Leader engages parents to boost graduation rates
By Irma Jaramillo and Cynthia Gutierre The Western Express
Angel Garcia is returning to his roots. As acting principal of Western International High School, Garcia is working to increase graduation rates at his alma mater.
Garcia, 33, is working to unite the school with its community by engaging parents to be more involved in the school and its students.
Through outreach, Garcia has helped raise Western International’s parent committee from 80 members to more than 100 in the first five months of the school year.
The Parent Advisory Council for Student Achievement, which meets monthly, is designed to inform parents of the school’s course offerings, offer resources and inform them of graduation requirements.
Western’s graduation rate was 84 percent in 2014. Garcia said he can increase graduation rates to 95 percent.
Garcia said the plan will be successful because of the school’s staff, which is experienced and familiar with the culture and diversity of the local community.
Garcia graduated from Western International in 2000 before attending Eastern Michigan University.
He followed in his father’s footsteps, who was also a history teacher at Western International, Garcia majored in education.
He was hoping to teach for at least 10 years and eventually go into administration, but to his surprise he became assistant principal within a year and acting principal the following year, 2015.
A native to Southwest Detroit, Garcia has long been involved in the community as a baseball coach.
Even though Garcia is young and inexperienced, he said he is confident in creating more opportunities for Western students.
It seems unreal to him and he says he often wakes up in complete shock, but he is honored to take the role of principal of the school whose athletic complex is named after his father.
