I only had a few minutes to speak with Ms. Lopez yesterday...

I only had a few minutes to speak with Ms. Lopez yesterday because she was hosting a conference for the district’s principals. (Because that’s the kind of thing Ms. Lopez does.) Attending the conference was Ms. Mauriciere de Govia, the superintendent of Brownsville’s school district, who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes in a quiet stairwell. I asked for her opinion on Ms. Lopez:

“Nadia is fearless. When she says that every kid can learn, she means it. And not only does she mean it, she puts systems in place to make it happen. It all begins with high expectations. When students arrive at this school, many of them are very behind. But Nadia sets high expectations on every one. She never says: ‘This student lives in the shelter so he deserves a break.” Or ‘Because of his parents, this student can’t be expected to keep up.’ She says: ‘This is how we do things here, and there is no sidestepping.’”

—————————————————————

We are currently profiling Mott Hall Bridges Academy, a very special middle school in a very tough part of Brooklyn. As we learn about the school and its inspiring leader, Principal Lopez, we are also raising funds to help leverage its impact on the community. Please consider donating: https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/let-s-send-kids-to-harvard/x/221102