Tag Archives: Latino American Teachers

Teachers who were Latino Americans, or who worked with Latino American student populations.

Former science teacher Alberto Carvalho becomes Supt. of LAUSD

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Alberto Carvalho, an immigrant from Portugal, began his career as an educator as a science teacher in Florida. He has just been hired to be the Superintendent of the LAUSD in California. Photo credit: fortwayne.com

Many excellent classroom teachers go on to positions of leadership and influence in their school districts. Alberto Carvalho is a fine example of this. Alberto inaugurated his career in education as a science teacher in Miami, Florida, rising to the position of Superintendent there. He has just been hired to be the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District in California.

Because of his determination and hard work, Alberto was able to put himself through college. He enrolled in courses first at Broward Community College, and later he earned a scholarship to Barry University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree.

Alberto inaugurated his career in education as a science teacher at Miami Jackson Senior High School in Miami-Dade County. He taught physics, chemistry, and calculus there. After four years in the classroom, Alberto served the District in several leadership positions, including Assistant Principal and Chief Communications Officer.

For the past 13 years, Alberto has served as the Superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. During his tenure there, he garnered local, state, national, and international recognition. He was named Florida’s 2014 Superintendent of the Year; the 2014 National Superintendent of the Year; the 2016 winner of the Harold W. McGraw Prize in Education; the 2018 National Urban Superintendent of the Year; the 2019 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Superintendent of the Year; and he garnered recognition by Scholastic Administrator as one of “The Fantastic Five” educators making a difference in America. Alberto currently serves on the National Assessment Governing Board, to which he was appointed by the US Secretary of Education. He also serves as a committee member for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and as an Advisory Committee Member to the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance.

On Dec. 14, 2021, this Chalkboard Champion was hired to be the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles, California.

Retired teacher Elsa Salazar Cade of Texas has garnered many awards

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Retired elementary school teacher Elsa Salazar Cade of Texas has garnered many awards for her professional and volunteer work. Photo credit: Washington University in St. Louis.

Many fine teachers have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Elsa Salazar Cade, a Mexican American educator and entomologist from Texas. She has garnered numerous awards for her work and for her philanthropic efforts.
Elsa was born in 1952 and raised in Texas. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Science Education from the University of Texas, Austin, she was employed for two years as a fourth grade teacher, and then for two years as a reading and remedial math teacher. When she completed her Master’s degree in Public School Administration from Niagara University, she continued her career as a junior high school science educator in the public school system in Buffalo, New York.
Elsa, who has been named one of the ten best science teachers in the United States by the National Science Teachers Association, is credited for developing an award-winning interactive science curriculum. She has also served on the staff of the Buffalo Research Institute on Teaching for Education.
As strong supporters of education and youth, the Cades established the Bill and Elsa Salazar Cade Scholarship in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Lethbridge, the endowment of which has reached nearly $130,000. They have both contributed to countless student fundraisers and have volunteered their time with many local organizations, including the Lethbridge Youth Foundation, Alberta Science Foundation, and the Lethbridge United Way. In recognition of her long-standing service to the community, Elsa garnered the Senate Volunteer Award from  University of Lethbridge in 2010.
In addition, Elsa previously served on the Board of Science Alberta, a nonprofit committed to science education and awareness. For many years, she was also a member of the Fifth on Fifth Youth Foundation. As if all her work in the field of education were not enough, Elsa and her husband, Dr. Bill Cade, were also honored for their humanitarian efforts, raising money to provide shelter and life-saving equipment to benefit Haitian disaster survivors. The couple also earned a Generosity of Spirit Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals in Calgary at a National Philanthropy Day in November, 2010.
Elsa Salazar Cade and her husband are retired and live in Texas.

 

Texas PE teacher and coach Joey Rodriguez succumbs to Covid-19

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Sadly, beloved Texas PE teacher and soccer coach Joey Rodriguez succumbed to Covid-19 on Oct. 17, 2021. He was only 43 years old. Photo credit: The Dallas Morning News.

We are sad to report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Joey Rodriguez, and teacher and coach from Arlington, Texas, succumbed to the disease on Sunday, Oct. 17.

At the time of his passing, Joey was a Physical Education teacher and soccer coach at Sam Houston High School in the Arlington Independent School District. Joey Rodriguez devoted 12 years of his professional life to the school.

