Maribel Galan, head of Aspire's new elementary school in Los Angeles, is one of the new principals on the Aspire team. Being raised in Huntington Park has given Galan a unique perspective to her role as principal. The Aspire Works editors sat down with Galan to ask her about breaking ground in a new market for Aspire, and how it feels to be working in her old stomping grounds.

AW: What is your educational / professional background, and what prompted you to pursue education as a career?

GALAN: I received my BA in Law and Society from UCSB, earned my multiple subject teaching credential from the University of Phoenix, and my Masters in Education Administration from California State University of Dominguez Hills. I taught for a total of eight years at the middle school level (6th, 7th, & 8th grade) in Language Arts, English Language Development, Creative Writing, Reading, Social studies, and technology.

Initially, I wanted to become an attorney for a school district. In an effort to understand education, I decided that the best way was to begin teaching to gain firsthand experience. The idea of helping students achieve their potential was rewarding and exciting, so I stuck with teaching.

AW: How did you get involved with Aspire Schools?

GALAN: After teaching for eight years, I decided that the only way I would affect a greater level of change was to become a principal or an instructional coach. I knew, however, that I didn't want to stunt my growth by accepting a regular district position. I searched and searched and came across the interesting opportunity with Aspire. I did my research and read about the overall Aspire vision. I was excited to learn that an Aspire school would open in Huntington Park, the neighborhood I grew up in as a child. With Aspire, everything aligned with my values and passion as an educator: the instructional focus, individual learning plans, and a commitment to working as a team that included families, community leaders, students, and educators. I thought, "What better fit than this organization!"

AW: What's happening in Huntington Park right now? Can you give a visual description of the neighborhood, the school, and your students?

GALAN: We transformed a 100-year-old Methodist Church into a living-learning environment. The school is surrounded by heavy traffic and numerous shopping stores located just a block away in Huntington Park Business District on Pacific Blvd. According to the 2000 census, an estimated 61,348 people live in the city of Huntington Park - a city that is only 3 square miles - of which 58,636 are Hispanic. It is clear that the city is overpopulated and the need for additional schools is high.

It took a lot of energy and time to think of the best way to dress up our little school that would make students and families feel safe. Everyone on staff contributed their ideas and helped to transform the dark lifeless building into a functioning elementary school.

Our students are happy to attend our school because they feel valued and safe. Students are developing an academic vocabulary about their work in centers, writers and reading workshops. When visiting classrooms, the walls speak and teach students. Learning objectives with a daily schedule are posted and followed. Students are working to develop the language necessary to answer questions like "what is your learning objective for the lesson?" Overall, we are happy with the progress we're making with students in such a short period of time. It's becoming a very inspirational place for us all.

AW: What is your background with Huntington Park?

GALAN: I was born in East Los Angeles and was raised in the South East cities of Cudahy, Maywood, Bell, and Huntington Park. I attended the elementary schools in Cudahy and Maywood, graduated from Nimitz Middle School in Huntington Park, and then graduated from Bell High School. My parents met and fell in love on Pacific Blvd. years ago. I still have many of my relatives living in Huntington Park.

As a child, most of my time in Huntington Park was spent reading at the local library and working in different areas in the community. After graduating from UCSB, I returned to Huntington Park to work as a middle school teacher with Nimitz Middle School. It was a rewarding experience to give back to my community then, and I'm so glad to be back here now.

AW: How has your connection to the area shaped your role as an Aspire Principal?

I understand the community very well and have gone through the same school system that our students have experienced. Many of our parents never had the opportunity to ask questions or to become involved with their child's learning. They do now at Aspire because we make it a point to teach them how. Parents are attending a Parent Institute that teaches them how to become involve and how to ask the right questions.

I know what it is to live in an overpopulated "walking" city. I also know what it is like to walk several miles in the rain just to get to school, which is something our students here do. Many of our students are on free and reduced lunch. I know what it is like because I've been there. Because of my experiences as a child, I try to include as many voices to discussions regarding catering, parent involvement, communication, etc. I want to create a family where every person feels valued.

AW: How does being a full-time mother affect your work and feelings on teaching and education, especially in returning to the neighborhood where you were a child?

GALAN: My two daughters (ages 6 and 8) are amazing. Currently, they are both enrolled in the school as 1st and 3rd graders. I'm happy to share the community I was raised in with my daughters. Being a single mother of two, I understand the worries of our parents. It is of high importance to me to create a warm family feel to our school culture, to create an environment where everything we do is transparent and that everyone on staff (teachers, the office staff, and administrators) is available for parent questions, concerns, and clarification. It is important to me to prepare our teachers to effectively communicate to parents their child's academic progress and to explain what the results mean.

As a former district employee of a huge middle school, I know very well the struggles that our parents face. I'm trying to eliminate the obstacles parents are faced with in large district schools. My job is to serve our students and to create change in the community. The only way to do this is to involve our parents.

AW: What kind of feedback have you received from the community?

GALAN: Our parents are excited about our school. They want Aspire in the community. They are upset with the struggles they have met in the local public schools, and at Aspire they like that each student is known and held accountable for their learning. Parents enjoy the culture of College for Certain¢â. Every class has a chant they've created; our parents do too. Parents refer to the school as "My school." It's an amazing experience to hear that from parents in our hallways, and it's something I hope to hear for a long time.