Adelaida Olivares is on a fast track to improve student achievement as principal at Del Valle High School's Freshman Academy in Del Valle, TX. She began her career as a bilingual elementary teacher, was promoted to a middle school assistant principal and, at the age of 28, accepted the challenges of leading the new Freshman Academy as principal.
Olivares implemented Pathways to Success, a support system that brings teachers, parents and students together with clear goals for success at this school with a 67 percent federal and reduced lunch population. Freshman orientation realized a 100 percent attendance rate by both students and parents, one reason why the school's dropout rate has declined from 45 to 19 percent. Student body scores have increased three percent in reading and four percent in math, earning the school Gold Performance Acknowledgement.
At the district level, Olivares has served on numerous committees such as curriculum and textbooks. She addressed the Texas Senate Committee on Education regarding a bill to make math instruction for pre-algebra more rigorous. Students view their principal as a role model who understands their challenges. As the child of a migrant family, she had to translate for her parents and help with her siblings' education, all of whom now hold advanced degrees. Principal Olivares is helping her students grab hold of that vision and set a course for future success in high school and beyond.
1999 St. Edward's University, B.S.
