Written By: Olive Ribaudo, Staff Writer
REBOUND: Highly admired Poly teacher, Mr. Portillo, comes back to the classroom after being gone due to injury.
After two months of being gone, Mr. Portillo finally returns back to the classroom. Last school year, he unfortunately had to go on leave due to an injury to his knee. He had to have surgery and was out recovering. Mr. Portillo was “super excited to be back” and “ counting down the days” until returning. He mentioned that he was trying to talk the doctor into letting him go back sooner, but he was not cleared yet. During his time away, he spent a lot of time in physical therapy. After having to stay off of his leg for months, he is working on regaining his strength and building muscle. He is also continuing his education by getting his doctorate at California State University, San Bernardino. This unfortunate time away gave him the great opportunity to focus on school. His Comprehensive Examination is coming up in the near future, and if he passes this exam, he will move on to the next phase of his doctorate.
On campus, Mr. Portillo brings a lively energy and vibe. He not only teaches math, but is the Department Chair for the Math Department, and helps support Poly’s freshmen in the Link Crew program. He teaches Math 1, Accelerated Math 2, and MRWC. On campus, you can find him conversing with his fellow colleagues, or chatting with Poly students. One of the things Mr. Portillo looked forward to most this school year was Halloween. He was excited to participate in the annual teacher group costume and is always impressed with the teachers’ enthusiasm to participate each year.
2023 Staff Halloween Picture – 50’s era on the left – 80’s era on the right
Many students are afraid of math because they think the subject is difficult and scary. “Math isn’t serious. It doesn’t have to be. It’s okay to make mistakes and grow from them,” Mr. Portillo iterated. His classroom is a welcoming environment, as he prioritizes learning, but also likes to have fun in his classes. It is focused on collaboration and talking about the problems assigned in class. He believes that a good math teacher is “someone who can relate to the students and really understand their current mindset.” He challenges every student in his class appropriately, building them up so they can overcome any problem they are faced with.
Mr. Portillo says that he is “optimistic” for this new school year. He believes that it is “always a new year, a new adventure.” Surprisingly, while in high school, his favorite subject was actually history. To this day, he loves history and historical facts. He also had an amazing math teacher who helped and pushed him along the way. As we at Poly all know, having a supportive teacher who cares is critical to success in any subject. Mr. Portillo is not only highly knowledgeable in his subject matter but is a caring and thoughtful teacher who never fails to support his students and make sure they are where they need to be no matter what. Welcome back, Mr. Portillo. We are so fortunate to have you back in Bear Country – where you belong.