Beverly Vargas is a beautiful 35-yearold Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent. She is not your average principal. A Syracuse University graduate with a background in business, Beverly invested several years at the finance company, Bear Sterns, and then decided to become a public school teacher. She is now the principal at elementary school P.S. 691 in the Bronx, not far from where she grew up.

I asked Beverly what prompted her to leave her cushy job in finance and become a teacher. She told the story of the day when she was on her way to work and on the subway saw an advertisement for the NYC Teaching Fellows program. The banner asked, “Do you remember your second-grade teacher? Who will remember yours?” She actually did remember her teacher’s name, Mr. Cordasco. She realized her finance job would not leave a legacy or an impact on someone’s life. That same year, she applied for the program and later became a third-grade teacher. After nine years as a teacher, she returned to school as its principal.

After an hour with Beverly, I realized that being a principal is a combination of educator, social worker and even property manager! She is responsible for the teachers, students’ well-being and the building itself. She is literally the CEO of a big operation.

Unlike others in the education field, Beverly believes that parents are not to blame for a child’s educational inadequacies. She adamantly says, “It’s not their job.”  Her father, she explained, never set foot in her school. It wasn’t because he was an unsuitable father, but because he was always working. Her mother’s English was limited and she did not feel comfortable interacting with her teachers, let alone the principal.

With that hindsight, therefore, Beverly believes that parents must feel comfortable talking to her. Once a month she hosts a breakfast for the parents to discuss any issues. The majority of students are Latino.  Her fluency in Spanish makes many parents feel comfortable. She has all the parents’ telephone numbers and can call or text them at any time. She, the teachers and parents use a phone app by which they give updates on how the students are performing. They are on a first-name basis with her and feel at ease stopping by her office.

She explained that every day she has to make sure her homeless students, including twenty who live in shelters, are well taken care of. She makes sure they attend school and have lunch and transportation back to the shelter. Beverly leads weekly team meetings to discuss students who may be struggling. The team consists of teacher and counselors. They discuss how they can improve students’ learning, then create a plan to address any issues and revisit the topic six weeks later. Her goal is for the kids to enjoy school and be excited to be there. She explains that she “cannot control their home environment so I want to make sure they are comfortable and share anything with me and the rest of staff.” It’s a holistic approach to teaching.

While I walked the halls with her, three students came to say hello and give her a hug. I saw boards with encouragement signs for the students. Beverly brings her business background to school and wants the students to strive for the highest positions in any field of their choosing. She follows a concept from Sean Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Children.” He encourages children to be CEOs, a play on words meaning “Chief Example for Others.”

Since the school mascot is a bee, her staff created a board that reads, “Bee a C.E.O.” She means it in the business sense but, more importantly, she uses it to remind students to be the best they can be. After my tour, we sat down to discuss the educational system in the larger context of the socioeconomic environment.

NYC remains one of the most segregated school systems in the United States. Before I left, she gave me a book entitled, “Multiplication is for White People” by Delpit. She wants people to understand the equity of education. She is adamant in explaining that her assistant principal is right behind her, helping to manage and ensuring that the administrative staff responds fully to the daily needs of the school.

Beverly is extremely satisfied with her position as principal and has no intention of leaving the Bronx. Imagine if every student in the Bronx were told to aim to be C.E.O.? Beverly is an example of successful Bronx natives who love and choose to work in the Bronx. Her example needs to be replicated.

*The opinions and ideas expressed are solely those of the author, and may not reflect the opinions of The Bronx Brand*

Elizabeth Roldan was born and raised in the Co-Op City neighborhood of the Bronx. For her, diversity is the Bronx. It is like no other place. It has produced so many renown leaders, educators, artists, athletes and more.  She feels she’s a well-rounded person today because of the many rich cultural experiences the Bronx gave her. It’s what inspired her to study international affairs and become passionate about community issues.

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