The children at the Burns Latino Studies Academy have experienced a lot of change this past school year. One more is headed their way, but they have been afforded some respect by receiving notice and preparation this time.
Before it becomes official, there is just one more step. On June 25th, the Board of Education needs to approve the choice of candidate selected by the school governance council and already given the nod by Dr. Kishimoto. Of the candidates interviewed, Monica Brase has made the cut and accepted the position.
Brase has worked in several schools in Hartford as a teacher, including Classical Magnet and Capital Prep. During the early May presentation, she shared her familiarity with the community and ways she has engaged students through extracurricular programs.
Brase’s former students have been known to rave about her.
When Dr. Lourdes Soto left Burns in February, she was temporarily replaced by both Timothy Sullivan and Elaine Papas. Neither was intended to serve as a permanent replacement, with little offered in the way of explanation to parents as to why this was the case. In the months since, there has been a major community clean-up of the school and its grounds, uniform policy enforcement, and the installation of a baseball diamond, which is getting much use by students and those in the community.