District Administrator Selected for National Educational Leadership Academy
Dr. Margarita Pinkos, the director of the Department of Multicultural Education, has been selected as one of only 17 candidates from across the nation to participate in the prestigious Superintendent Leadership Academy (SLA), created by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). The leadership program is the first of its kind in the United States to focus on preparing the next generation of school system leaders with the skills necessary to close achievement gaps and specifically address the needs of English Language Learners and other disenfranchised groups. “The number of Hispanic students in public schools continues to grow, and many of them continue to lag behind in literacy, graduation, and college preparedness rates,” said Veronica Rivera, ALAS executive director. “The Superintendent Leadership Academy is designed to ensure talented school administrators have the skills and information necessary to meet the challenge of educating not only Hispanic students, but all students, to create high-quality learning environments in their respective areas. Our country’s future depends on it.”
Dr. Pinkos is a life-long educator who has worked in the District for most of her 28- year career with the exception of nearly 3 years when she received a presidential appointment and worked for the U.S. Department of Education. As assistant deputy secretary and director of the Office of English Language Acquisition, the Wellington resident traveled around the country working to enhance educational achievement for English Language Learners and created appropriate effective policies for the U.S. Department of Education. In Palm Beach County, she has been a classroom teacher and a school and area office administrator. As a principal, she brought the first Dual Language Program to the District at Gove Elementary School and raised the academic achievement of both the native Spanish-speakers and native English- speakers at the Belle Glade school.
“I am humbled by my selection for this illustrious cadre of educators, but also inspired by and committed to the vision of this Academy, knowing that I’ll be bringing what I gain back to the District to benefit the students in our community,” she stated. The year –long program will cover Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment; Best Practices for Equity and Systemic Reform; Equity, Social Justice and Leadership; Instructional Technology and Management Systems; Leaders and Strategic Planning, and much more. Experienced superintendents and other educational experts will conduct the sessions.
About the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)
The ALAS mission is to provide leadership at the national level that assures every school in America effectively serves the educational needs of all students, with an emphasis on Latino youth, by building capacity, promoting best practices, and transforming educational institutions. ALAS was established in 2003 in response to a lack of national advocacy and representation of Latino students.
