Santa Fe Public Schools Announces 2017-2018 School Administration Appointments

Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Public Schools(SFPS) announces the following school administrator appointments:

Loretta Booker, Principal of Ramirez Thomas Elementary School

Loretta Booker was born and raised in New Mexico where she graduated from local high schools and colleges. Mrs. Booker earned an associates degree in teacher education from the Santa Fe Community College, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from New Mexico Highlands University, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from New Mexico Highlands University. She served as an educator in Santa Fe Public Schools for eleven years as a dual language/bilingual classroom teacher including 10 years at Salazar Elementary and one year at Cesar Chavez Elementary. Last year she was the dean of students at Ramirez Thomas Elementary. When she began her educational career she was mostly monolingual, but with diligence and significant effort she passed the state’s assessment to receive a bilingual endorsement. Now, she serves as a co-chairperson on the board of directors of Dual Language Education of New Mexico, ensuring DLNM’s policies and procedures are implemented correctly.

Stephanie Hubley, Principal of Kearny Elementary School

Stephanie Hubley holds a bachelor’s degree in human rights and globalization from New York University, a master’s degree in elementary education from Mercy College, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the Teachers College at Columbia University.  She also attended Santa Fe Community College for her Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) studies/endorsement.  Ms. Hubley is also endorsed in Gifted Education. For ten years prior to becoming an administrator, Ms. Hubley taught first grade, second grade, fourth grade, sixth grade, gifted, and TESOL in the her home state of Connecticut as well as in New York and in Santa Fe at Pinon Elementary. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, she spent seven months living and studying abroad in Tanzania when she was in college.  She became interested in how to achieve equity in society through education. Ms. Hubley has been an assistant principal at Gonzales Community School since September 2015.

Jill Lee, Principal of E.J. Martinez Elementary School

Jill Lee comes to SFPS from Alexandria City Public Schools in Virginia where she served as a principal for 1,041 elementary students at John Adams Elementary School. She earned a master’s degree in education from San Diego State University in 2001 and a bachelor’s degree in English from San Diego State University in 1991. Eleven years of her administrative experience were earned serving as an assistant principal at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, California and district coordinator of ELL Arts and as a literacy coordinator in  Val Verde Unified School District (California). Nine years as a middle school teacher preceded her administrative service. She has extensive experience working with ELL and diverse student populations.

Kelly Rinaldi, Vice Principal of Early College Opportunities Applied Science Magnet School

Kelly Rinaldi becomes vice principal of Early College Opportunities Applied Science Magnet School (ECO) after serving as an assistant principal at Santa Fe High school where she provided oversight to various departments including guidance, science, and the Innovations Academy. Previous to working in SFPS she was an assistant principal at Espanola Valley High School and a chemistry and physics teacher. Her out of state education experience includes teaching physical and earth/space science and chemistry in Kissimmee, Florida, and her teaching career began in San Antonio, Texas as a sixth grade science teacher.  Ms. Rinaldi earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from West Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in education in leadership and policy studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas.

William Wade, Principal of Early College Opportunities Applied Science Magnet School

William Wade has served SFPS as the Associate Superintendent of School Support, Innovation, and Athletics by providing supervisory oversight and school leadership. Mr. Wade is an award-winning school leader, who is known throughout the country for turning around some the most challenged schools in one of the nation’s largest cities, Philadelphia. In recognition of his leadership, in 2015, Mr. Wade was presented with the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation’s Distinguished Principal Award. Prior to his principalship at The Promise Academy at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr. Wade served as a principal of two other schools in Philadelphia, as an assistant principal in Atlanta, and as a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. He has a bachelor’s degree in secondary mathematics from Alcorn State University, a master’s degree in education from Christian Brother’s University, and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

Dr. Veronica C. Garcia, superintendent of schools, stated, “We are fortunate to be able to recruit proven success-oriented leaders. I am confident in their leadership and I look forward to working with them as we propel all schools in Santa Fe Public Schools to greater levels of success this year.” Parent meetings to introduce the new principals will be at their respective schools close to the start of the school year. These dates will be posted on the SFPS website sfps.info.