volume 8 number 2 spring 2015 alas celebrates 1st … · emceeing the event was alas president dr....
TRANSCRIPT
In This Issue
Leaders in Education
Awards Gala
CO-ALAS Spring
Conference
Superintendents
Leadership Academy
Board of Directors
News
Career Corner
Upcoming Events
ALAS Celebrates 1st Annual Leaders
in Education Awards Gala
Washington, DC
April 29, 2015
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the elegant grand ballroom of the
historic Mayflower hotel in Washington, D.C., the Association of Latino
Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) hosted the inaugural
Leaders in Education Awards Gala to honor and recognize top school
district administrators for their work and service to our children.
Emceeing the event was ALAS President Dr. Edward Lee Vargas and
ALAS Executive Director Veronica Rivera.
Volume 8 Number 2 Spring 2015
Wings of Change
Guests mingling at the ALAS Leaders in Education Awards Gala reception.
Dr. Edward Lee Vargas emceeing the event.
Several school district superintendents and administrators demonstrating best practices in public
education, especially those serving large Hispanic populations, were nominated by the ALAS state
affiliate in several categories. A selection committee then made the final decision on the award
winners.
The selection committee included representatives from some of the most prestigious National
organizations. They were Tom Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American
Legal Defense and Education Fund); Mary Ann Gomez, executive director of CHLI (Congressional
Hispanic Leadership Institute); Dennis “Denny” Dearden, associate executive director, AASA, The
School Superintendents Association; and Jeanette Morales, director for Pre-K Initiatives, HACU
(Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities).
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Guests networking during ALAS Leaders in Education Awards Gala dinner.
Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee addressing the guests during dinner.
The following superintendents and administrators were the award recipients:
Latino Superintendent of the Year Latino Administrator of the Year
Patrick Sanchez Dr. Almudena “Almi” G. Abeyta
Superintendent Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
Adams County School District 14 Santa Fe Public Schools
Commerce City, Colorado Santa Fe, New Mexico
Hispanic-Serving School District Hispanic-Serving School District
Superintendent of the Year Administrator of the Year
Robert W. Runcie Dr. Samuel D. Sarabia
Superintendent Chief School Officer
Broward County Public Schools Houston Independent School District
Fort Lauderdale, Florida Houston, Texas
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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX) spoke at the event and presented the award to Texas
honoree, Dr. Sam Sarabia.
A video message from Congressman Ted Poe congratulating Dr. Sarabia was also shown.
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From left to right: Dr. Lee Vargas, President, ALAS; Eric Waldo, Executive Director of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative; Veronica Rivera, Executive Director, ALAS; Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee, and
Dr. Sam Sarabia, Hispanic-Serving School District Administrator of the Year.
Robert W. Runcie was invited to the congressional office of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to
be recognized in person.
Patrick Sanchez was also invited to the office of Senator Michael Bennet, Colorado for a personal
congratulations.
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Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 5
From left to right: Dr. Robert Runcie, Hispanic-Serving School District Superintendent of the Year; Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; Michael J. Ramirez, Director, Broward County Public Schools.
And, Dr. Abeyta was personally congratulated by Senator Tom Udall at his Senate office.
“These educators represent the finest example of successfully implementing programs that meet the
academic and social needs of all students, especially Latino students, as well as engaging parents and
their communities in the process,” said Veronica Rivera, ALAS executive director.
Jackie Puente, Executive Director of External Affairs, Comcast Corporation said, “Comcast NBC
Universal Telemundo is proud to support the
Association of Latino Administrators and
Superintendents inaugural gala in Washington,
DC, and we salute the honorees for their
outstanding vision, dedication, and
commitment to education. We are deeply
committed to supporting these leaders,
especially through our collaboration to close
the digital divide and promote digital literacy
with Comcast Internet Essentials program.
When we connect low-income families with
K-12 children to high-speed Internet at home,
we promote opportunity for educational
excellence and economic advancement for all
Americans.”
