Life Journey
Building Success Together
Community Leadership
Born in Colombia during one of the country's most turbulent periods, my family immigrated to Florida in the 80s, where I attended public school for the first time in USA. As one would expect, I was placed in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. The memories of that transition remain strong for me today.
Thanks to a combination of family values (where education comes first), an influential 3rd grade teacher, and studying hard - my ESL experience proved successful and I found myself excelling through my academics and achieving levels of advancement which ultimately led to an Economics bachelors degree (Universidad de Los Andes 1997) and a Master's in Business Administration (Texas A&M 2001).
My husband, a U.S. Army Signal Corps veteran, and I relocated to Waltham in 2006 from Dallas, TX, with the dream of starting a family of our own. Today, we are blessed with a daughter who is a sophomore at Waltham High School and a son attending McDevitt Middle School.
Having a daughter who continues to thrive in arts and music, I deeply admire and support our talented youth community. From Show Choir to Show Band and the wonderful concerts, plays, and performances at every school throughout the year, the diverse talent pool we have in Waltham holds a special place in my heart. Our art offerings help inspire creative, committed, collaborative youth.
With my son I have witnessed the value of sport and recreational youth organizations. I can proudly say I am a soccer mom, a baseball mom and a PAL mom! It is essential to the childhood experience to be active and learn by playing, crucial life lessons.
My husband serves as co-chair on McDevitt's School Site Council, and together, our volunteerism focuses on empowering our community through 21st-century education initiatives. Elevating others in our community lies at the core of our family values. Waltham has truly become our beloved home, and I hope for the opportunity to represent and lead as a Waltham school committee member.
Community Leadership
Building Success Together
Community Leadership
Through my own children and the love I have for our amazingly diverse community, I have continued to volunteer, engage, and lead activities and organizations like McDevitt Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), Bilingual English Language Learners Parent Advisory Committee (BELPAC), and Waltham Partnership for Youth (WPY) in our community.
For over 3 years, I have actively served on the board of Waltham Partnership for Youth (WPY), successfully chairing the development committee. This wonderful organization is an example of collaboration with the school district and community partnerships for the betterment of Waltham's youth.
My passion for soccer led me to volunteer as a coach in 2017 for three years. And from here I became the Family Liaison board member for Waltham Youth Soccer, promoting recreational activities as a means of community building for kids and families. WYS is a vibrant community that has a 20% participation of kids from K-8th grade.
I've been with BELPAC for over 2 years advocating for ELL students and families in our schools. Building a more inclusive and equitable culture in our district communications and facilities. I've seen how we are better working together, but must encourage and empower families, care givers in our district.
I have also served in our district's superintendent search committees, high school principal search committees, and assistant principal interviews, I value service and civic engagement, considering them a priority for our family. My husband is also a board member of the Friends of Waltham Family School, an organization dedicated to early literacy, that is preparing kids and their families for school readiness.
Building Success Together
Building Success Together
Building Success Together
The way we shape our children's education today holds unprecedented significance. We must adopt a forward-thinking approach and invest in strategies that align with the dynamic, global economy. Implement effective curriculum that meets the diverse needs of students in a collaborative effort among educators, administrators, and parents.
I believe that our teachers are the "beating heart" of what makes a good school great. I wholeheartedly support our schools' mission to attract and retain exceptional district teachers and administration with competitive compensation, professional development, access to technology and resources, while participating in a collaborative decision making leadership.
We need to work on eliminating the learning gaps among our diverse student population, and cultivate a safe and inclusive school environment that fosters social-emotional learning.
Incorporating project-based learning experiences to encourage
critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration will ensure our graduates are well-prepared for the demands of the 21st century.
We can not ignore the role families play in the education process, and must make all efforts to facilitate their understanding and engagement. Equally, the schools are for the students and we should integrate student voices in the dialogue and feedback of our school district policies.
I am a staunch advocate for dual-language education and believe it is crucial for our students to have a permanent schoolhouse that fosters growth and equity in facilities. As our district prepares to open a state-of-the-art high school with expansive CTVE programming, I am eager to face the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. My goal in joining the school committee is to collaboratively work towards the best outcomes for the students, teachers, and families of Waltham.
I look forward to hearing from you
Email: Vote@Carolinaforwsc.com
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