She teaches 7th grade humanities and learning seminar and coordinates their professional development on student agency. Gateway Public Schools were founded with the mission to prepare students for both college and career not only by providing a challenging academic program but also by developing students' social-emotional and metacognitive skills as learners. During her 25-year teaching career, Herko has had the privilege of working with students from grades 6 - 12 in San Francisco, New York City, and Quito, Ecuador.