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Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 6
State Affiliate Superintendents and Administrators of the Year also included:
State Affiliate Latino Superintendent of the Year:
Antonio A. Sanchez, Superintendent, Wilson School District #7, Phoenix, Arizona
Adan Delgado, Superintendent, Pojoaque Valley School District, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Juan Cabrera, Superintendent, El Paso ISD, El Paso, Texas
State Affiliate Latino Administrator of the Year:
Michael J. Ramirez, Director, Office of School Performance & Accountability, Broward County
Public Schools, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Dr. Eddie Ruiz, Principal, North Springs Charter High School, Fulton County Schools, Sandy
Springs, Georgia
Victor Vergara, Principal, Woodburn School District, Woodburn, Oregon
State Affiliate Hispanic-Serving School District Superintendent of the Year:
Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, CEO, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
State Affiliate Hispanic-Serving School District Administrator of the Year:
Gonzalo S. La Cava, Area Superintendent, Fulton County Schools, Atlanta, Georgia
Todd J. LaPace, Principal, McArthur High School, Sunrise, Florida
Assisting ALAS with the inaugural event was the Honorary Host Committee, including:
U.S. Sen. Michael F. Bennett (Colorado)
Sen. Patty Murray (Washington)
Rep. Pete Aguilar (California, 31st District)
Rep. Katherine Clark (Massachusetts, 5th District)
Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (Ohio, 11th District)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (Arizona, 3rd District)
Rep. Joseph Heck (Nevada, 3rd District)
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (Texas, 15th District)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (California, 40th District)
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (California, 46th District)
Rep. Albio Sires (New Jersey, 8th District)
Rep. Mark Takano (California, 41st District)
Rep. Juan Vargas (California, 51st District)
Rep. Filemon Vela, Jr. (Texas, 34th District)
The inaugural event was sponsored by Comcast, ACT, ACT Aspire and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
ALAS Awards Gala Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 7
Colorado Association of Latino Administrators
and Superintendents (CO-ALAS)
2015 CO-ALAS Spring Conference
April 18, 2015
Adams City High School
Commerce City, Colorado
This year’s Spring Conference, Recognizing our Past, Preparing for our Future, Uniting Now, brought
together Latino leaders and colleagues who serve Latino students, to provide them with a historical
review of past efforts for educational reform for the Latino community, from the Chicano Movement in
the late 1960’s to the present. The conference also offered attendees breakout sessions that
included topics such as The Latin@ School Leadership Pipeline’s Past, Present, and Future: A State
Policy and Organization Analysis and Panel Discussion. We were very fortunate to access the
documentary film from Rocky Mountain PBS, Colorado Experiences: Justicia y Libertad, made in
partnership with History Colorado and El Movimiento exhibit, on the Chicano Movement in Colorado.
This year’s keynote speaker was Richard Carranza, Superintendent of Schools, San Francisco
Unified School District and ALAS Board Treasurer, who’s message addressed the need to unite as a
state association and continue our efforts to support all students, especially our Latino community.
State Affiliates Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 8
Keynote Speaker Richard Carranza
Panelists from Left to Right: Susana Cordova, Chief of Schools, Denver Public Schools and ALAS Board Member; Dr. Georgia Durán, Chief Strategic Officer, Aurora Public Schools; Dr. Ron
Cabrera., Assistant Superintendent, Boulder Valley School District
Superintendents Leadership Academy
SLA Session VII - Iowa City
The ALAS SLA Cohort IV met in Iowa City, Iowa on April 9-11, 2015 to attend Session 7 of the
program series. The session was devoted to a series of workshops pertaining to Ethics,
Superintendent Contracts, Negotiations and Bargaining. The Cohort also dedicated quality time during
this session to prepare for their upcoming “mock” interviews.
Salvador O. Holguin, Jr., a partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, presented information
on negotiating superintendent contracts and collective bargaining. Mr. Holguin also presented general
information on school district law matters.
This session was hosted by SLA sponsor ACT at their campus in Iowa City and provided a series of
workshops based on assessments, STEM, the condition of Latino students in America, as well as
information on creating a college culture in one’s district. ACT also made available various printed
materials and technological programs designed to assist the students served by our school
administrators.
Cohort IV participants will be graduating on May 16, 2015 at their final session in San Antonio.
Superintendents Leadership Academy Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 9
SLA Cohort IV participants, ALAS staff, and ACT staff at the ACT Campus in Iowa City, IA.
Superintendents Leadership Academy
SLA Alumni on the Move
ALAS is proud to announce that fourteen of our Superintendents Leadership Academy Alumni are
currently in superintendent positions. As Cohort IV heads to their graduation on May 16, 2015, we
anticipate we will add to this prestigious list of school district leaders.
