West Chicago principal selected for Latino superintendent academy

A West Chicago principal has been selected to take part in a nearly yearlong superintendents' leadership academy hosted by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents.

Gloria Trejo was among 14 educators nationwide invited to participate in the program, which equips aspiring Latino superintendents with new knowledge and skills to lead a district where 20 percent or more of the students are Latino.

Each month through April, the academy members will meet for a long weekend at a different place across the country to discuss curriculum, strategic planning, community engagement, leadership, government relations and more.

“This is probably the best professional opportunity I've ever had,” Trejo said. “I'm excited to learn more and to be able to bring back the things that I'm learning to District 33.”

Participants were selected based on their commitment to raising student achievement for students of color and English language learners, as well as their dedication to serving the needs of families in their district.

Trejo was the only educator from Illinois and one of only two principals selected for the program. The school board will honor her achievement Thursday.

For the past eight years, Trejo has worked as principal at Pioneer Elementary School. She said she loves her current position because she is able to mentor teachers while also working directly with parents and students, but she hopes to one day work her way up to a superintendent position.

“That's the kind of superintendent I want to be, to be able to have a direct impact on various instructional leaders in the district as well as the community,” she said.

The idea to work toward becoming superintendent was solidified when Trejo heard Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa speak at a conference a few months ago.

“I was just so inspired by him,” she said, adding that it drove her to submit an application to the academy, even though she had little hope she would get in.

Now, she has an opportunity to work closely with Hinojosa, who is directing this year's academy, along with other leaders who come from districts with similar demographics.

“You don't see many districts like West Chicago,” she said. “That's been really nice, to see how things are, the various policies that exist, in their states.”

In addition, Trejo has already been surprised to learn that some of the other academy participants have a state affiliate of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents that they could turn to for resources. Since then, she has been in talks with other educators in the state to form an affiliate in Illinois. It is on track to become a reality at the association's national summit in November.

“I see how much they network, even though they're from different cities. They share ideas,” Trejo said of the other educators who live in states where affiliates exist. “I just felt like it was very important to establish something (in Illinois).”