Texas Border Business
SAN JUAN – Two Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) Librarians have been selected to participate in Teach for America’s Rural School Leadership Academy (RSLA). Narda Lugo from Raul Yzaguirre Middle School and Amy Marquez from PSJA Collegiate High School Program will be part of a select group of educators attending this program in partnership with Harvard Graduate School of Education.
According to the Teach for America website, RSLA is a yearlong all-expenses paid fellowship open to all educators that offers participants a unique opportunity to build a network of peers working in similar contexts, while exploring their strengths, and building skills to become effective leaders.
“We are ecstatic about the opportunity to represent PSJA ISD in this new venture,” said Lugo who has worked in education for the last 15 years. “We will be able to engage with relevant problems of practice that address common challenges of instructional leadership, as well as join active fellow educators to grow in our leadership roles and practice our newly learned knowledge.”
As an additional component of the RSLA fellowship, the two PSJA librarians will have the option to earn a fully paid Instructional Leadership Certification from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
“We are very grateful and excited for the opportunity to learn and grow as leaders in our profession with RSLA,” said Marquez from PSJA Collegiate High School Program who has more than 20 years in education. “Pursuing an Instructional Leadership Certificate through Harvard is a dream come true for us. We are committed to giving back to our PSJA community by implementing the best practices we learn that will support our students and staff.”
As part of the RSLA, the educators will get to experience three cycles of impactful virtual professional development including: in person gatherings and school visits in rural communities once or twice during the fellowship; one-on-one leadership coaching; continuous participant-driven application of learning to impact participant’s school community.
“Congratulations to both inspiring educators for being selected for this opportunity to continue growing as leaders,” said PSJA Superintendent Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo. “Librarians are educators who also play a critical role in the development and success of our students by instilling a love for reading and the importance of literacy for future success.”
