Leadership

As interim principal, Juliana Santos is responsible for the successful implementation and management of the bilingual program at the Burlington Campus. She is also responsible for coaching, supporting, and evaluating teachers. Ms. Santos joined Camino Nuevo in 2005 and taught third and fourth grades for nine years. Ms. Santos' strong background and knowledge of bilingual education, conceptual math, the workshop model, and restorative practices allows her to lead teachers and bring evidence-based practices that increase engagement, improve student achievement and build teacher capacity. Her professional and personal mission is to empower low-income, immigrant children to pursue their dreams and ensure that college is a real possibility in their lives. Ms. Santos completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at University of California, Santa Barbara and her master's degree in Elementary and Bilingual Education at Loyola Marymount University.

Paloma Kumagai is originally from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and attended Arizona State University. Immediately after graduating college, she decided to move to Honolulu, Hawaii. During her time in paradise, Paloma worked as a Spanish teacher, special educator and served as the director of equity and student success. During her time in Hawaii, she created systemic structures allowing for efficient and student-centered practices for students who qualified for special education services. She also lead a variety of initiatives including the creation of an Inclusion Action Research group, which later allowed students with disabilities in the general education setting at a school that had only provided pull-out services for students who qualified for special education for the last 30 years. As a member of the Waialae School Board, she successfully championed policies and reforms to foster a welcoming environment for all students regardless of race, immigration status, ethnicity, and/or gender.

Kimberly Plaza was a teacher when she joined the Burlington Campus. She taught middle school math and science her first two years. She was a full-time intervention teacher her third year before becoming the school's dean of culture. In 2019, she  became the school's assistant principal of student supports. In this role, Ms. Plaza is responsible for leading and implementing school-wide initiatives that build and maintain a strong, positive, and achievement-based culture for all students in grades K-8. She is responsible for creating behavior systems and supporting teachers and staff in addressing student behavior in order to ensure that all students feel safe and receive the maximum instruction. Ms. Plaza is a 2010 Teach for America corps member. She was a founding teacher at Rocketship Los Suenos Academy in San Jose, Calif., where she taught kindergarten literacy for two years and second grade math for another two years. Ms. Plaza earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology at Pomona College in Claremont. She is working toward an administrative credential and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology.