New Executive Director of Teach For
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kaitlin Gastrock | Teach For America
646.315.1396 | kaitlin.gastrock@teachforamerica.org
DALLAS, September 4, 2012—Teach For America announced today that Alexandra Hales has been named executive director of Teach For America in Dallas-Ft. Worth. In this role, Hales will be responsible for the organization’s daily management, cultivating private, public and foundation support, and building community partnerships. Hales has been acting as interim executive director since the departure of Charles Glover, who now serves as Chief Talent and Innovation Officer for the Dallas Independent School District.
Hales brings experience as a highly successful classroom teacher and instructional coach to her new role. She began her career in education in 2007 as a Teach For America corps member in the Baton Rouge area. While teaching at Jackson Elementary School in Jackson, Louisiana, Hales was honored as the top elementary school teacher in her district. She was named East Feliciana Parish Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year by her colleagues in her second year of teaching.
In 2009, Hales helped to launch Teach For America’s Dallas-Ft. Worth region as an instructional coach and went on to lead the programs’ Teacher Leadership Development team, driving the ongoing training and support of some 300 teachers per year. Under her leadership, corps members have become valued members of their school communities. In a 2011 independent survey of local school leaders employing corps members, partner principals reported that their corps members made a positive difference in their school community. Ninety-seven percent reported they would hire another corps member if they had an open position to fill, and 100 percent indicated that their corps members are as or better prepared than other new teachers.
“I’m thrilled to have Alex continue her tenure with Teach For America in this critical leadership role,” said Todd Williams, who along with his wife Abby serves as the co-chair of Teach For America•Dallas-Ft. Worth’s advisory board. “She brings an unflagging commitment to give every child in DFW access to the educational opportunity they deserve and to empower future generations of leaders for our city.”
Hales is a graduate of Lake Forest College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in History and Politics.
“Educational inequity is the most pressing problem impacting our region. As a former teacher, I know that education is the key that opens the door to opportunity but too often those doors remain firmly shut to children growing up in poverty,” Hales said. “I’m incredibly honored to lead Teach For America’s efforts to give every child in the Metroplex a life filled with positive options.”
“Alex is an incredible asset to the Teach For America team,” said Brad Leon, senior vice president of regional operations at Teach For America. “I’m eager to see her continued work to grow Teach For America’s rich local partnerships and fuel the broader movement in DFW to strengthen our schools.”
Teach For America has been a community partner in Dallas-Ft. Worth since 2009. This fall some 330 Teach For America corps members will reach some 27,000 students in local public schools. Another 300 Teach For America alumni call the Dallas-Ft. Worth area home and continue working from all sectors for educational excellence and equity.
About Teach For America
Teach For Americaworks in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding individuals of all academic disciplines to commit two years to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. This year, more than 10,000 corps members are teaching in 46 urban and rural regions across the country while nearly 28,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. For more information, visit our website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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