Maria Pimienta

Position: Principal

School: Cesar Chavez Middle School

School District: Lynwood Unified School District

City, State: Lynwood , California

About the Nominee: Dr. Pimienta exhibits all the traits of a transformational leader; she has personal discipline and passion, and she is extremely supportive and motivational. These qualities only scratch the surface of her talents and character. She is a rare individual who gives 110% of herself to any task, project and commitment. She is highly regarded in her district because of her dedication to the staff, students and parents. Dr. Pimienta continuously inspires Cesar Chavez Middle School to enact its mission by enlisting stakeholders in developing, maintaining and implementing a vision for high student achievement and college readiness.Dr. Pimienta has established a welcoming climate and positive school culture through her emphasis on PBIS. Her practice includes consistent school-wide expectations for all staff and students. She promotes ongoing, clear, meaningful two-way communication about school programs and student learning, and she has developed personal relationships between school staff, families, students and community members. Dr. Pimienta supports teachers with specific improvement plans that focus on what steps they will take to promote student achievement based on data.Dr. Pimienta believes family engagement is everything. She has created a successful parent community that provides effective learning opportunities for families and vital information on community resources. This is something the community hasn't seen in years, according to her nominator, who wishes to remain anonymous. She believes that ethics is about human relationships and that leadership is part of cultivating interpersonal relationships. The relationship she has with teachers is the perfect combination of a leader and a mentor.Dr. Pimienta is an educational leader, mentor and role model. She demonstrates her strong work ethics on a daily basis by creating a framework that enhances workplace relationships. She has transformed the staff morale in just a couple of months with her positive attitude, smile, thank you cards, generosity and support. Dr. Pimienta also leads with a stern, yet caring demeanor, taking all parties in consideration at all times. Her passion for her job is admirable, and she is a LifeChanger in her community!

[nominee_videos nominee_email="dr.maria.pimienta@gmail.com"]