
Gabriel Maldonado
Head of School
About
Originally from Puerto Rico, New York City is my second home, and in the past 37 years I’ve taught or led in universities, schools and non for profit organizations in Puerto Rico, New York, Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
As a school leader I aspire to build schools that transform lives and change communities, that form students who are ethical leaders and innovative creators, who are passionate and critical thinkers, who lead purposeful, caring and meaningful lives, and who are just as comfortable with science, math and reason, as with the creative arts and humanities.
Dr. Gabriel has helped found 4 schools in Puerto Rico, New York City, Tanzania and Dominican Republic, two of which were STEM magnet schools. He has also completed the growth of a school in Costa Rica, and helped turn around schools in Mexico and Costa Rica. Prior to leading schools, he led a teacher education department in New York, and founded and led an outdoor-biodiversity focused environmental education NGO in Puerto Rico.
I love outdoor nature activities including hiking, scuba, kayaking and horseback riding. I have 3 children ages 18, 14 and 10. The oldest, Myles Gabriel, is in college in New York, and my daughter Maiya and Ricardo Gabriel live with me in beautiful Costa Rica. My wife Monica is from Chile and is a lifelong teacher and school leader.I’m excited about working at Futuro Verde to support its development in becoming one of the great jungle schools of Central America!
- 2017 Most Innovative School Project in Latin America, awarded to Liceo Cientifico which I founded by REDUCA
- 2016 Outstanding School Innovator – Public Schools – EDUCA, Dominican Republic for my work founding Liceo Cientifico
- 2009 Principal’s Performance Bonus NYCDOE awarded to Principal’s Performing in the top 6% of the city
- 2009 Outstanding Public School Principal – Blackboard Awards, New York City, New York
- 2006 – 2011 Four of my teachers won Best Public School Teacher, New York City – Blackboard Awards (2 in Math, 2 in ELA)
- 2007-2009 – 96.7% School Report Card – 3rd highest of any new middle school, 25th highest in NYC (out of 1400 schools)
- 2008-9 Principal’s Performance review – Annual Evaluation – 31/31 (highest possible evaluation score) by Superintendent.
- 2008-9 CSS-MSE wins NYC Blackboard Award for most promising new middle school in New York City, CSS_MSE I founded.
- 1998-2004 Commendable Performance Faculty review (highest possible ranking) – 6 years in a row, Hartwick College, NY
- 2002 Departmental Distinction Award to the Department of Education, which I chaired, Hartwick College, NY
- 1999, 2000 Special Merit Awards conferred by VP of Academic Affairs, Hartwick College, New York
- 1997 Outstanding Community based Education Project Award – to PROEA- Municipal Cultural Center, Vega Alta, PR
- 1992 State Award – Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching
- 1991 Teacher of the Year Award (student elected) – Saint Johns High School, San Juan Puerto Rico
Contact
Email: director@futuro-verde.org