Former student Selena Saldana, class of 2013, says she will greatly miss her former teacher. “He was my high school PE teacher, and he was always pushing me to do much more,” she remembered. “Every time we had to run on the track and I would stop to take a break, he would yell, ‘Come on, Selena. You can do it. Don’t stop now.’ He was really supportive,” she said.

In addition to teaching physical education, Joey worked as the school’s soccer coach since 2009. “Twice, he led his soccer teams to the state championship,” recalled  Marcelo Cavazos, Superintendent of Arlington Schools. “He grew the program so rapidly that the district had to hire more coaches so that all of the kids who wanted to learn from Coach Rodriguez could have the opportunity,” Cavazos noted.

Coach Rodriguez’s Sam Houston team made their first state tournament appearance in school history in 2015.That year, the student athletes reached the Class 6A semifinals and finished 23-3-2. In 2017, the Sam Houston team was the state runner-up, losing to Jesuit in overtime in the title game to finish 22-3-2. Sam Houston High School is one of only three schools in the Arlington District to qualify for the state tournament in boys soccer. In addition to coaching, Joey served as the President of the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches.

Joey graduated from Abilene High School in 1995 where he participated in soccer, football, and marching band. After his high school graduation, Joey enrolled at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he studied and played soccer for two years before transferring to Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. He graduated from Hardin Simmons with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 2001.

Texas teacher and Coach Gene Gonzales succumbs to Covid-19

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Eugenio “Gene” Gonzales, a football and basketball coach and English teacher at Saginaw High School in Texas, has succumbed to Covid-19. Photo credit: Dignity Memorial.

With sadness, we report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator and coach. Eugenio “Gene” Gonzales of Saginaw, Texas, succumbed to the disease on March 16, 2021.

Gene coached football and basketball teams at Saginaw High School. He also taught English there. The respected educator had a reputation for being a very humble man, to the point that some might think he was “very private,” but when it came to his students’ successes in the classroom or on the field, even in life in general, he was always proud. Those who were his students him say his method of teaching them was not just about curriculum, but also about life, perseverance, and how to be a good person. He was known to always see the best in people, and to live his life as a good example for others.

Gene was born on February 17, 1973, in San Angelo, Texas. As a young man, he graduated from Central High School in 1991. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Kinesiology from Texas Wesleyan University, a private Methodist university located in Fort Worth, Texas.

 

Florida’s Braulio Alonso: Teacher, NEA President, and veteran

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Florida teacher, NEA President, and US Army veteran Braulio Alonso. Photo credit: Jefferson High School.

When we think about Chalkboard Heroes, one name that immediately comes to mind is Braulio Alonso. This distinguished educator and World War II veteran can boast of numerous accomplishments during his lifetime.

Born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, in 1916, the son of impoverished cigar makers, Braulio graduated as the valedictorian of his class from Hillsborough High School in 1935. He was also the valedictorian of his college class when he graduated from the University of Tampa in 1939.

Braulio began his teaching career as an instructor of physics and chemistry courses at Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, but when World War II erupted, Braulio became part of the United States Army in 1941. He was immediately sent to officer candidate school, and later he became part of the 85th Infantry Division in North Africa. The teacher-soldier was promoted to Battery Commander for the 328th Artillery Battalion, taking an active part in the Italian campaign. He was among the first Allied soldiers to liberate Rome. By the time he was discharged from the service, Braulio had earned a Bronze Star with Cluster and a Purple Heart.

After the war, Braulio continued his career as an educator. He was named the Director of Adult Education and headed an on-the-job training program for returning veterans. He also taught classes and served as a principal at several schools, including West Tampa Junior High, Jefferson High School, and C. Leon King High School.

Always intent upon improving the quality of education, Braulio became the president of his local teachers’ union, eventually becoming the president of the Florida Education Association, where he led the drive to integrate the organization. In 1967, he was elected the president of the National Education Association, the first Hispanic to hold that office. While NEA president, Braulio worked to persuade teacher organizations throughout Europe to join with NEA for an international conference to combat racism, anti-Semitism and apartheid, and served as its secretary. In 1966 he became an international figure when he was asked to mediate a dispute among teacher organizations and the Bolivian government. This was the first of many missions to mediate disputes, including efforts in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Ghana.

This remarkable Chalkboard Hero passed away of natural causes in 2010. He will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.