Juan Eduardo Cabrera, Jr. Richard A. Carranza Dr. Danna Diaz
El Paso ISD San Francisco USD San Juan Island School District El Paso, TX San Francisco, CA San Juan Island, WA (begins July 1, 2015)
Dr. Lily Matos DeBlieux Francisco Durán Dr. Pedro Galaviz Pendergast ESD #92 Trenton Public Schools Canutillo ISD Phoenix, AZ Trenton, NJ El Paso, TX
Superintendents Leadership Academy Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 10
Steven Holmes Roberto Padilla Dr. Miguel Perez II Sunnyside USD Newburgh Enlarged CSD Jim Hogg County ISD Tucson, AZ Newburgh, NY Hebbronville, TX
Patrick Sánchez Karen Sanchez-Griego Socorro Shiels Adams County SD 14 To’Hajilee Community School Santa Rosa City Schools Commerce City, CO To’Hajilee, NM Santa Rosa, CA
Dr. Luis Valentino Dr. Mario P. Ventura Albuquerque Public Schools Isaac School District #5 Albuquerque, NM Phoenix, AZ (begins July 1, 2015)
Superintendents Leadership Academy Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 11
Board News Wings of Change
Winter 2015 www.alasedu.org 12
ALAS President Weighs in on the Digital Divide for Students
Dr. Edward Lee Vargas, ALAS president and Executive Vice President at AVID and former Kent
School District Superintendent is quoted in the Hechinger Report and on Aljazeera America
regarding the lack of internet access for students. Dr. Vargas believes that students who do not
have internet access outside the school do not have access to the same content and learning as
those who do.
As reported in the Hechinger Report article and Aljazeera America video, one in five American
households have no regular internet access. Only 30% of K-12 schools have appropriate
broadband structure and nearly half of low-income households have no access to the internet.
Many regard access to the internet as the great economic equalizer.
ALAS surmises that students in lower income households, which affect many of our Latino
students, need an equal playing field when it comes to internet access outside the school yard.
Dr. Vargas is quoted as saying, “they're' being denied equal access to knowledge and information
that are part of education in the 21st Century, access to the internet and technology becomes a civil
rights issue.”
Our students’ proficiency in technology may impact their opportunity to qualify for jobs in the future
and could affect America’s ability to compete in a global economy. This is a nationwide issue that
needs to be addressed by our local school districts as well.
See links below for the complete article and video.
http://hechingerreport.org/getting-kids-online-home-key-closing-digital-divide-harder-might-think/
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/real-money-with-alivelshi/2015/4/how-the-internet-divides
-america.html?utm_source=ajam_iOS&utm_medium=app
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Career Corner/Membership Wings of Change
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 14
Job Postings
If you would like to post a job description for your school district or
want to know who is hiring, visit the ALAS website at
www.alasedu.org and click “jobs” on the menu bar. Current
individual members, corporate members and member school
districts may post for free, so renew your membership today!
There are no limits on the number of job postings.
Any educational institution or educational search firm, not a
member of ALAS, may request a job posting for $150 per posting
for a six-week period. To post a job, please email a copy to:
Career Corner/Membership
Membership Support ALAS as we continue our efforts to advocate for Latino youth
and promote our Latino administrators who serve our students in
school districts nationwide.
Individual membership includes a discounted rate for the 12th
Annual ALAS Education Summit, bi-weekly members update; Wings of Change newsletter; access to
job postings, ALAS educational webinars, podcasts, and virtual events; the ability to apply for ALAS
grants, scholarships, leadership development programs, and Superintendents Leadership Academy,
as well as access to networking opportunities.
School District membership includes individual membership benefits for five (5) individuals,
bi-weekly members update, Wings of Change newsletter, reduced ALAS membership fee for all
district staff, preferred consideration for summit presentations and unlimited district job postings on
the ALAS website and other media platforms.
Corporate membership includes access for five (5) individuals, bi-weekly members
update, Wings of Change newsletter, visibility on the ALAS app with two 25-word push notifications,
the opportunity to announce and advertise discounts, grants, job postings, and other special
promotions to ALAS membership, recognition on ALAS website, ALAS app and marketing materials
as an ALAS Corporate member.
Join ALAS today at www.alasedu.org/membership/information or by contacting Megan Soliz at
Upcoming Events
May 15, 2015
Deadline to submit a
proposal to present at the
ALAS Education Summit,
October 14-17, 2015
Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 16, 2015
Superintendents Leadership
Academy Cohort IV -
Graduation
Hyatt Regency Riverwalk
San Antonio, TX
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Contact Us Association of Latino
Administrators and
Superintendents (ALAS)
P.O. Box 65204
Washington, D.C. 20035
202-466-0808
ALAS App Download the new ALAS App!
Spring 2015 www.alasedu.org 15