Read the latest edition of “The Stories We Tell” featuring Dr. Elizabeth Alvarez, Superintendent at Forest Park School District 91.
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THE STORIES WE TELL FEATURING DR. ELIZABETH ALVAREZ – SEPTEMBER 2022
A CONVERSATION WITH DR. ELIZABETH ALVAREZ, SUPERINTENDENT OF FOREST PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT 91
Dr. Elizabeth Alvarez, Superintendent of Forest Park District 91 in Illinois, believes that education equity begins with providing students of color access to learning opportunities in which they can see themselves. She believes that students of color need to learn about the wealth of contributions of people of color to both this nation’s history and our global society. “Liz” knows there is no equity in silence, invisibility, or erasure. Representation must be by design. Intentional. This requires commitment by education decision-makers beginning with the board and superintendent.
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PROTECTING TIME FOR SELF-CARE
Back to school is one of the busiest times for educators and wellness tends to be low on the list of priorities. Even though we are aware of the importance of self-care, we may feel selfish for taking time for ourselves when so many other things need to be done. Self-care is any activity that leads to overall physical and mental health. It includes all the activities and rituals one can take to manage everyday stressors and care for one’s overall health and well-being.
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Q&A WITH A PURPOSE DRIVEN LEADER
I founded Pasadena Rosebud Academy Charter School to address a need to educate students with excellence. I was teaching language arts and social studies to middle school students, and I found that there were many students of color who were reading 2-3 years below grade level and could barely write a paragraph. It was evident that they were capable, and I could see that there were gaps in their education. I knew that I could not affect change in a large bureaucratically educational system, so I decided to start a K-8 school in an effort to provide students with a strong academic foundation that would allow them to be successful in high school and beyond.
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