Knowing that she wanted to be a teacher since she was in kindergarten, Rosalie Miranda Robles was encouraged to enter the field by her maternal grandfather, who provided her with support throughout her education and early career. Following her graduation from high school, she joined California State University and worked as a playground supervisor for the Los Angeles City School District from 1961 until she earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1964. She began her career later that same year as an elementary teacher in the Montebello Unified School District, where she specialized in teaching kindergarten and first and second grade until her retirement in 2009. She additionally spent time as the school site representative, faculty club chair, and PTA member with La Merced Elementary School between 2006 and 2009.
Over the course of her career, Ms. Robles pursued further postgraduate work at Northridge State College and was instrumental in helping her school district transition to new math, which was a dramatic change in the way mathematics was taught in schools. She ran workshops for fellow teachers as well as for parents, so that they would be able to help their children with their homework. Other work with the Montebello Unified School District included serving as the chair of the school site council from 1980 to 1983, and as a member of the council from 1989 to 1992; a member of the bilingual committee from 1983 to 1988; and a union representative from 2000 to 2009.
In order to keep abreast of developments in her field, Ms. Robles has maintained affiliation with a number of professional organizations, including the American Association of University Women, where she was president from 2001 to 2003, vice president in 2003, and cultural chair, and the Montebello Teachers Association, where she spent time as faculty club chair. She has also been very involved with the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honorary society for women educators. Over the years, she has served in several different capacities, including as secretary, recording secretary, and president in 2004.
Alongside her primary career responsibilities, Ms. Robles has contributed her skills to a number of other civic and professional endeavors. From 1973 to 1975, she notably served as a representative for the Montebello Credit Union. Presently, she is involved with the Our Lady of Miraculous Medal church, where she serves as a Eucharistic minister, helps to decorate the church for upcoming holidays, and volunteers her time making baskets for needy families in Monterey Park. In addition, she has held a number of roles with the Alhambra/Monterey Park chapter of the American Youth Soccer Organization.
For excellence in her career, Ms. Robles has been the recipient of a number of honors and accolades. Early on, she was presented with the Honorary Service Award from the Montebello PTA in 1979, and later received the Honorary Service Continuing Award in 1982 and the Golden Oak Award in 1995. Upon her retirement from the Montebello Unified School District in 2009, she was awarded the 45 Year Pin for her more than four decades of service. Above all her accomplishments, Ms. Robles considers the highlights of her career to be the students who have kept in touch with her long after they left her classroom. She has been invited to weddings, graduations, confirmations and has even taught the children of her former students.
Born in Los Angeles to father Richard Miranda and mother Carmen Garcia, Ms. Robles spent many happy years married to her late husband, Ralph Rex Robles. She is the proud mother of four children, Gregory, Eric, Karen and Cassandra, as well as grandmother to two grandchildren, Logan and Benjamin, and two great-grandchildren, Amaya and Adrian Steven. Her family also includes her brother, Richard Miranda Jr. When she isn’t working, Ms. Robles enjoys oil painting and collecting antique clocks, Hummel figurines, Norman Rockwell porcelain figurines, and Lladro figurines.
