CPS Initiatives; Accountability Redesign, Equity and Engagement

President’s remarks from our January membership meeting:

Greetings and Happy New Year fellow administrators, members, and supporters of NHAE,

I am Dr. Antonio Acevedo, the President of NHAE. I also serve as the Chief of Schools for Network 7 in CPS. Supporting Dr. Acevedo are the VP DR. Campos, Elba Iniguez Corresponding Secretary, Nelly Robles, Recording Secretary and Maria Fresse-Giffels Treasurer.

After his welcoming remarks, Dr. Acevedo summarized our last membership meeting, where we welcomed Dr. Alfonso Carmona, CPS Chief Portfolio Officer. He provided us with a preview of the CPS Accountability Redesign Initiative. Dr. Carmona also answered questions from the membership about this important topic that in the past has greatly affected school leaders and the communities they serve. We look forward to hearing more about how the new system will be less punitive and more accurately and equitably showcase how schools are doing with respect to various criteria.

In January, we welcomed Fatima Cooke, the Chief of Equity, Engagement and Strategy at CPS. We heard from her about how the work CPS has been doing in this important area, and what equity and engagement mean to our membership. NHAE members serve predominantly children of color who are multilingual and multicultural students. In addition, Chief Cooke provided us with updates on the GEM program which cultivates leaders of color, predominantly Latinas, Latinos, and Black males to further the work of Equity in the district.

Dr. Acevedo words to the membership present: Having just recently celebrated a holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, I ask you to turn to someone next to you and share how Dr. King, or another civil rights leader, has inspired you to lead in education with a sense of social justice. As for me, my favorite quote from Dr. King is: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Colleagues, I ask you to continue doing the work you do in the name of justice; the students,, and the families we serve. They deserve no less.

Dr. Antonio Acevedo

President of the Network of Hispanic Administrators in Education.