2019 Leadership Changes at LaGuardia
Update on July 8, 2019:
Important Announcement from Superintendent Vivian Orlen
“I am pleased to inform you that effective immediately, Ms. Yeou-Jey Vasconcelos has been appointed Interim Acting Principal for LaGuardia. Ms. Vasconcelos comes to you from Talent Unlimited High School on the East Side, where she served as principal for four years.
We are confident that Ms. Vasconcelos will be a powerful, capable leader for LaGuardia’s extraordinary student
body, its staff, and all families. She is passionate about the arts, holding a Master’s in Educational Leadership from NYU and a Master’s in Music and Music Education from Columbia University. Ms. Vasconcelos began her DOE career as Music Director at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, where she served in various roles for 10 years. She has served as principal of Talented Unlimited High School since 2015-16.”
On May 31st, 2019 hundreds of LaGuardia students staged a sit-in to draw attention to their growing concerns about the school’s leadership. On June 3, 2019, Department of Education’s Manhattan High School Superintendent met with student representatives as well as members of the Parents Association Executive Board. Following are notes from those meetings:
June 3rd Meeting of Superintendent Orlen with Student Representatives
June 3rd Meeting of Parent Executive Board with Superintendent Orlen
Follow up letter from LaGuardia Parents Association Executive Board
The 2019 graduation on June 24 was a celebratory event. The keynote address was given by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Superintendent Vivian Orlen gave a rousing speech, and LaGuardia Class of 2019 students Hawa Kamara and August Rosenstein (both recipients of Alumni & Friends music awards) sang “The National Anthem.”
Following the graduation, Superintendent Orlen sent out the following letter addressed to the LaGuardia Community:
This summer an Interim Acting Principal will be appointed, and in fall 2019 a formal search for a new LaGuardia Principal will be conducted. We will continue to keep our community updated as we learn of new developments.