July 5, 2016
For Immediate Release
CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org
UPPER MARLBORO, MD –Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) recently appointed Nora Illia Morales to fill the position of Officer of Diversity, Latina/o Affairs. In this role, Morales will address the academic and social needs of the diverse families served by the school district, with a special focus on Latino children, parents, and communities.
“Our Latino community is the fastest-growing segment of our county’s population,” said Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer. “Ms. Morales will partner with county government, businesses, and organizations to expand our efforts to support students and engage Latino families.”
Morales will also review current diversity policies, procedures, and practices and develop new initiatives, increase organizational awareness, and develop communication and outreach strategies.
Prior to joining PGCPS, Morales served five years as Vice-President of the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc. (MAEC). In that capacity, she co-led strategic planning and organizational development efforts, and expanded national, regional, state, and local strategic partnerships. She also directed a 21st Century Community Learning Center serving 100 students in Grades 6-8 at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Prince George’s County.
Concurrently, she served MAEC as a Senior Education Equity Advisor and Maryland State Field Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, where she was a liaison between the Center and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) on a number of policy-making and practitioner committees. Her work centered on delivering technical assistance, training, and E-Learning opportunities to educators statewide to create positive school climates, raise student achievement, build socio-emotional learning, and increase family and community engagement. She also contributed to the development of MSDE’s Early Childhood Family Engagement Framework, Education That is Multicultural COMAR Regulations, and proposed ESOL Certification Guidelines.
Morales’ extensive career serving bilingual students started in Southern California as a first-grade teacher in the Compton Unified School District. She went on to serve first-grade students at Long Beach Unified School District, and gifted and talented students in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Throughout her career, she has taken on multiple roles, including bilingual family-school coordinator, parent workshop trainer, and facilitator for parent leadership in school PTAs. She is an active member of the Maryland ELL Family Involvement Network (MELLFIN); MSDE’s Early Childhood Family Engagement Coalition, Education That is Multicultural Network (ETMA), and English Language Learner Task Force and Advisory Council; and the Montgomery County Latino Advocacy Coalition (MCLAC). She continues to be an advisor to the United States Department of Education, providing guidance to the Office of Communications and Office of Elementary and Secondary Education on issues related to English learners, family and community engagement, Title I, Title III, and equity policy and practices.
Morales earned a Masters of Arts in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Latin American History from Tufts University.
-30-
