Director of Multilingual Programs

• Jul 2023 - Present

North Chicago Community High School Principal

• Jun 2018 - Jul 2023

•Recognized by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) as the fastest improving high school in Illinois after leading Instructional Leadership Team through ongoing cycles of strategic planning tied to deliverables and moving from the lowest state designation of “Comprehensive” in 2018 to “Commendable” in 2022. •Increased graduation rate from 56% in 2018 to 87% in 2023•Increased Freshman On Track Rate from 56% in 2018 to 94% percent in 2022•Made demonstrable gains in teacher retention from 68.8% in 2018 to 82.6% in 2022 and 5Essentials survey data•Established grade-level Student Success Teams•Established Peace Room where students could go to resolve conflict and embedded a restorative justice approach to student discipline.-Created a Student Success Center for in-school intervention and counseling for students who are failing or on the brink of failure in core classes which increased on-track rates across all grade levels.•Received ISBE recognition with a Meritorious Team Award for Those Who Excel (Frosh Academy) Show less

Superintendent

• Jul 2016 - May 2018

• Oversaw all academic, financial, and operational work as the organization’s most senior leader • Built and balanced an $8.5 million budget • Led the local educational agency through a consolidation of four separate International Baccalaureate language immersion schools into one IB school with three dual language programs in Spanish, French and Mandarin, resulting in substantial financial and operational efficiencies • Led the schools to highest demonstrable gains out of all MO charter schools in English and Math on Missouri Assessment Program annual test in 2018 • Engaged stakeholder groups from the Board of Directors, current staff, and parents in a strategic planning process which led to the revision of the organization’s mission and vision, as well as the generation of an extensive two-year work plan tied to deliverables • Increased cash-on-hand balance from under 5% to over 10% in one fiscal year • Brought SLLIS into federal Title I and Missouri state compliance for 2015 and 2016 for the first time • Increased student achievement substantially at the middle school and intermediate elementary levels in Communication Arts and Math on the standardized Missouri Assessment Program by moving from 100% one-way language immersion in Spanish, French or Mandarin to two-way dual language (50-50) • Served on Board-level committees of Finance, Governance, and Academic Excellence • Developed and recommended dozens of new personnel and operations policies to the Board and subsequently designed internal protocols aligned to Board-approved policies Show less

Director of School Culture and Academics

• May 2014 - Feb 2016

• Served as the department’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) in academics during the charter and contract schools renewals process, assessed on-site the quality of academic programming, and contributed to final recommendations made to the Board of Education for either their renewal or closure• Served as a mentor and thought partner to building-level administration regarding best practice in operations and academics• Provided hands-on assistance to dozens of district and charter co-located elementary and high school principals with problem-solving for unique situations, thereby ensuring higher rates of communication and greater operational success across the campuses• Spearheaded the district’s Transition Team for authorized charter closures which led to the establishment of a highly detailed intra-departmental work plan and established a wind-down process• Volunteered to serve on District High School Strategy Committee, Renewals Site Visit Team, Comprehensive Evaluation Team, Neighborhood Advisory Councils Committee, LGBTQ Focus Groups Show less

Principal

• Jul 2010 - May 2014

At Lake View High School (majority Latinx and low income):• Involved teacher leaders in the local innovative design and phase-in of the Early College STEM initiative, resulting in the unique creation of multiple academic programmatic pathways for students (IT, Humanities, and Visual/Performing Arts)• Led the ILT and all teachers through the identification and adoption of innovative, research-based practices that contribute to students’ college- and career-readiness (i.e., establishing a Common Instructional Framework for teachers, Teacher-Student Shadowing, Peer Shadowing, and Instructional Rounds measuring student engagement)• Launched the Wilson multi-sensory program for Diverse Learners, leading to higher rates of DL student achievement in Reading• Expanded traditional teacher professional development to include embedded, voluntary, and on-going professional development during “PD Cafes”• Facilitated PLCs on Blended Learning, REACH, Project-Based Learning, and Standards-Based Grading which led to the development of approximately 30 new teacher leaders in the PLC structure• Increased student attendance rate from 87% to 91.96% in less than two years• Raised 4 year graduation rate in 2011 of 88% to 95% in 2014• Raised PSAE composite from 35% M/E in 2011 to 42% M/E in 2014• Received a 2012 Academic Improvement for Exemplary Gains in Performance on the Illinois Learning Standards from the State of IllinoisAt Marconi Community Academy:• Led the staff through the emerging phases of both Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Response to Intervention (RtI) prior to district roll-out• Established new adult mentor relationships for students with the Black Star Project, Nuveen Asset Management, People’s Gas, the Chicago Sinfonietta, and Columbia College after an analysis of student data demonstrated a greater need for adult advocates in students’ lives• Won grants for struggling readers, a new playground and the school’s first library Show less

Principal

• 2007 - 2010

• Evaluated 41 certified staff and 5 support staff members using the Danielson framework as sole administrator • Ensured best practices in instruction for a school that was 65% Hispanic, 63% low income, and 54% ELL • Designed, implemented, and oversaw a Tier 1 universal intervention of multiage student groupings during guided/shared reading instruction within a vertical teaming “continuous improvement for all” paradigm and review cycle, leading to accelerated ELL student learning in Reading as demonstrated on NWEA and ISAT • Implemented PBIS prior to district roll-out and decreased in- and out-school suspensions by nearly 70% between 2008 and 2010 • Led Chippewa to make Adequate Yearly Progress in Reading and Math in 2009, with substantial gains for the low income and ELL subgroup scores in Reading • Led Chippewa to make Safe Harbor in 2010 for the Hispanic, low income, and ELL subgroups as well as Annual Yearly Progress in Math • Coordinated and led District 2’s Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee, focusing on the theme of “Navigating the American Educational System” (Navegando el Sistema Educativo Americano) which resulted in over 200 foreign-born Spanish-speaking parents having a much greater understanding of public education in the U.S. Show less

Lake View H.S. Bilingual Lead/ESL/Reading Resource Teacher and SES Coordinator

• 2000 - 2007

• Raised ELL student achievement to 65% meeting standards by junior year on the IMAGE as sole ESL teacher • Taught all levels of ESL/Bilingual English and designed local curriculum/assessments • Developed vertically aligned curricula and assessments for three levels of Reading in Language Arts (RLA) classes for remedial reading students • Mentored, observed, and provided feedback to RLA and practice ESL teachers • Volunteered to serve on Administrative Team, School Improvement Plan Team, Accelerated Reading Committee Show less

Marketing Coordinator - The Americas

• 1996 - 2000

• Responsible for tracking and analyzing monthly trade figures and letters of credit to South America, and completed long-term assignment in Buenos Aires, Argentina representative office • Designed and managed department’s Intranet site, and created marketing materials for each individual South American country • Acted as customer contact for South American businesses that desired pricing on future letters of credit • Translated Spanish and Portuguese official bank documents, legal documents, and news articles Show less