cards this year than last year, which I didn't think we could beat, but we did. Went a little viral!
Mrs. Reyes: What have you enjoyed the most this year?
Leo: Something I have enjoyed was learning and doing my favorite things that I haven't gotten to do in a long time.
Mrs. Reyes: Like what?
Leo: Like, long division, multiplication, Zearn, i-Ready, all the things.
The Huddle: What's Zearn?
Leo: Zearn is a math app on the computer, and it is mostly [math lessons and interactive activities] in the modules we are doing.
The Huddle: Is math your favorite subject?
Mrs. Reyes, as Leo nods confidently: That’s his favorite, yeah.
Leo: What's your favorite memory from working here?
Mrs. Reyes: Overall? Oh, probably the kindergarten cookout.
Leo: Oh, yeah!
Mrs. Reyes: That was fun, and it was nice to see all the kids and parents before they even came for the first day of school. That was really nice.
Mrs. Reyes: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the third grade?
Leo: What I'm looking forward to for the rest of third grade is graduating.
Mrs. Reyes: Graduating third grade; yeah, that's a good one.
Leo: Why did you want to work in a school?
Mrs. Reyes: Since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I just wanted to help kids and families, and I wanted to work mostly where there would be Hispanic families so that I could help them. I know and remember, from when I was young, how hard it was for my mom and dad to understand what was going on in school. So I would like to help them with that.
Mrs. Reyes: What's your favorite thing about going to school here?
Leo: My favorite thing about going to school here is probably math!
Mrs. Reyes: Other than math and ELA, what's your favorite thing about it?
Leo: My favorite thing is just playing, doing activities, and learning new stuff.
Leo: What do you like to do outside of school? How do you relax?
Mrs. Reyes: I feel like I don't really relax!
Leo: Yeah, you don't!
Mrs. Reyes, laughing: I like going to the gym. [Leo: Nice.] And I like reading — well, listening to my audiobooks. What do you like doing outside of here?
Leo: Something I like doing outside of school is playing with my brothers.
Mrs. Reyes: Even though they can be annoying sometimes?
Leo: Yeah!
The Huddle: How many brothers do you have?
Leo: Two!
The Huddle: And what are you both reading right now?
Leo: Right now, I'm reading about the Native Americans and the early explorers.
Mrs. Reyes: Is there a book at home that you're reading that you like?
Leo: A football book! In December, right before winter break, Ms. Dixon gave us this present, and it was a book, and I think the book was called First Touchdown.
Mrs. Reyes: Yeah, you like that one? That's good.
The Huddle: What about you, Mrs. Reyes?
Mrs. Reyes: I’m reading Lady Tremaine. It's about Cinderella's evil stepmother, and it's trying to change your perspective on her, on how she's not actually evil; she was just trying to help her kids. I’m really enjoying it.
Mrs. Reyes: What is your biggest goal for next year?
Leo: My biggest goal for next year is for my report card; I want to get at least A's and B's.
Mrs. Reyes: A's and B's — that's a good goal.
Leo: What are your goals for the rest of this year?
Mrs. Reyes: To finish out strong. To keep the momentum going. What's your dream college, Leo?
Leo: Oh, my dream college is actually North Carolina.
Mrs. Reyes: Oh, really? Nice. I didn't know that. I like that. What do you want to study? What do you want your major to be, or what do you want to go to school for in North Carolina?
Leo: I want to go to school to become a teacher and maybe play football.
Mrs. Reyes: Oh, why do you want to be a teacher?
Leo: There are a lot of things I want to do, and I might change my mind next year.
Mrs. Reyes: But right now, you want to be a teacher?
Leo: Yeah!
Mrs. Reyes: Why would you like to be a teacher, though? I'm curious.
Leo: Because you're a teacher!
Mrs. Reyes: Because I'm a teacher, and Daddy's a teacher.
Leo: And I feel like it's fun!
Mrs. Reyes, nodding: And it's fun!
Leo: What are your hopes for your students?
Mrs. Reyes: My hope for my students is that they grow up and live their dreams… and remember me as their best teacher!
Mrs. Reyes: How can I best support you this year?
Leo: You've always been supporting me, so I don't know how else you could support me.
Mrs. Reyes: Aw, that's sweet!
The Huddle: What's your favorite thing about getting to share the same school community together?
Mrs. Reyes: My favorite thing about sharing the school community is that I can see him pretty much whenever I want. And just me knowing how hard teachers work here, and knowing that he's getting all of that extra support and all the extra things we do here. So, that's really nice.
Leo: What I like about being here with you is that sometimes I get to see you whenever you’re in the hallway!
The Huddle: What would you say to the people in our community supporting your school?
Leo: I would say thank you and that you really help the world!
Mrs. Reyes: That’s sweet! I would say the same. Thank you. Your generosity really goes a long way.
The Huddle: What do you appreciate most about one another?
Mrs. Reyes: How patient he is.
Leo: I am really patient! And what I like about her is that she likes the same things as me. And it kind of like feels like we both blend.
Mrs. Reyes: Like we're besties! Yeah, felt. Besties!
Conversations like this one remind us of what makes the State St. community so strong: classrooms filled with curiosity, teachers who nurture each child’s potential, and families who are deeply connected to the learning happening every day.
For Mrs. Reyes and Leo, those worlds meet in one place — a school where growth, encouragement, and high expectations shape each student’s path forward.
Thank you to Mrs. Reyes and Leo for sharing their story with The Huddle and for giving us a glimpse of what it means to learn and grow together at United Elementary State Street.
Connection is a hallmark of United culture, and this is a glimpse into the dialogues that define our campuses.
