PORT CHESTER — The Port Chester Board of Education has selected as its next superintendent a veteran educator from Long Island with a track record as a champion of student success and educational equity, and extensive experience in school district leadership.
Dr. Aurelia Lucia Henriquez was appointed Superintendent of Schools by the Port Chester Board of Education at its April 22, 2021, meeting. She will succeed longtime superintendent, Dr. Edward Kliszus, who is retiring at the end of the school year. The appointment is effective July 1, 2021. She will be introduced to the community at the Board of Education meeting on May 6.
“Dr. Henriquez was an outstanding candidate. She brings a wealth of relevant school leadership experience and an enthusiasm for serving every student as well as a passion for teaching that will be well received by our Port Chester families. I look forward to introducing her to our community,” said Trustee Anne Capeci, who chaired the Board of Education’s search committee.
The six-month search process was conducted in partnership with Dr. Harold A. Coles, District Superintendent of Southern Westchester BOCES. Trustee Capeci said that Dr. Henriquez impressed committee members by displaying a data-based approach to re-entry planning for the district in the 2021-2022 school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on ensuring students and teachers have everything they need for a safe return to instruction.
Also impressive is Dr. Henriquez’s experience working with fellow school leaders to lobby, ultimately successfully, for the restoration of state Foundation Aid funding, Trustee Capeci said. Both the Riverhead Central School District, where Dr. Henriquez was superintendent from 2017 to 2020, and Port Chester are among the “Harmed Suburban Five” districts. Their diverse communities faced serious funding challenges due to aid shortfalls restored in the most recent state budget. Dr. Henriquez, she said, arrives with a ready familiarity with the strengths and opportunities that lie ahead in her new leadership role.
Ms. Capeci added that members of the community will appreciate Dr. Henriquez’s emphasis on becoming a visible figure in the school and village community. That will include attending athletic events and musical and theater performances, for which Port Chester students are renowned, as well as simply being a steady presence in school buildings. “She spoke about being a teacher first and visiting the classrooms so that the children get to know her as well,” Ms. Capeci said.
“Dr. Henriquez has the experience, knowledge and skills to bring together and engage all stakeholders in our community. Port Chester Schools are at a pivotal moment, and Dr. Henriquez is the visionary leader that the board and community were looking for in order to continue to move us forward. I am confident that she will be both visible and active in the district and am excited for our future,” Board of Education Vice President Christine Onofrio said.
Over a career spanning 27 years, Dr. Henriquez has held positions in the most diverse school districts on Long Island, including Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel in the Brentwood Union Free School District, the largest suburban district outside of New York City. Various roles from teacher and staff developer to principal, adjunct professor and superintendent have developed her knowledge of New York State Standards and the needs of a diverse population of students, staff and stakeholders. Her diverse experience includes working in rural, urban and suburban school communities. Most recently she worked with leaders in New York City and the Hempstead Union Free School District, focusing on post-pandemic student engagement, data-driven instruction and leadership and best practices and accelerated learning to address challenges with learning loss. She has presented at professional conferences on a variety of education topics, including this year’s National Bilingual Educators Conference in Austin, Texas.
“Port Chester Schools have an outstanding reputation for valuing every single student and the collective diversity of the community. Inclusive excellence is something that has always been near and dear to my heart and to my professional journey. The potential to join a school community with such a rich history and innovative approaches to learning really excited me. My desire to become a part of Port Chester really had to do with its reputation for valuing all students, teachers, leaders and staff, and investing for the long term. These things are part of my core values, and they align so well with Port Chester,” Dr. Henriquez said.
Her work with the Harmed Suburban Five districts allowed her the opportunity to look closely at the data on Port Chester and to learn about the district. That’s when she developed her interest in the district’s commitment to every student.
“The district is renowned for taking a whole child/whole student approach. Beyond that, they’re committed to developing that tool kit for post-high school, post-college, and for life. Their commitment is to develop good people who will do good work in this ever-changing world. As a mother of two school-aged children, I value all that teachers, leaders and staff do each and every day for my children. They are an important part of my children’s journey. My own teachers and professors had the biggest influence on me. I make it a priority to thank all staff for the part they play in a child’s life. We are all truly in this together. I like to say: Together, we are the village that it takes to raise a child,” Dr. Henriquez said. She added that Port Chester is a dream come true for an educator who sees through the equity lens as she does.
Dr. Henriquez said the immediate goal is for the entire school community to reconnect following the pandemic and to rebuild relationships that have been interrupted. She said technology has proven useful for delivering instruction but also has presented challenges in terms of human connection. She looks forward to building relationships with parents, students, teachers, leaders, staff, the Board of Education and the Port Chester community as a whole.
“For me it is about honoring the past, honoring the history and traditions of Port Chester and using all of that knowledge and richness to continue to move the district forward on that upward trajectory. It’s about elevating all voices, meeting with all key stakeholders so no voice or group feels marginalized but feels respected and part of all future plans. This Long Island native will be looking to live on the Westchester side of the bridge during the work week, so that I may fully immerse myself in the Port Chester way of life!” she stated.
Dr. Henriquez is currently Acting Assistant Superintendent for K-12 Curriculum and Instruction, with the Hempstead Union Free School District, following her time as superintendent in Riverhead and Assistant Superintendent in Brentwood. Since 2018 she has been a board member for the New York State Association of Latino Superintendents. An elementary school teacher from 1995 until 2002, she took on her first administrative role as an elementary assistant principal and became principal from 2003 to 2007.
Her many honors and recognitions include: Educational Advocate of the Year by the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2019); NYS Assembly Citation for Educational Advocacy (2019); Educational Leadership and Empowerment Award from SUNY Old Westbury (2016); NAACP Hispanic Heritage Award, Islip Town Branch (2014); Proclamation by the Suffolk County Legislature for Establishing A Mobile Food Pantry with Long Island Cares (2014); and New York Assembly Citation for Providing Critical Hunger Relief for Students And Families (2014).
Dr. Henriquez earned Doctor of Education degree in 2009 from Dowling College, where her dissertation topic was “Elementary Teachers’ Attitudes Towards the Effective Schools Correlates (Cross-cultural Analysis: Beijing, Bronx, and Long Island).” She completed her undergraduate degree at SUNY Old Westbury and earned her Master’s Degree with a concentration in English Education at SUNY Stony Brook where she also completed her School District Administration and Supervision Program.
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