You boast an impressive 34 year career in public education with an extensive background in both instructional and operational leadership, serving in numerous positions including: teacher, resource teacher, assistant principal, principal, executive area director, Area Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer, and Deputy Superintendent, before being appointed Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) Superintendent in September 2022. Of all the positions you have held in public education which has been the most rewarding and why?
Each position has its own unique rewards, but my first principalship stands apart as the start of my leadership journey. I was assigned to Windy Ridge K-8 School in September 1998, replacing a beloved principal at the beginning of the school year. My approach was to listen deeply. I held 17 community meetings, introducing myself and asking what was working and not working in their school. This was how my people-first leadership philosophy came together.
How does your personal philosophy, “I believe we have to be people first,” impact your role and impact as a superintendent?
We are a people organization. The focus needs to be to celebrate, elevate and support our students, employees and parents. If we have done that, nothing is insurmountable. Since becoming superintendent, I have held more than 50 Town Hall meetings with employees, parents and community members to make sure they have the opportunity to be heard.
My key values are what drive me in this work. It is essential to build relationships, communicate clearly and be able to work collaboratively.
As the daughter of immigrants, and having started Kindergarten speaking only Spanish, what does it mean to you to be the first Hispanic Superintendent in Orange County?
Like many children among our nearly 208,000 students, I was an English-language learner. My parents came to Florida from Cuba. School educators and my parents encouraged me and saw my promise. The dedication I saw in classrooms is what drew me to teaching. About 92,000 of the students in my district have Hispanic heritage. I want to make sure all students have an opportunity to see themselves in district leadership, and I want every one of them to know there is a path for them to succeed, just like I did.
What is an innovative/impactful initiative in your school district that you are most proud of during your tenure with OCPS?
I am very proud of our Curriculum Resource Materials, which help promote learning for teachers from novice through experienced. I began to work on these as Chief Academic Officer and have seen their impact. The CRMs effectively promote active student participation in learning and call for students to use their knowledge, rather than just recalling what they’ve been taught. Our detailed CRMs are based on the Educative Curriculum Materials framework, and they guide teachers on best practices for incorporating standards into lessons and classroom practice.
As OCPS Superintendent you have said your vision for OCPS’ future is “to provide the opportunities necessary to enable all children to fulfill their full potential as empowered individuals who understand and engage with the world around them.” What steps are you taking to achieve this goal?
The OCPS team has been working on reimagining schools these past few years. What that means is focusing on differentiating opportunities for students so that each child has pathways to lifelong success. We really are starting early with our students. That includes exploratory opportunities in areas such as nursing and finance in elementary schools, expanding magnet programs and dual enrollment options, investments in STEAM and STEM such as Project Lead the Way, arts programs and more. We’re piloting a variety of approaches and I’m excited about our direction. For example, nearly 3,000 middle schoolers were exposed to career paths through a recent JA Inspire expo, and we’re working with a local hotel to show over-age students the variety of career opportunities available in the hospitality industry. We’re also committing hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild our system of technical colleges. These campuses are essential links with our broader community and are being revamped to ensure our technical education is cutting-edge.
What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing public education as a whole?
Student disengagement. Like my peer superintendents here in Florida and nationwide, we are seeing students who do not feel like they have a place in their school. We have surveyed our students, and we have found that sports and clubs aren’t the pathway to connection for most of them. Our work is in the early stages, but we are already sharing best practices from within the district. We’ve also found that students are doing more talking and engaging under our cell phone policy, which requires phones to be put away during the school day. And as we work on re-imagining schools, we are seeing that when students can delve more into their interests, that becomes a key point of engagement.
What do you think is the most important skill for a superintendent to develop?
I definitely believe the most important skill for a superintendent is relationship-building. That skill forms the basis from which trust and transparency flow. At the same time, know what you stand for, and stand firm on those things. Build up your peers, find mentors and mentor others. If you do that, you’ll always put people first.
Outside of being a superintendent, what is something that your colleagues may not know about you that you would like to share?
Family is the most important thing to me. I’m a grandmother to four beautiful grandsons with my husband, Ulysses. I do like to balance work with personal time so I can get my cup full with family, including our two daughters and son. I also love to travel with them. My favorite place to go is Asturias in Northern Spain. It’s green and beautiful with fascinating history and culture. I also have family ties there.
Who inspires you?
Teachers inspire me every day. They are invaluable pillars in society, shaping future generations by imparting knowledge, instilling critical thinking and fostering growth. Teachers inspire, guide and support students not just academically but emotionally, nurturing their potential. They serve as mentors imparting wisdom beyond textbooks, instilling values and shaping character. Their dedication extends far beyond the classroom, influencing and molding the leaders, innovators and contributors of tomorrow. Their commitment and passion for education lay the foundation for a brighter, more knowledgeable and compassionate society.
Book you are currently or recently finished reading:
I’ve just started “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen,” by David Brooks. As a leader of a team of more than 24,000, I can’t think of anything more essential.
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