Community Group, Residents Welcome New Vineland School Superintendent Dr. Ariel Lajara at Meet & Greet
New Superintendent Is First of Dominican Heritage To Serve in Vineland’s Top School Spot
BY JUSTIN ROIG | For AC JosepH Media
VINELAND — On Friday, July 10, community members gathered at La Unica, located at 7th and Almond streets, to meet Dr. Ariel Lajara, the new district superintendent for the Vineland public schools.
Lajara is the second Latino and first person of Dominican heritage to hold the position. Lajara succeeds Alfonso Llano, the first Latino to serve as district superintendent, now serving as State Superintendent for the Camden Public Schools.
A new nonprofit, Sanemos Mujeres, organized the meet and greet with La Unica and honored Lajara and his cousin Dr. Renato Lajara, for their achievements in education administration.
Dominican pride was central at the meet and greet as the Dominican community in Vineland celebrated a new height in representation in the city. The event included free food for attendees and merengue filled the patio as attendees discussed important issues in the school district with Lajara.
Renato Lajara, Ariel’s cousin, is leaving the Philadelphia School District as well to assume his new role as the superintendent of the Bethlehem Public Schools in the Lehigh Valley, working with schools in North Philadelphia, Kensington, as well as Cheltenham, PA. Both cousins previously worked with each other in the Philadelphia public schools and gained notoriety for the familial connection.
Edith Encarnacion
Edith Encarnacion of Sanemos Mujeres was one of the event organizers, she thanked the two honorees for their attendance.
“Thank you for being here, thank you Dr. (Ariel) Lajara, Rey (Renato), Lajara, for allowing us to honor you at this event, a real event that is an honor for us.”
Juan Noel Encarnacion, a student at Sgt. Dominick Pilla School, now moving up to the high school, gave a speech welcoming the new superintendent and informing him on some issues in the district from the student’s perspective.
“As a middle school student I saw many classmates going through difficult times and feeling alone and that their voices weren’t being heard. Thankfully many of those students found the courage to open up to my guidance counselors at Sgt. Dominick Pilla Middle school.”
Lajara completed his first week at VPS this week, with him assuming the position July 1. Lajara gave an interview regarding his first week at the district to Frontrunner New Jersey at the Meet and Great Event.
FRNJ: How would you say your first week at Vineland Public Schools has went?
Dr. Ariel Lajara: “It’s gone amazing. I’ve been able to meet with over 60 stakeholders one on one to really bring to life my six-month plan. My two moms is really hyper focusing on listening and assessing the current status of our district, but also our constituents and how they are experiencing violent public schools. Facilitated my first board meeting that went really well. I would say the best day I’ve had is when I visited ESY, our extended school year program, and the joy in our students’ faces was second to none. Our staff was locked in doing the good work, so it’s been an amazing first week, to be honest with you.”
FRNJ: Why do you think it’s important not just to be present during the school year in the school buildings, but in important community spaces?
Dr. Ariel Lajara: “Absolutely, these are hubs for our citizens, our constituents, and our students. So not just supporting small businesses, but also locking arms and ensuring that we all have a qualitative approach around how we inform practice here at Vineland Public Schools. So I’ve been doing a good amount of that, but La Unica has opened their arms to me the multiple times I’ve been here already in a week, and I’m super excited to be here with the Dominican and Hispanic community, really locking arms, listening to what people have to say, and ensuring that I create avenues to listen to stakeholders so we can move the district forward.
FRNJ: How has your previous roles in administration in Philadelphia prepare you for the challenges in this district?
Dr. Ariel Lajara: “Well, Philadelphia-it’s a very unique experience. It’s the eighth largest district in the United States of America. It’s also the sixth largest city in the United States of America, so it has a number of cities that turn into a community that turns into a the city of Philadelphia. And Violin has its own unique experiences as well with East Violin, South Violent, and North Violent, where demographics, social economic status, and things of that nature all turn into one. So, what Philly has allowed me to do is understand how to ensure that my practices are equitable, how to listen to community and the citizens in different parts of the city of Island to ensure that everybody’s voice is captured and everybody’s voice comes to life when we create our strategic plan.
FRNJ: Is there anything with the district so far that has really impressed you?
Dr. Ariel Lajara: “I would say how staff treats our students has really impressed me. I was able to go to schools on the last day of school and visit four campuses. I was able to attend the Vineland High School graduation, which really blew me away. Being outside in the field on a beautiful day with over 600 graduates, seeing every seat in the stand being filled. What I can say is that this community is rich in culture, rich in tradition, and people come out and support their own. So it’s been super exciting.
FRNJ: Then what is for a child of immigrants in the district right now? All the challenges that could be that that lived experience comes with. What message do you think seeing a superintendent that himself is the child of immigrants sends to them?
Dr. Ariel Lajara: “Being born in New York and living in Dominican Republic, coming back to New York during my early schooling there, then doing my secondary schooling in Philadelphia, then crossing the bridge and starting my collegiate career here at Gloucester County College, which is part of Rowan University, being on welfare from birth to 22, just I have experienced so many different challenges and opportunities that what I want to be able to show people and say to people is that it doesn’t matter where you come from, what zip code, what area, what state, what country. If you lock arms with your community, if you find the right mentors and advisors, if you have strong goals and big aspirations, man, you can really do anything you want. And I’m here to be the beacon of light for everybody.”
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