If I were principal, I'd take extra special care in hiring a school secretary. And, -smiling and greeting- would be just as important in that job description as organizational skills. Why? The school secretaries play a critical role in Latino parents feeling welcomed in the school.

Hi, I'm from Puerto Rico where I teach English at various universities. Many students are second and third generation Latinos who have returned to Puerto Rico. Many others are planning to go to the States to continue their post-grad studies. I look forward to sharing with the group.

If I were Principal I would provide PD on how to embedd the non-content academic words into the day---words such as "predicts", or "therefore," or "incremental." Teaching these words would help close the gap between Ells and native English-speakers.

It's a day with a "d" in it... which means that it's your turn to cook.
So, what else Latino Educators and Friends, If you were the Principal (in a school with a majority Latino population) what would you do?
Note: I tried to add the accent to my name and it sent my profile into a tizzy, and the folks at ASCD had to step in and give me a new username. So, you may want to skip the accents when typing.

If I Were the Principal (in a school with a majority Latino population):
-At least one Professional Development Session (annually) would be led by the parents representing the diverse ethnicities of my school. One PD that I attended had a parent panel telling of their children’s struggles with homework in a second language and with fitting in. During the panel, I cried alongside teachers who were struck with the impact of their role and the power of their words.
-School Secretaries would be hired on the basis of being able to smile and be welcoming as much as on their organizational skills.
-Library fines would be limited to one dollar
-PIQE (www.piqe.org) would be in every school!
-I’d care less about rules and much more about relationships
-What else? Add to the list.