Zilka, Raquel
Email: raquel.zilka@spps.org
Years in Education: 4
Years at L'Etoile du Nord: 2
Originally from: Randall, MN (Central Minnesota outside of Little Falls, which is between Brainerd and St Cloud)
Has also lived in: St Cloud, MN; East Texas
Languages Spoken: French, Portuguese, Korean, Hebrew
Qualifications:
-
BA in French studies and mass communication
-
MA in Teaching English as a Second Language
About Mme Zilka
Bonjour tout le monde! I am Raquel Zilka, and I work with kindergarten and first grade as the English language learner teacher. Born and raised in Central Minnesota, I attended the same high school as my father and paternal grandmother. I started learning French in high school and continued learning through college. During college, I formally studied Korean and Portuguese, while picking up Hebrew on the side.
As the oldest of six children, I was destined to become a teacher but needed time to embrace it as a calling. Before joining the team at L’Etoile du Nord, I started my career at a French immersion charter school as the English language learner and Special Education teacher. During the 2023/2024 school year I worked as a building sub at LNFI and came onboard to teach first grade.
As an educator, I enjoy building relationships with students and seeing what makes each child special. Working with parents and other educators, I seek to create an environment where students see themselves and feel empowered to take risks and become the best version of themselves.
Outside of the classroom, I spend my time reading books, crocheting, learning other languages, going for nature walks, and collecting agates and Harry Potter books in other languages. On weekends, I enjoy going on adventures with my partner, shopping and reading at Dunkin.