Santiago Taveras to Serve as New York City’s Interim-Acting Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning
Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced that Dr. Marcia V. Lyles will be leaving the New York City Department of Education to become the Superintendent of Christina School District, which encompasses the cities of Wilmington and Newark and is the largest public school district in Delaware. He also announced that Santiago Taveras, currently Senior Supervising Superintendent, would serve as interim-acting Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, effective when Dr. Lyles leaves in June.
“Over the past two years, Dr. Lyles applied her three decades of experience in New York City public schools to dramatically improve the quality of teaching and learning citywide,” Chancellor Klein said. “Her efforts in helping students achieve, especially our middle school students, have been extraordinary. She is a fighter for equity and excellence in public education. We will miss her in New York City, but we know that her talent and expertise will mean great things for the students of Delaware.”
Dr. Lyles has been an educator in New York City for 30 years. She began her career as an English teacher at Curtis High School in Staten Island, and then moved on to positions as Assistant Principal, Principal, Deputy Superintendent, and Instructional Superintendent. In 2004, Dr. Lyles was named Regional Superintendent for Brooklyn’s Region 8, and in June 2007, she was selected to replace Dr. Andres Alonso as Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning. Dr. Lyles holds a B.A. from Hunter College, an M.A. from New York University, and an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University.
“It has been my privilege to contribute to the effort to improve New York City’s schools,” Dr. Lyles said. “In the last six years we’ve seen students make remarkable gains, and in my two years as Deputy Chancellor, I have worked to ensure that classroom instruction was held to the highest standards. After more than 30 years as an educator in New York, I’ll be sorry to leave, but I’m excited for the opportunity to apply the lessons I’ve learned here to my new position as superintendent of Christina’s public schools.”
Mr. Taveras is the founding principal of the Banana Kelly High School and the Urban Assembly Academy for Careers in Sports, both in the Bronx, and served as the Instructional Superintendent in Manhattan’s Region 9. As Senior Supervising Superintendent, he oversees the Department of Education’s high school and district superintendents.
“I have worked closely with Santi, and he’s the right person to take over the work that Dr. Lyles has done so well,” Chancellor Klein said.
“I want to use my personal experiences to help young people,” Mr. Taveras said. “I believe students will rise to the challenge when adults are committed to them and set high expectations for them. I am looking forward to taking on this new challenge, and I am hoping that I can make a difference in the lives of New York City’s public school students.”