PS176Q
THE CAMBRIA HEIGHTS SCHOOL
Meet The Principal & Assistant Principal
Mrs. Garcia
Principal, I.A.
It is an honor to introduce myself as the interim acting principal of P.S. 176—The Cambria Heights School. I am proud to join this extraordinary school community where students, teachers and parents work collaboratively to support academic and social-emotional growth. As your interim acting principal, I have a vision of creating and sustaining an environment where all students will be empowered to become leaders and influenced to become life-long learners in order to reach their greatest potential.
I would like to share a little bit about my background. I arrive to P.S. 176 as a seasoned educator. My professional background is rooted in the fields of journalism and education having received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and minor in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. I also hold a Masters in General and Special Education from New York University and became certified in Educational Leadership at the College of Saint Rose. I hold the following New York State Education Dept. certifications: General and Special Education 1-6, General and Special Education Birth through 2, School Building Leader and School District Leader.
The field of education is truly where my passion lies. I began working in the New York City Department of Education in 2011. Since this time, I have worked as a general and special education elementary school teacher in grades 2 through 5 and as an applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapist for children aged birth through 2 receiving early intervention services. Most recently, I served as an assistant principal for the last 5 and a half years where I worked determinedly to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all students in my reach.
I believe in the power of inspiring and encouraging students to be their best selves in and out of the classroom. I am amazed by the students, colleagues and families that I work with each and every day and I am grateful for the opportunity to touch the lives of such a diverse student body here in Queens, NY. I believe that the relationship between families and the school are vital to the success of our students. There is an old proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Thank you for entrusting me to be an essential member of your village as we collectively take on the task of instilling our students with a sense of wonder, curiosity and an eagerness for success.
Mr. Moore
Assistant Principal
I am honored to be the Assistant Principal at the great P.S. 176 Cambria Heights School. I have been working in the field of education for 22 years. My journey has taken place in every level, from elementary to high school. At P.S. 176, I intend to continue leading and supporting teachers, students, and families to improve student achievement.
I was born in Harlem USA and moved to West Africa as a young child. After several years, I returned to New York and lived in Brooklyn. Making the transition from the lush landscape of Africa to the concrete pavement of Eastern Parkway was actually easier than most would think. The adults in my life made both worlds of my childhood so special. In both places there was beauty, hardship, and opportunity. My parents and my grandparents always made it clear to me that, wherever I was, the key to being successful in life begins with a quality education.
As I grew older, not only did I want to improve myself, but I wanted to give back to young children growing up so they could become future leaders and model citizens contributing to society. My goal is to make sure each student is ready to succeed, not just today, but for every stage of their academic and professional life.
The fact is every student can be successful once they are surrounded by adults who care and give them the support they need. My philosophy is “As educators we have the ability to impact the world for generations to come, let’s make the most of this opportunity”.