02/17/17 Xavier Botana, Superintendent Portland Schools
Posted by Julie L'Heureux
An impressive career in education and school administration experiences are the special qualifications Mr. Xavier Botana brings to his position as Superintendent of the Portland Public Schools. During his first seven months leading the city's public schools, his responsibilities have been supported by the Board of Education's vision, mission and the comprehensive strategic plan. Mr. Botana outlined an interesting report for Rotarians, where he described the status of the measurable goals he is focused on achieving. He complimented civic leadership in Portland and the Board, for the tremendous passion he sees in the community for supporting public education.
Mr. Botana was a member of Rotary when he lived and worked as the associate superintendent in the Michigan City, Indiana school system. Extending on his professional biography, he described the immigration history of his family after they left Cuba, where he was born. He prefaced his report with a history about the challenges he and his Cuban family experienced when they left Cuba during the revolution led by Fidel Castro and applied to enter the United States. Mr. Botana'a family were able to send him and his siblings to Spain to live with his grandparents while they applied for US immigration. They were eventually reunited and moved to Chicago, IL and eventually to Lancaster, PA.
Mr. Botana was a member of Rotary when he lived and worked as the associate superintendent in the Michigan City, Indiana school system. Extending on his professional biography, he described the immigration history of his family after they left Cuba, where he was born. He prefaced his report with a history about the challenges he and his Cuban family experienced when they left Cuba during the revolution led by Fidel Castro and applied to enter the United States. Mr. Botana'a family were able to send him and his siblings to Spain to live with his grandparents while they applied for US immigration. They were eventually reunited and moved to Chicago, IL and eventually to Lancaster, PA.Portland Public Schools include one-third of students who are language minorities. Although many of the students themselves are proficient in English, it's not the language spoken in their homes. He noted the enormous organizational support from the community and service clubs that support the Portland Public Schools, including efforts to elevate the profile of many students who don't always receive the recognition they may deserve. Community engagement in school improvements are evident in Portland, as demonstrated by mentoring programs, some of which are supported by Portland Rotarians.
Mr. Botana is focused on four goals endorsed by the Board of Education:
(a) Achievement - students will graduate and be prepared for a path to the future including college.
(b) Whole student - social and emotional learning will prepare students to have habits of mind to make them well rounded and engaged in the community.
(b) Whole student - social and emotional learning will prepare students to have habits of mind to make them well rounded and engaged in the community.
(c) Equity - "The Portland schools are only as good as the weakest link." Portland Public Schools do an "amazing job with students who are economically challenged." Mr. Botana compared Portland data about bringing economically challenged students in line with the educational outcomes of those who are above the guidelines for subsidized meals. The challenge is to ensure that the outcomes of students are not predicted by their zip code, their parents level of education or their first language.
(d) People - Recognition of education as a people-intensive industry and the responsibility to educate better human beings.On the immediate School Board agenda is the building program to bring all four of the city's elementary schools into 21st century schools. If endorsed by the City Council, Portland voters will be asked to support the bond to rebuild these four elementary schools.
Regarding the support between Portland Public Schools and the Long Creek Youth Development Center and a question as to how students transition back to the community after they leave Long Creek, Mr. Botana responded that there is a direct relationship between himself and the Superintendent of Long Creek. "We're about building second, third and fourth chances," he said.
(Photo: Glenn Nerbak, Xavier Botana and VP Don Zillman.)