District Assistant Superintendent Ariel Lajara to be honored at Hispanic Heritage Month Gala

Ariel Lajara, Assistant Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia and a 2019 Neubauer Fellow, will be honored at the Hispanic Heritage Month Gala on September 30, organized by Hispanic Media and taking place at the Live Casino & Hotel in Philadelphia.

An experienced educator, Lajara’s career is characterized by a deep commitment to fostering academic excellence and the holistic development of students. He began as a paraprofessional and has served in various roles, including elementary and middle school teacher, Dean of Students, Director of Instruction, Assistant Principal, and Principal of the Honorable Luis Muñoz-Marín Elementary School, a position he held from 2016 through 2020. Lajara took on his currently held position of Assistant Superintendent, serving 14 schools in South and Southwest Philadelphia, in May of 2020.

“My belief that all students can achieve, regardless of what zip code they come from, is undeniable,” said Lajara when he was announced as a member of the Neubauer Fellowship’s Cohort 5. “I am a product of the School District of Philadelphia, and my ultimate goal is to increase student achievement in every school through my experience in creating positive school environments with a focus on equity, student safety, increasing student outcomes with a focus on transformational leadership, and using data to drive results.”

Read the full article on Lajara and the Hispanic Heritage Month Gala in El Sol.