Librarian, teacher, and professional development leader—Ms. Janelle Bravo-San Pedro does it all.

Reading Coach

When Ms. Bravo was younger, she dreamed of becoming either a judge or a teacher. On the days when she would be off of school, she’d help out her aunt who worked as a teacher at Santa Clara Elementary. On top of that she would tutor kids in her neighborhood that needed help. No matter what, she was always looking for a way to impact and teach kids.

Ms. Bravo was recommended to Miami High by the assistant principal Ms. Amaris Leal because the school was in need of a reading coach at the time. Ms. Bravo served as a reading coach for two consecutive years. In the first year, she managed the writing program, and in the second year she worked with the ELL and English Departments.

At that time, she would go over plans with teachers, analyze data, and create lesson plans with them. She pointed out, “The teachers here were excellent, and they didn’t really need my extra help.” Eventually after 2 years, she left the position. “I didn’t really feel like I was making an impact,” she said.

 Librarian/ Teacher/ Professional Development Planner

This year she took charge of the Media Center and began teaching an ACT/SAT prep class because she  wanted to make an impact on the school. She begins early, waking up at 5:30 in the morning, and then heading to school to meet early with assistant principal Ms. Leal and to update her with any new developments.

By 7 a.m. she opens the library and starts to work right away. As a librarian, her job brings many responsibilities, such as helping students’ find books of their preference, training her monitors to help students, arranging their routines, ensuring students aren’t cheating, making sure they are on task, and more.  After school she stays until 3:30 to help students with their assignments.

On top of all that, she keeps the Miami High and Remindme app updated with useful information and important dates for students and staff. She is also in charge of the tablets and makes sure students pay their insurance for them.

As a teacher, she keeps her students busy in the ACT/SAT preparatory class. She quizzes them on the 100 most common ACT vocabulary words and uses an app called Play2Prep which gives them sample ACT/SAT tests to practice. She also does simulated, timed ACT/SAT drills just how they would on an actual ACT or SAT exam. Not only that, but she also does quick sessions of yoga with her students to help them control their stress anxiety while testing.

As a professional development planner, she coordinates with the school district on the needs of our teachers and school, and works with teachers so they can help their students grow and get well educated.

Jobs before M.H.S                                                                                                                                                                                Ms. Bravo-San Pedro had many jobs before coming to Miami High. Her first job ever was as an assistant librarian at Shenandoah Branch Library for about a year and a half. After that she became a teacher at Miami Springs Middle School for 7 years. Then for a summer, she taught at Brownsville Middle School and also worked with Breakthrough Miami, which is a tuition-free academic enrichment program.

She has some plans for the future. She pictures herself in 10 years becoming an assistant principal at an elementary, and if not, she says she’d stay here. “I wouldn’t return to any of those other jobs,” she said. “I love it here at Miami High.”

Early Life

Born in Mercy Hospital on August 23^rd and raised here in Miami, near the Roads, a neighborhood just on the west of Brickell, Janelle Bravo-San Pedro has Cuban parents that came to the United States when they were about 2 years old. She also has 3 siblings: sisters Jacquelyn and Jessica and a brother named Jason.

She has been together now for about 2 years with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys her hobbies, which are reading, yoga, gardening, and helping her husband with a baseball training facility which he owns and works at.

When Mrs. Bravo was little she went to Saint Theresa for elementary school, Saints Peter & Paul for middle school, and graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy for high school. For college she attended Florida International University and graduated with a Masters in Public Administration, a bachelors in Literature and Women’s Studies, and a specialist degree in Education Leadership.